Vatican Museums Tickets: Guided Tours & Admission 2025
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Immerse yourself in the fascinating world of art and culture as you explore the Eternal City. Anyone visiting Italy’s capital should also visit Vatican City, where the Vatican Museums and countless art treasures await you!
But beware, with over 7 million tourists a year, Vatican Museums tickets are extremely popular! Here, you will find the masterpieces of legends such as Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, and Caravaggio, who have left their mark on the art world forever.
Especially during the peak season in spring and fall, the ticket allotment quickly runs out, meaning that many tourists can no longer get tickets online or on-site.
This article provides all the essential information you need to plan your entrance to the Vatican Museums.
By booking online via our website, you not only avoid the frustration of not being able to get tickets, but you also avoid having to queue for hours in the huge queues on-site.
Get your Vatican tickets today and experience a journey through centuries of art and history in one of the best art collections in the world! All other Rome tickets are also available directly from our website.
Author
Who’s writing here?
Hi there, fellow adventurers!
I’m Allie and I travel to Rome a lot! ♥️
Allie
Vatican Museums Skip-The-Line-Tickets
A visit to the Vatican Museums is an unmissable highlight for any first-time visitor to Rome. Unfortunately, the enormous popularity of these art treasures often means long queues at the entrance.
One of the best options to avoid this is the so-called “skip-the-line” ticket, which allows you to skip the queue and gain immediate access to the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel. You can buy your skip-the-line ticket online in advance to avoid waiting hours on site!
Demand for tickets to the Vatican Museums is high. During the peak season, the regular tickets sell out quickly.
- Skip-the-line admission to the Vatican Museums
- Skip-the-line admission to the Sistine Chapel
- Access to the Vatican Gardens (if option selected)
- Use of the special entrance -> skip the line
- Audio guide in the Vatican Museums (if option selected)
- Audio guide in the Sistine Chapel (if option selected)
If you are planning spontaneously, you can also buy tickets on-site, but bear in mind that the queues can take several hours, especially in high season.
An exciting option is combining a ticket with an audio guide. This offers fascinating insights into the exhibitions in various languages.
Some tickets give you access to the Vatican Gardens as well as the Vatican Museums.
Please also remember to take your ID card or other identification document with you, as you may have to show it at the entrance.
Vatican Museums Tours
A guided tour of the Vatican Museums, including the Sistine Chapel, is highly recommended, especially for first-time visitors.
A knowledgeable tour guide will introduce you to the most important works of art and lead you through the various areas of the museum in a structured way.
It is also particularly advantageous that the tickets include simplified admission to St. Peter’s Basilica, so you can enter the busy church without queuing.
Especially for children, an entertaining tour with interactive stories can be extremely exciting and arouse their interest, far more than a simple stroll through the various halls.
On the other hand, museums, with their rich history and wealth of works of art, offer a small paradise for art lovers.
- Admission to the Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel
- Fast track admission: entry without queuing
- Duration of the tour: 2-3 hours.
- Licensed Vatican Guide
- Guided tour of St. Peter's Basilica (if option selected)
- Headphones included
Address:
Città del Vaticano 51, 00120 Vatican City
Recommended exploration time:
3 hours
Transportation:
Subway stop: Cipro-Musei Vaticani, Line A
Opening hours:
Monday – Saturday: 9.00 am – 6.00 pm (last admission: 4.00 pm)
Fridays open until 21.00
Sunday: closed (except the last Sunday of each month)
Days off:
- 01. & 06.01.
- 11.02.
- 10.04.
- 01.05.
- 29.06.
- 15. & 16.08.
- 01.11.
- 08./ 25. / 26. / 31.12.
Nearby:
St. Peter’s Basilica (0.5 km)
Castel Sant’Angelo (1.1 km)
What visitors say...
Save money with the Rome Tourist Card
Admission (and skip the line) for:
- Sistine Chapel & Vatican Museums
- Colosseum, Roman Forum & Palatine Hill
Guided Tours included:
- Guided tour of St. Peter's Basilica with an official guide
Further advantages:
- Digital audio guide for the Colosseum
- Digital audio guide for the Pantheon
- Digital offline maps and navigation
- Save 10% on your next booking!
Opening hours of the Vatican Museums
The current opening hours of the Vatican Museums are Monday through Saturday, 9:00 am to 6:00 pm. It is also important to note that the last admission is always at 4:00 pm.
We recommend that you arrive early enough not to miss the entrance to the museum and to have enough time to explore it. Apart from the last Sunday of every month, the museum is generally closed on Sundays. The Vatican Museums also close on the following days of rest:
- Sundays (except the last Sunday of each month)
- 01. & 06.01.
- 11.02.
- 10.04.
- 01.05.
- 29.06.
- 15. & 16.08.
- 01.11.
- 28. / 25. / 26. / 31.12.
The best time to visit Vatican Museums
The Vatican Museums are a true jewel of the Vatican and are correspondingly popular with visitors to Rome. To avoid the long queues on-site, you should buy a skip-the-line ticket.
The easiest way to avoid the crowds on site is to visit the gigantic museum complex at certain times:
- The best time to visit the Vatican Museums is early morning, at 09:00, when the museum opens. If you purchase an online ticket in advance, your entry to the museums will be much quicker!
- During the high season, the crowds at the entrance are particularly large. On weekdays outside the peak season, the flow of visitors is significantly lower, which helps to avoid long lines.
- It is also advisable to visit the Vatican Museums at lunchtime, as many tourists have lunch at this time.
- Shortly before the museum closes, the number of visitors also decreases significantly, as many tourists have already left. However, please bear in mind that you may now be under considerable time pressure. The Sistine Chapel is at the end of the museum and is the absolute highlight you should not miss.
Dress code in the Vatican Museums
Specific dress regulations apply for entry to the Vatican Museums, which you should observe. Please observe the specified dress code:
- Please choose appropriate clothing that is not revealing, transparent, or provocative.
- Shoulders and knees are expected to be adequately covered. Sleeveless shirts, tank tops, or strapless dresses should be avoided. Shorts and skirts should also be avoided where possible.
- The wearing of hats, caps, bonnets, and other headgear is prohibited, especially in the Sistine Chapel, which is a sacred place. Religious reasons for head coverings are an exception.
- However, photography is permitted in most areas of the Vatican Museums. One exception is the Sistine Chapel, where photography is generally prohibited.
Free entry to the Vatican Museums? - Our Budget Tip for those on a Budget
Are you planning your trip to Rome and want to get away as cheaply as possible? Then you now have every reason to rejoice because there is good news for budget-conscious travelers: The last Sunday of every month is free for museum visitors.
However, you should be aware that the crowds are huge these days. If this doesn’t bother you and you are visiting Rome on a weekend, you will certainly be pleased with the free tickets.
Some Highlights in the Vatican Museums
With over 70,000 works of art spread over a distance of around 7 kilometers, the Vatican Museums are among the best museums in the world. Immerse yourself in this artistic mecca and let yourself be enchanted by its beauty and history.
During your visit, you will experience a journey through the epochs and cultures of antiquity with Roman, Greek, and Etruscan art through to oriental antiquities, early Christian and medieval works from the 3rd to 14th centuries, as well as Renaissance masterpieces dating back to the 19th century.
Sistine Chapel
The Sistine Chapel awaits you as an absolute highlight at the end of your tour. Michelangelo worked for several years on his world-famous ceiling fresco, which bears the title “The Creation.”
The centerpiece of this impressive work of art is a 4.80 x 2.30 meter painting entitled “The Creation of Adam.” Above the high altar sits Michelangelo’s masterpiece “The Last Judgement,” a monumental painting from 1536 to 1541 that also measures a breathtaking 13.7 x 12.2 meters.
However, the Sistine Chapel impresses not only with its world-famous frescoes but also with its architectural splendor, which shows the Renaissance in full bloom.
From the majestic, vaulted dome to the magnificent mosaics waiting to be discovered, an incomparable journey through art history awaits you here.
Raphael's Stamps
Raphael’s Stanzas are frescoes that were commissioned by Pope Julius II. They tell stories from the Bible and shine with Raphael’s inimitable style of painting.
Above all, his sense of emotion makes these works of art a highlight of the High Renaissance style. So be sure to take a closer look at the frescoes during your visit to the museum!
The Vatican Pinacoteca
The Vatican Pinacoteca contains an extremely impressive collection of paintings by famous artists such as Leonardo da Vinci, Caravaggio, and Raphael.
The paintings reflect the development of European art from the Renaissance to the Baroque period and offer an impressive insight into the history of painting.
Egyptian Museum
The Egyptian Museum in the Vatican Museums is a fascinating journey into the world of ancient Egypt.
Visitors can expect an impressive collection of Egyptian artifacts, including well-preserved mummies, intricately inscribed hieroglyphics, magnificent sculptures, and burial objects from various periods of Egyptian history.
This part of the museum provides a fascinating insight into the religious, cultural, and historical aspects of ancient Egypt and offers an unforgettable experience for those interested in history and culture. You will gain a unique insight into Egyptian culture, religion, and history.
The octagonal Courtyard - Cortile Ottagono
The octagonal courtyard is an architectural masterpiece that captivates visitors with its beauty and historical significance. See for yourself the impressive dome designed by Michelangelo.
The courtyard also contains an amazing collection of statues and sculptures representing the history and art of the Renaissance.
The spiral Staircase
Another sight awaits you towards the end of your tour of the Vatican Museums. The fascinating spiral staircase, designed by Guiseppe Momo in 1932, is reminiscent of the famous “Bramante Staircase,” designed by Donato Bramante in the 16th century.
Its elegant spiral and unique construction make it a fascinating sight for visitors to admire and photograph. Although Bramante’s staircase is also located within the museums, it can only be visited on special tours.
Editor: Allie Hartmann
Hey and welcome to Rome-Tourist!
My name is Allie and I travel regularly to Rome, Italy.
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