Plan Your Visit to the Vatican Museums

Before you walk in

The Vatican Museums route runs for about 7 km, mostly one-way, and finishes in the Sistine Chapel. This page covers the practical side of the day: how much time to allow, what to wear, what goes in the cloakroom, where to eat, and how to fit in St Peter's Basilica.

How long do you need at the Vatican Museums?

The museum route
Adding St Peter's Basilica

Visitors on the Bramante Staircase inside the Vatican Museums

The museum route, including the Sistine Chapel

The 7 km figure covers the full display itinerary. You won't see every room, but plan for a long indoor visit rather than a quick stop.

The route ends in the Sistine Chapel, which is included in museum admission. Staff start clearing the galleries 30 minutes before closing, so a late entry means a shorter visit.

Hours and how to get there

When the museums are open

Monday to Saturday, 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Last entry times and closed dates are on the opening hours page.

The entrance, and how to reach it

Viale Vaticano, 00165 Rome, reached by Metro Line A to Ottaviano or Cipro. Bus, tram and taxi routes are on the Address and Directions page.

Vatican Museums dress code and bags

Dress code
Bags and cloakroom

Vatican Museums dress code

Visitors to the Vatican Museums, the Sistine Chapel, St Peter's Basilica and the Vatican Gardens must be dressed appropriately.

Cover shoulders and knees and take your hat off. Visible tattoos or items considered offensive to Catholic values aren't allowed either.

Staff can turn you away at the entrance, so check your outfit before you leave your hotel. Not permitted:

Sleeveless or low-cut tops
Shorts above the knee
Miniskirts
Hats

Which ticket fits your visit?

Museums and Sistine Chapel only

The skip-the-line ticket (self-paced, with an audio guide app) and the Mamertine Prison ticket cover the museums and the Sistine Chapel. Neither includes St Peter's Basilica.

Adding St Peter's Basilica

Both guided tours include the basilica. The St Peter's Square option needs names and ID in advance, and the standard guided tour isn't suitable for wheelchairs or strollers.

Big Bus hop-on hop-off

The Big Bus card is a hop-on hop-off tour of Rome. It doesn't include museum entry.

Where to eat inside the Vatican Museums

A dining area inside the Vatican Museums

Food and drink aren't allowed in the galleries, so eat at one of the refreshment points or leave snacks in the cloakroom. Alcohol has to be checked in for the whole visit.

There are six places to eat along the route: a Self Service restaurant for an informal lunch, Bistrot La Pigna in the Courtyard of the Pine Cone, Caffetteria Il Forno near the Sistine Chapel exit, a Pizzeria, Caffetteria Le Carrozze by the Carriage Pavilion, and Caffetteria Centrale next to the Self Service for coffee or breakfast. You'll also find vending machines on the way round.

Every refreshment point has accessible toilets.

Vatican Museums gift shop

Souvenirs and publications in a Vatican Museums bookshop

Bookshops along the route sell catalogues, prints, stationery, reproductions, religious art and children's books.

There's another shop in St Peter's Square, in the Braccio di Carlo Magno. All the shops inside the museums are wheelchair accessible apart from the one on the steps of the Most Holy Sacrament, towards the basilica.

Cash and most cards are accepted, but not American Express, Diners or JCB.

On-site facilities

Cloakroom

Free, and compulsory for large bags and the items listed above. Collection is in the exit hall, at the foot of the spiral staircase, on the same day.

Audio guide

The skip-the-line ticket on this page comes with a downloadable audio guide app and a map of the complex. The guided tours use headsets, so you can hear your guide in busy rooms.

Map, rest spots, and families

Download the map before you go, or scan the QR codes inside. There's seating in the Courtyard of the Cuirasses, the Courtyard of the Pinacoteca, the Square Garden and the Courtyard of the Pinecone. Strollers are welcome, and there are lifts, baby-changing points, a nursing room, and highchairs in some cafés.

Wi-Fi and air-conditioning

There's no Wi-Fi in the museums. Some crowded rooms have little or no air-conditioning in summer, to protect the building and the collections.

Ticket day

Entry tickets are only valid on the date they're issued for.

Wheelchairs, reduced mobility, and other access

An accessible route inside the Vatican Museums

Most of the museums can be visited with reduced mobility, and there's a dedicated barrier-free itinerary. Staff can help you stay on it, and accessible toilets are at every refreshment point and along the route.

Wheelchairs can be borrowed free from the cloakroom, subject to availability, with ID and a deposit. Mobility scooters and electric wheelchairs are allowed in many areas; where they aren't, staff will ask you to switch to a manual chair.

Tactile visits are available for blind and partially sighted visitors. Guide dogs are welcome on a muzzle and lead, with at least a day's notice to the museum.

On this page, the standard guided tour isn't suitable for wheelchairs or strollers, and Mamertine Prison isn't wheelchair accessible.

Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel: Skip Ticket

Highlights

Skip the usual long queues with fast-track access.

Enjoy a self-paced visit through the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel.

Listen to detailed commentary available in English and seven additional languages.

Discover masterpieces by renowned artists like Michelangelo, Bernini, Raphael, and Caravaggio.

Use a downloadable audio guide app that can be accessed offline.

Guided tour of the Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's Basilica

Highlights

Skip long queues with fast-track entry.

Explore the extensive Vatican Museums and marvel at the Sistine Chapel.

Enjoy VIP access to the magnificent St. Peter’s Basilica.

Benefit from a knowledgeable live English-speaking guide.

Hear the commentary clearly using a provided headset.

Small groups with a maximum of 20 participants ensure a personal experience.

Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel + St. Peter's Square

Highlights

Avoid long queues with fast-track entry.

Join a tour limited to 20 participants.

Explore iconic sites like Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel and the Last Judgement.

Includes guided visits to Vatican Museums and St. Peter’s Basilica.

Listen clearly to commentary through modern headsets in English.

Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel and Mamertine Prison: Reserved Entrance

Highlights

Skip the lengthy queues with priority entry.

Discover the magnificent Renaissance artworks housed in the Vatican Museums.

Marvel at Michelangelo’s iconic Sistine Chapel ceiling, including the famous Creation of Adam.

Explore Raphael’s School of Athens and other renowned galleries such as the Hall of Tapestries and Map Room.

Experience a video-guided tour of the ancient Mamertine Prison located in the basement of San Pietro in Carcere church.

Big Bus Rome: Hop-on Hop-off Tour

Highlights

Enjoy panoramic views from the upper deck of a double-decker bus.

Choose between 24, 48, or 72-hour tickets for flexible touring.

Benefit from free onboard WiFi for connectivity during the journey.

Learn about Rome’s landmarks with a multilingual audio guide.

Access free self-guided walking tours to explore the city on foot.

Track buses in real-time using the complimentary Big Bus app.

Visitor guidelines

Silence in the Sistine Chapel. It's a place of worship, so guides give their talks before going in, and information panels are in the Courtyard of the Pinecone and the Square Garden.

Photography: fine for personal use in the galleries, but not in the Sistine Chapel. No flash, tripods or selfie sticks.

Don't touch the works, except on tactile visits for blind and partially sighted visitors.

No eating or drinking in the galleries.

No smoking anywhere on the route, including e-cigarettes.

Phones on silent, and not used at all in the Sistine Chapel. Laser pointers are banned, and groups of 11 or more must use radio headsets.

No pets, except guide dogs and certified therapy animals, with at least a day's notice.

Follow staff and the marked route. Some stretches are one-way.

Frequently Asked Questions About Visiting the Vatican Museums

What is the Vatican Museums dress code?

Cover shoulders and knees. Sleeveless or low-cut tops, shorts above the knee, miniskirts and hats aren't allowed. The same rule applies in St Peter's Basilica and the Vatican Gardens.

Can I take photos in the Sistine Chapel?

No. Photos and filming are banned in the chapel, and guards can ask you to delete anything you take. Elsewhere, personal photos without flash are fine.

How long do I need at the Vatican Museums?

There's no set time. The full route is about 7 km and ends in the Sistine Chapel, so if you want more than the highlights, don't enter close to the 6:00 p.m. last entry.

Can I bring a backpack or suitcase?

Suitcases, bags over 40 x 35 x 15 cm and most rucksacks go in the free cloakroom. A small rucksack can stay with you if it doesn't stick out more than 15 cm from your body.

Does a museums ticket include the Sistine Chapel?

Yes. The chapel is the last stop on the museum route and is included with every Vatican ticket on this page.

Is the museums entrance the same as St Peter's Basilica?

No. The museums are entered from Viale Vaticano and the basilica from St Peter's Square. On a guided tour that includes the basilica, keep your bags with you instead of using the cloakroom.

Are the Vatican Museums accessible with a wheelchair?

Mostly, yes. There's a barrier-free itinerary, and wheelchairs can be borrowed from the cloakroom with ID and a deposit. The standard guided tour on this page isn't wheelchair accessible.

Are pets allowed?

Only guide dogs (on a muzzle and lead) and certified therapy animals, and the museum needs at least a day's notice.

The museum route, including the Sistine Chapel