Rome · Vatican and Borgo
Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel
A long route of galleries that ends in the Sistine Chapel. Most visitors follow one fixed path, so the pace is set by the crowd.
- 4 h
- €20
- Booking advised
- Vatican and Borgo
Data checked on October 4, 2026
The museums grew out of the papal collections and now fill a long series of galleries and courtyards. The route runs through ancient sculpture, tapestries and painted maps, then the Raphael Rooms, and ends in the Sistine Chapel. Silence is requested in the chapel and photography is not allowed there.
What to look for
- The Laocoon group in the Pio-Clementino galleries
- The Gallery of Maps
- The Raphael Rooms
- The Sistine Chapel ceiling and the Last Judgment
Opening hours
| Monday | 8:00 am–8:00 pm | last entry 6:00 pm |
|---|---|---|
| Tuesday | 8:00 am–8:00 pm | last entry 6:00 pm |
| Wednesday | 8:00 am–8:00 pm | last entry 6:00 pm |
| Thursday | 8:00 am–8:00 pm | last entry 6:00 pm |
| Friday | 8:00 am–8:00 pm | last entry 6:00 pm |
| Saturday | 8:00 am–8:00 pm | last entry 6:00 pm |
| Sunday | Closed |
Closed on Sundays, except the last Sunday of the month (9:00 to 14:00, free entry, very long queues). Also closed on public holidays such as 1 November and 8 December.
Source: Musei Vaticani, checked October 4, 2026
Tickets and booking
Adult ticket €20. The full ticket is 20 euros at the door, and the Skip the Line reservation on the official site adds 5 euros. Entry is free on the last Sunday of the month.
Booking is not compulsory, but walk-up queues can be very long. Reserve a timed ticket on the official site, or a skip-the-line product, a few days ahead and earlier in high season.
Getting there
Ottaviano station on Metro Line A is about a seven minute walk, and Cipro station is a little farther along the wall.
Tip
Arrive at opening time. The Sistine Chapel is calmer in the first hour.