Official Information
Official site: https://www.museivaticani.va/
Official tickets: https://tickets.museivaticani.va/
Address: Viale Vaticano, 00165 Rome, Italy
Map: View on Google Maps
Opening Hours
Typically open Monday–Saturday from early morning to early evening, with last entry mid-afternoon to late afternoon; selected Sunday openings.
Timetables change for seasons and holidays, so always confirm on the official website.
The Vatican Museums hold one of the world’s most important art collections, built up by popes over five centuries. A standard route takes you past classical sculpture courts, gilded papal apartments and the famous Raphael Rooms before finishing in the Sistine Chapel. Highlights include the Laocoön and Belvedere Torso, the Gallery of Maps with its frescoed Italian coastlines, and Raphael’s School of Athens. The final stop, the Sistine Chapel, is where Michelangelo’s ceiling and Last Judgment reward slow, careful looking-despite the inevitable crowds. Visiting is by timed ticket and lines for on-the-day sales can be extremely long; online booking is essentially essential. Plan at least three hours inside and consider focusing on a few sections rather than trying to see everything. Mornings are busiest; late-day entries and off-season dates can feel calmer. Dress codes are enforced (shoulders and knees covered), and photography is restricted in the Sistine Chapel, so check the rules before you go.
