Vatican Museums
Vatican Museums
4.5
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
About
With more than five miles of corridors, this vast complex of museums chronicles the history and accomplishments of mankind over the last 2000 years, featuring classic masterpieces such as Rodin's "Thinker" and the Sistine Chapel.
Suggested duration
2-3 hours
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Admission tickets
from £28.82
All you need to step foot in the door.
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Top ways to experience Vatican Museums
The area
Address
Neighbourhood: Vatican / Borgo
Frocked priests, colorful Swiss Guards, insistent souvenir shop owners, flag-waving tour guides, and pilgrims from around the world. This is the Vatican and Borgo, Rome's most recognized neighbourhood which acts as Vatican City's front yard. Aside from the souvenir boutiques and a few food spots, the only business conducted here is papal. In the daytime, the tiny medieval sector bustles with holy activity, as visitors vie for elbow room, or stand in line for a visit. Once the sun sets, the neighbourhood is transformed into a quiet and picturesque hamlet.
How to get there
  • Ottaviano - San Pietro - Musei Vaticani • 7 min walk
  • Cipro • 7 min walk
Reach out directly
See what travellers are saying
  • Lex M
    New York2 contributions
    Excellent
    It made entering the Vatican easy and fast. I tried to buy tickets directly from the box office but there were none available. So by using this service, I found tickets for the date and time of my choice. We were escorted directly to the check in point and completely skipped the line.
    Visited December 2022
    Travelled with family
    Written 10 December 2022
  • Brian K
    Renfrew, United Kingdom642 contributions
    Very busy
    We had a great visit to the Vatican museums with the highlight for me being the corridor with the maps along with the Sistine chapel . Our tour guide was very good and informative . The thing you should prepare yourself for is the sheer number of other visitors … it is very very busy . A must see , do when in Rome .
    Visited November 2022
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 10 December 2022
  • Kendall K
    782 contributions
    I’m only here for the Sistine Chapel!
    When I think of The Vatican I only think of the pope and the Sistine chapel. Fortunately for me I was 1 for 2 and was able to see the famous Sistine chapel because the pope only appears Sundays and Wednesdays for service. The Vatican is impressive in its size and history. As with most things in life you have to be there to really experience what it’s about and feel the energy. There’s lots of great decorated ceilings and other works of art both from Rome and from Egypt. If you go to the Vatican museum you can go without a tour guide but I recommend booking a tour guide in advance for a better experience. The Sistine chapel is amazing. There’s a funny story as to why you aren’t allowed to take pics or videos inside but I won’t spoil the secret. You have to go experience it for yourself.
    Visited November 2022
    Travelled solo
    Written 11 December 2022
  • Rayhan
    Frisco, Texas1 contribution
    Good, but skip if you don't like history or art
    the Vatican Museum is the home to the pinnacle of artistic and cultural achievements in Europe for 1600 years, so is it worth it? The line was very intimidating but we were visiting in off times so it wasn't that bad. After a few mishaps surrounding our ticket we made it inside. The building had some cool pieces and a great view of St. Peter's basilica, but a lot of it was plain and boring. The Sistine Chapel was awe-inspiring but crowded and the guards were barking "NO PHOTOS! NO VIDEOS!". Overall I liked it but if you aren't a fan of history and culture than this is a skip.
    Visited May 2022
    Written 12 December 2022
  • Dzez
    2 contributions
    Aura and Art and an amazing priest, oh my!
    I had an amazing time at the Vatican Museums that exceeded all my expectations. I am glad I went with a tour agency for an escorted entrance rather than trying to navigate the ticketing situation on site. The lovely priest who was in the Sistine Chapel on 9 December in the morning made my experience in that space a spiritual one, which I was not expecting (I am generally not a religious person per se). Grazie mille!
    Visited December 2022
    Travelled solo
    Written 13 December 2022
  • Joan Clarke
    Ashbourne, Ireland7 contributions
    I will definitely return to see more.
    The Sistine Chapel was my favourite part of the tour. I wished I could have laid out on the floor to really experience the wonderful art. Oscar was our tour guide. He was excellent and gave us all a very interesting tour. The headsets were an added bonus on such a busy tour allowing us to wander a little but still hear Oscar's voice. I would recommend this tour.
    Visited December 2022
    Written 14 December 2022
  • RMDEUS
    Lisbon, Portugal231 contributions
    Most incredible “museum” in the world
    The Vatican Museum deserves the title of best museum of the world. The buildings, gardens and surroundings are “per se” art work. The floors, the ceilings and frescos challenge us and divert our attention from all the art works. The best of mankind in hundreds of centuries. Paintings, sculptures. Dozens of galleries with all that is genius. The Sistine chapel is, obviously the main attraction. But it seems unfair to all the rest. There is nothing “normal” or “usual” inside and time is never enough for everything.
    Visited December 2022
    Written 1 January 2023
  • Jane Blakeley
    2 contributions
    Rome - a must ancient City stop
    A stunning city with its laters of history and highly protected city centre of ancient buildings. We found it not expensive & certainly for snacks and drinks off the street tho need to be careful around main tourist sites. The city Italians are very friendly.Whether a glorious 16 degrees for mid Dec and clear blue skies, finished with the fineart of Italian cuisine and wine. What more to ask for
    Visited December 2022
    Travelled with family
    Written 2 January 2023
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4.5
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Chacinrojas
Miami, FL49 contributions
Nov 2023 • Family
It was a wonderful and blessed experience to be able to meet Pope Francis. If you just got married and want to be bless by the pope you need to ask for a petition during the first 3 months of your marriage by church. You need to go the the vatican web page and find the form and send to them. You need to pick 3 different date and if you are lucky you will be chosen. Pope Francis was wonderful to us.
Written 30 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Melissa11
Sandbach, UK165 contributions
Nov 2023 • Friends
We booked the 7.15am morning tour direct with the Vatican Museum and arrived at 7am. We were in a group of around 20 and had a lively lady tour guide. The museum was very quiet and we got to spend quality time in each section.
We visited the Sistine Chapel and it was a bit busier but we were able to sit down and listen to our tour guide.
The tour included breakfast which was disappointing and unorganised. You sit in an outdoor covered area. As we were a table of 2 we seemed to be forgotten about. There was one member of staff taking hot drinks orders and one female waitress was shouting and people if their children had dropped food on the floor (as this attracted pigeons). There were bread rolls and water on the table when we arrived but when we finally received the hot food of egg, potatoes, fatty bacon and sausages it was like warm at best. We were cold and just wanted a hot drink and some warm food.
After we had breakfast we walked round to St Peter’s square, we were not told of any secret entry as mentioned in other reviews.
Written 29 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

ernest g
Fort Worth, TX23 contributions
Nov 2023 • Solo
It was an ok museum. I’ve seen better artwork, antiquities and design layout in the Louvre. I went on the Free Sunday when they just herd you in like cattle. It’s a free for all you aren’t given a map or layout and you just wander from room to room hoping to see everything before they close the room. Even the outdoor gardens were in bad shape and needed mowing. Most of the staff act like they hated the tourists and are too bothered when you ask them a question. The dining areas are also all closed on the Free Sunday.
Written 26 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

nico
Rome, Italy17 contributions
Mar 2023 • Family
very pretty even though it can get quite claustrophobic after a while considering it’s Always crowded no matter the day, season or time slot (and they’re very rigid about them too so do not be late!!! it's better to get there early and rest in the steps in front of the entrance than to risk it) i was thinking about the borgias the whole time tbh.
Written 20 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Jacqueline R
Cork, Cork, Ireland616 contributions
Oct 2023 • Family
The amount of priceless artworks lumped together on shelves and tables is quite obscene. Crowds of people everywhere only add to the feeling of suffocating ( yes, I’m aware we were those people)

Personally I would prefer to visit a museum and enjoy the beauty of a smaller selection rather than the conveyor belt experience that is the Vatican Museum.

Guides speaking loudly, attempting to keep groups together, museum guards shouting at the ignorant amongst us who want to touch objects, the heat, the incessant noise…..sorry but just not for me.
Written 20 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Departure699985
5 contributions
Nov 2023 • Couples
I would strongly recommend planning your visit in advance, reading up and researching what you want to see, as it is very confusing and a tad overwhelming otherwise. You get a map, but the audio guide map was different to the official Vatican route map through the museums, and all signs seem to point to the Sistene Chapel, so easy to lose your way or miss some sections. We did not want to be part of a tour group (these many groups with their flags are very irritating and block the way for people who aren't part of the group) so read up on everything first and knew what we wanted to see. I recommend just buying a 'skip the line' ticket with an audio guide, so you can listen to whatever section you wish to as it suits you. We went to Rome the second week of November 2023, and I am not sure if it was just pure luck but we had such a wonderful experience of the city at that time and the only big crowds were around the Trevi Fountain. We had marvellous weather and were able to stay in the Sistene Chapel for quite a long time, without being squashed or crowded out. The Sistene Chapel was definitely the highlight of the Vatican museums tour, and because it wasn't crowded, we could appreciate the immensity and wonder of the magnificent artwork in the Chapel. We got some great photos of the amazing staircase on the way out - take a photo from the top and the bottom view! Another highlight not to miss are the Octagonal Gardens at the beginning of the tour - amazingly beautiful sculptures by Bernini. Lots of step to negotiate, so not good for less mobile people.
Written 19 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Julianne
Utah7 contributions
Nov 2023 • Couples
There are many museums at the Vatican. Therefore, there are so many things to see! One could easily spend a (slow) day just going through all of the museums.

We had a guided tour for the Sistine Chapel and Vatican Gardens, so we didn’t get the full museum experience. We did walk through many parts of the museum while on that tour. If we had time, we would definitely take a day just for the museums and explore more of the amazing collections they have!
Written 17 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

chris o
Wanstead, UK46 contributions
Nov 2023 • Couples
Skip the line ticket is essential to avoid long queues. It’s all very crowded. Get your guide audio is useful as you can skip bits of less interest. Too much to take in in a single visit though the art is wonderful. The Sistine chapel and it’s history are the highlights.
Written 16 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Traveler783982
1 contribution
Nov 2023 • Couples
Total cash cow for the Vatican. I was forced into the Egyptian art on the way toward the Sistine chapel which was poorly marked and was terrified by the crushing crowds. I saw nothing but the back of peoples heads. Then tried to get assistance through the elevators/lifts. Nobody knew what they were doing. Worst museum experience ever. I have no desire to return. Ever. I got Covid also being shoved in that cattle call with all those people, is it any surprise?
Written 15 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Ash L
1 contribution
Nov 2023 • Solo
The museum itself and the exhibits are beautiful nice garden and views of St Peters.
Unfortunately its clear its all about money not visitor experience as it was far too crowded. Too many guided tour groups blocking pretty much every path. At some points it was like a flock of sheep being shepherded through so you couldn't really see let alone enjoy yourself. I think the experience is spoilt by simply selling too many tickets each day. My favourite part was the roman statues and being outside in the gardens.
It's a real shame but I wouldn't recommend it.

Written 13 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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VATICAN MUSEUMS: Tickets, Tours & Things to Know (with Photos)

Frequently Asked Questions about Vatican Museums

Vatican Museums admission prices can vary. Entrance tickets currently cost £28.44, while a popular guided tour starts around £3.55 per person.