Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel
One of the greatest art collections on earth, ending in Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel ceiling - the treasures of the popes across kilometres of galleries.
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Illustrative image - a scene in the spirit of the place, not a photograph of it. Real photos are below.
The Vatican Museums hold one of the greatest art collections on earth, kilometres of galleries of antiquities, tapestries, maps and masterpieces amassed by the popes over centuries, from the Laocoon to Raphael's Rooms. The route builds to the climax of the Sistine Chapel, where Michelangelo painted the ceiling and the Last Judgement, among the supreme achievements of Western art.
What you actually see
- The Sistine Chapel - Michelangelo's ceiling and Last Judgement.
- Raphael's Rooms - the frescoed papal apartments, including the School of Athens.
- The Gallery of Maps - the long hall of painted maps under a gilded ceiling.
- The classical sculpture - the Laocoon, the Apollo Belvedere and the antiquities.
When to go
Year-round; a fully indoor museum, though huge and crowded. Book a timed ticket well ahead, and go early or on a late opening; the crowds funnelling to the Sistine Chapel are intense.
Honest expectations
It is vast and extremely crowded, a long, tiring one-way route to the Sistine Chapel, so book ahead and pace yourself. The Sistine Chapel itself is packed and silence is enforced, with no photography. Guided or early-access tours ease the crush but cost more.
Nearby
St Peter's Basilica adjoins; the Castel Sant'Angelo is nearby.
What to pack for Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.
