Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel: entrance ticket

 Your journey will begin through the history of art and religion by avoiding the queue at the entrance ticket office to the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel. Explore the Sala a Croce Greca designed under the pontificate of Pius VI, between 1775 and 1799 by Michelangelo Simonetti which became the vestibule of the Pio Clementino Museum and admire the splendid carved sarcophagi which could contain the earthly remains of some famous kings and queens of the 'antiquity. Continue to the Cabinet of Masks, Hall of Animals to discover a series of sculptures depicting real and fantastic beasts. Then go to the Upper Galleries, including the Gallery of Maps, to understand how cartographers have depicted the world over the centuries.
 See Renaissance masterpieces in the Raphael Rooms and stop at the Borgia Apartment. Finally, contemplate Michelangelo's marvelous Sistine Chapel, the flagship of the Vatican, if not even of the artistic heritage of the whole world.

Musei Vaticani e Cappella Sistina: biglietto d'ingresso

Entrances 1 Vatican Museums 2 Sistine Chapel 3 Greek cross room Vatican Museum 4 Cabinet of Masks Vatican Museum 5 Hall of Animals Vatican Museum 6 The Upper Gallery Vatican Museum 7 Gallery of Geographical Maps Vatican Museum 8 Raphael rooms Vatican Museum 9 Borgia apartment Vatican Museum

1 Vatican Museums

The Vatican Museums were born with the private works of Julius II who, when he was elected Pope in 1503, moved his collection to the Octagonal Courtyard. Among the works we find the Apollo del Belvedere, the Venus Felice, the Nile, the Tiber river, the Sleeping Ariadne and the group of Laocoon and his sons.

2 Sistine Chapel

The Sistine Chapel is among the most visited monuments in the Vatican. Famous for Michelangelo's frescoes and the extraordinary vault.

3 Greek Cross Room

The Sala a Croce Greca was designed under the pontificate of Pius VI, between 1775 and 1799 by Michelangelo Simonetti. In fact, it became the vestibule of the Pio Clementino Museum, so much so that the inscription Museum Piuma dominates the access portal.

4 Cabinet of Masks

But the name Gabinetto delle Maschere derives from the beautiful mosaic, coming from various areas of Villa Adriana in Tivoli, which depicts bucolic scenes and theatrical masks.

5 Hall of Animals

Partly built at the time of Pius IV, it was doubled in length by Michelangelo Simonetti in 1776 to house the collection of statues and groups of animals; some works have been greatly restored and some rebuilt again. The collection was organized and formed by the sculptor Francesco Antonio Franzoni, who was one of the most important sculptors and restorers of ancient sculpture in Rome in the late 1700s.

6 The Upper Galleries

Upper Galleries - The Candelabra Gallery collects archaeological finds from the Roman era. In the Gallery of Tapestries, Flemish tapestries from the 16th century and Roman tapestries from the 17th century are on display. Tapestries of different origins and dates are also located in the Gallery of San Pio V.

7 Gallery of Geographical Maps

The Gallery of Geographical Maps is an exceptional cartographic representation of the regions of Italy, created between 1580 and 1585 on the orders of Pope Gregory XIII. The gallery is located along the itinerary that leads to the Sistine Chapel.

8 Raphael rooms

The four rooms known as those of Raphael formed part of the apartment in the Papal Palace chosen by Julius II della Rovere (pontiff from 1503 to 1513) as his residence and also used by his successors. The pictorial decoration was created by Raphael and his pupils between 1508 and 1524.

9 Borgia apartment

The Borgia Apartment is a series of six monumental rooms in the Apostolic Palace of the Vatican City, which today form part of the itinerary of the Museums in which, since 1973, the Collection of modern religious art has partly been housed. The rooms of the Borgia apartment were created as a private residence for Pope Alexander VI and his family, and decorated with an extraordinary cycle of frescoes by Bernardino Pinturicchio and assistants, datable to 1492-1494.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

This activity is non-refundable.

DURATION

Valid 1 day.

SKIP THE LINE

With the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel entrance ticket, go directly to the entrance of the Vatican Museums and show your ticket (in paper or electronic format) to the security guards at the entrance. Then have your ticket scanned at the ticket office after security.

WHEELCHAIR

Disabled people will be able to participate for free together with their companion and by presenting a certificate certifying the disability at the special permits desk or at the reception in the museum hall.

BRING WITH YOU

Passport or ID card also for children.

NOT ALLOWED

Valigie o borson; Pantaloncin; Gonne cort; Maglietta senza maniche.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

• All visitors must go through airport-style security checks. In high season, the wait at security can be up to 30 minutes.
• The square and St. Peter's Basilica may be closed at The opening hours of the Vatican Museums, the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's are subject to change on the occasion of special events.
• Children under the age of 6 participate for free by presenting a valid identity document.
• Il Vaticano può essere molto affollato durante tutto l'anno. I mesi di alta stagione (giugno, luglio e agosto) sono particolarmente affollati.
• Standard opening hours: Monday to Saturday, 09:00 to 18:00 (last entry of the day at 16:00).     

INCLUDED

• Priority entrance to the Vatican Museums.
• Skip-the-line entrance to the Sistin Chapel.

NOT INCLUDED

• Guided tour
• Entrance ticket to St. Peter's Basilica (access is free, but not guaranteed. May vary due to crowd control.
• Access to the dome of St. Peter's Basilica.

INCLUDED

• Priority entrance to the Vatican Museums.
• Skip-the-line entrance to the Sistin Chapel.

NOT INCLUDED

• Tour guidato
• Entrance ticket to St. Peter's Basilica (access is free, but not guaranteed. May vary due to crowd control.
• Access to the dome of St. Peter's Basilica.