Vatican Museum Tickets (Types, Prices & Insider Tips)

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Are you planning to visit the Vatican during your next trip to Rome? Choosing the best Vatican Museum tickets can feel confusing, but this guide will help you find the best option and skip the long lines.

As one of the most visited places in the world, the Vatican welcomes over 5 million visitors each year. By following my insider tips, you'll learn how to buy Vatican tickets efficiently and organize your visit to the Vatican smoothly, whether you're staying for a short or extended time in Rome.

Vatican Museum Tickets (Quick Table Overview)

If you're short on time and need to quickly choose a Vatican Museum ticket, this table is here to assist you.

You have three main options:

• A basic skip-the-line entrance ticket with an audio guide (see the latest price here >>)
• A skip-the-line guided tour
• A private guided tour for groups of up to 10 people

No matter your plans, these are the top Vatican Museum tickets you can book today >>

Different Types Of Vatican Museums Tickets

The Vatican Museums provide different ticket options depending on your needs and preferences.

Here's a comprehensive overview of the various Vatican Museums tickets available:

• 🎫 Regular Entry Ticket: this is the standard Vatican City ticket that grants access to the museums and the world famous Sistine Chapel. It's the most basic option if you want to visit at your own pace.
• 🎫 Skip the Line Access: if you’re short on time or patience, these Vatican tickets online allow you to bypass the lengthy queues. They're especially interesting during peak tourist seasons.
• 🎫 Guided Tours: this Vatican museum ticket includes an expert guide who provides detailed information about the artworks and history of the Vatican. It’s a great choice if you’re fond of history and art.
• 🎫 Early Morning or Evening Tours: this exclusive Vatican museum ticket gives you the chance to visit the museums before or after regular opening hours. A more intimate and complete experience.
• 🎫 Combined Tickets: these packages usually include entry to other popular Rome attractions, including the Colosseum and St. Peter's Basilica along with the Vatican Museums.
• 🎫 Discounted Vatican Museum Tickets: different groups are eligible for reduced prices for their Vatican city tickets: students aged 18-25 with valid ID, children aged 6-18 and teachers with proper documentation.
• 🎫 Free Admission: some visitors can benefit from free entry: children under 6, museum directors from recognized institutions, some disabled visitors and their caregivers, certain journalists on assignment, pilgrims and religious groups (with proper documentation). Free entry is also available each last Sunday of the month.
• 🎫 Special Access Tickets: those provide entry to restricted areas (the Bramante Staircase, the Cabinet of Masks commissioned by Pope Julius II, etc.).
• 🎫 Vatican Gardens Tour: this ticket combines a tour of the beautiful Vatican Gardens with museum entry.
• 🎫Audio Guide Option: available as an add-on to regular Vatican tickets, they provide informative commentary as you visit.

Our Vatican Museums Tickets Top Picks for You

Short on time, watching your budget or looking for an in-depth experience? We've got you covered. We've carefully selected the best Vatican Museums tickets options depending on your profile.

Here are our top picks:

• For time-conscious visitors: 
  • Early Morning Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel Guided Tour: beat the crowds and see the highlights in just 2.5 hours.
  • Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel Fast Track Entry: skip the lines and visit at your own pace.
• For budget-friendly options:
  • Regular Entry Ticket: the most economical way to access the Vatican Museums.
  • Off-Season Weekday Visit: lower prices and fewer crowds during less busy periods.
• For in-depth exploration:
  • Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel & St. Peter's Basilica Guided Tour: a comprehensive 3-hour journey through Vatican City's treasures.
  • Premium Small Group Tour: intimate experience with more interaction and access to the Raphael Rooms.
• For an unusual experience:
  • Evening Tour: visit the museums after regular hours for a magical atmosphere.
  • Vatican Gardens and Museums Combo: combine art and nature in one unforgettable visit.
• For combo deals:
  • Vatican and Colosseum Package: great for first-time visitors who want to see Rome's top attractions.
  • Rome Tourist Card: includes Vatican Museums entry along with other major Rome sites.

Top Attractions to Visit at the Vatican Museums

Prepare to be spoiled for choice with an incredible array of artistic and historical artifacts.

To help you make the most of your time, here's a list of must-see attractions that showcase the best of what these world-renowned museums have to offer:

The Sistine Chapel

Featuring high on anyone’s list is the Sistine Chapel. The stunning frescoes on the walls and ceiling here are enough to captivate even the most discerning of art critics, and don’t forget to look down too at the gorgeous mosaic floor.

The Sistine Chapel included in your ticket is undoubtedly the must-see of the Vatican Museums. Stand beneath Michelangelo's masterpieces and you'll understand why the Vatican Museums Sistine Chapel is considered one of the world's greatest artistic treasures.

The Pinacoteca

This gallery includes Raphael’s transfiguration which was completed before his demise, but also other works of art, sculptures and tapestries. Whether you are booking a Vatican Museum tour or sourcing your own Vatican Museum tickets and seeing the attractions by yourself, be sure not to miss this out!

The Spiral Staircase

Not really an art piece per se, this modern take on Bramante’s spiral staircase is a great place to snap a picture (just don’t go down it unless you are finished your visit as you can’t get back in!)

Laocoon

This famous sculpture depicts a scene from the Trojan War. Found in the 16th Century in Rome it is a glorious piece to behold.

The Pinecone Courtyard

Technically not in the Museums, the Pinecone Courtyard has become an attraction in itself for not only the large Pinecone on display but also the huge globe that has become an Instagram favourite!

Vatican Gardens

The Vatican Gardens are great to escape from the bustling Vatican museums. Meticulously manicured, those grounds cover nearly half of Vatican City's area and date back to the 13th century!

I love it for its beautiful landscaping, fountains, sculptures and panoramic views of St. Peter's Basilica. Plus there are guided tours of the gardens!

St. Peter's Basilica

Technically separated from the Vatican Museums, no visit is complete without exploring St. Peter's Basilica. You’re here at the heart of the Catholic Church and the building houses countless artistic treasures: Michelangelo's Pietà, Bernini's baldachin…

The St. Peter's Basilica directly showcases works by some of the greatest Renaissance artists. My advice: climb to the dome for breathtaking views of Rome and the Vatican City.

Pio Clementino Museum

The Pio Clementino Museum houses an impressive collection of classical sculptures. Amongst highlights, you’ll find the Apollo Belvedere, Laocoön and His Sons and the Belvedere Torso. No surprise these ancient masterpieces influenced many Renaissance and Baroque artists!

Gallery of Maps

This 120-meter-long corridor features stunning frescoes depicting Italy's regions and papal properties.

Created in the 16th century, these maps come with intricate details and vivid colors. Prepare yourself for an amazing journey through Italy's geography and the Church's influence.

Vatican Museums Dress Code

Planning a visit to the Vatican Museums Sistine Chapel? Then you have to be aware of the dress code. As a religious institution, the Vatican maintains strict guidelines for dress code to ensure respect for its sacred spaces. No matter if you have line Vatican Museums tickets or are planning to visit the Sistine Chapel entrance, you’ll have to dress correctly to enter the Vatican Museums without any issues.

The basic requirements are straightforward: both men and women must have their shoulders and knees covered. This means no shorts, miniskirts or sleeveless tops.

For men, long pants and shirts with sleeves are unavoidable. Women can opt for longer skirts or dresses that cover the knees, paired with a top that covers the shoulders. You’ll also have to remove your hat upon entering the museums and at the Sistine Chapel entrance.

If you're visiting during summer and want to wear something cooler, don’t hesitate to bring a light scarf or shawl to cover up when needed to respect the dress code.

 Tip – Please note that overly revealing or tight clothing (as well as items with offensive imagery or slogans) are not permitted.

Everything You Need to Know about Vatican Museum Tickets!

It’s a bit overwhelming sorting out tickets for the Vatican Museums (available here).

What’s the best option? Should I prebook? Can I get a city pass that includes them? So many options exist, so we will try to help you navigate them here.

 Tip 1 – Don’t show up without Vatican Museum Tickets!

Pre-book skip the line Vatican Museum tickets before you get there (on this website). You will then not have to wait in the massive queue of people attempting to pay into the Vatican museums (people waste a lot of time during the Vatican Museum opening hours queuing just for a ticket!)

 Tip 2 – Self guided tickets – standard adult fares

If you did decide to queue up and pay at the door you would pay €17 for entry into the Vatican Museums at full fare. Follow our advice for the skip the line tickets, and for only €10 extra (with Sistine Chapel entry) you will get the fast pass for the shorter queue.

 Tip 3 – Discounted self-guided tickets

A range of discounted fares are available for many different reasons, including Skip the Line Student entry for only €12, only €6 for religious seminary students, and special half price fares for children under 18 (check prices here).

What Is Included with the Vatican Tickets?

Your standard tickets will include entry to the main Vatican Museums, including entry to the Sistine Chapel. Note, entry to the Saint Peter’s Basilica is free of charge, but it might be worth booking a special Vatican Museums tour to avail of the short cut between the Sistine Chapel and St Peter’s Basilica.

This is definitely worth it, as the Sistine Chapel and Basilica are often very crowded during Vatican Museum opening hours.

If you have booked tickets on a special Vatican Museums tour (like this one) then be careful about the St Peter’s element of the tour – once you have passed through to the Basilica you are unable to re-enter the museums to explore some additional attractions at your leisure.

Some attractions are not included in standard Vatican Museum tickets, including access to the Vatican Gardens, the Vatican Grottoes and the Dome in St Peter’s Basilica – these all incur an additional fee, and in the case of the Vatican Gardens can only be accessed by special tour (check prices here).

The Grottoes too are a limited footfall attraction – only several hundred are allowed to enter daily, so you must book your €13 tickets long in advance to guarantee a place.

How to Get to the Vatican Museums?

Rome has an expansive and easy to use Rome public transport system, and day passes will allow you to use the metro, buses and tram lines on one ticket.

The bus network has several stops on lines 40, 62, 64 and 81, whilst tram line 19 passes directly by the Vatican (alight at the Piazza Risorgimento).

If you like using the metro then it is also easy to get to the Vatican Museums by using line A and getting off at Ottaviano-S. Pietro station.

How to Skip the line Vatican Museums- Booking in Advance?

During Vatican Museum opening hours the place gets fairly crowded, so take any opportunity you can to book skip the line tickets. If you have pre-booked online then you will bypass the throngs of people at the entrance queuing for tickets, and get straight into the queue for the museums.

There are other ways too to skip the line – mostly by booking a Vatican Museums tour that allows fast track straight from the Sistine Chapel to the St Peter’s Basilica, and some Vatican Museums tours even begin before the standard opening hours, making it even quieter!

About Roma Pass and Omnia Pass

There is another great way to book Vatican Museum tickets – get yourself a Rome Tourist Card (with Vatican option) or an Omnia Pass. These official city passes are great options for those who are planning to not only do a tour of the Vatican City but also check out some of Rome’s main attractions as well.

Passes include entry to the Vatican Museums (and therefore the Sistine Chapel and St Peter’s Basilica) and other attractions in Rome, they include discounted access to other sights.

The Omnia Card also has hop-on-hop-off bus passes included which are an excellent way to see the main sights in Rome. Same for Rome Tourist Card but it is only a one day card.

When Is the Best Time to Visit the Vatican Museums?

It’s hard to get a quiet moment in the Vatican Museums to contemplate the glorious art, sculptures and paintings on display, but there are a few little tips that can help you make the best of your time:

Visit the Vatican Museums first thing on a Wednesday

Wednesdays are busy at the Vatican as the faithful and curious tourist’s alike swarm the area to attend an audience with the Pope.

But if you are not that bothered about seeing the pontiff, Wednesday mornings are a great time to head to the Museums, as you will be able to whizz right through to the Sistine People just before the crowds disperse from mass.

Avoid the summer, Christmas, Easter and New Year

The best times to visit the Vatican are in the off seasons – November is a decent time to try to get some peace, as is February. It’s less crowded for sure, and you have no hot summer sun to contend with, allowing you to explore the Vatican museums, St. Peter's Basilica, and the Sistine Chapel at a more leisurely pace.

Avoid Sundays – all of them!

The Vatican is closed on Sundays, apart from the last Sunday in the month, when it is open to all free of charge. This is definitely the time to avoid as it is horrendously crowded.

What You Need to Know to Go on a Vatican Museum Tour?

Some other helpful tips for visiting the Vatican Museums:

• Make sure your shoulders and knees are covered (ladies can bring a shawl that offers easy cover up for the attractions
• You will have to pass airport style security to get into both the museums and Saint Peter’s Basilica, so make sure you have nothing dangerous in your pockets.
• Restrooms are clearly marked and signposted both in the museums and out in the squares. They are clean and easily accessible.

Read on our article that highlight Vatican tours.

Vatican Museum Opening Hours

The Vatican Museums open their doors to visitors from Monday to Saturday.

In 2024, they extended their hours to accommodate more guests, from 8:00 AM to 7:00 PM on weekdays and until 8:00 PM on Fridays and Saturdays.

They also open their doors every last Sunday of the month from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM for free and close on bank holidays.

Don't forget, the Sistine Chapel is included in your visit and the last entry is two hours before closing. Don’t hesitate to check the Vatican museums website for the most up-to-date information.

Vatican Museum Rules To Follow

Visiting the Vatican Museums and the Apostolic Palace soon? You’ll have to adhere to some rules. Before you enter, prepare yourself to undergo a security check. To avoid crowds, it’s always best to visit during off-peak hours or book an early access tour.

Once inside, you’ll have to remember that flash photography is strictly prohibited to protect the delicate artworks and maintain a respectful silence, especially in sacred areas like the Sistine Chapel. Dress modestly, cover shoulders and knees and don’t eat or drink in exhibition halls.

How Many Vatican Museum Entrances There Are

The main Vatican Museums entrance is located on Viale Vaticano, on the north side of Vatican City. It serves as the primary access point for all visitors. But there are actually two entrances to Vatican City itself, even if only one is designated for the museums.

Don’t forget the last entrance to the Vatican Museums is two hours before closing time, which is 5:00 PM on most days and 6:00 PM on Fridays and Saturdays.

What about Vatican Museums Cancellation Policy?

The Vatican Museums have a strict cancellation policy. Tickets purchased for the Vatican Museums are non-refundable and non-transferable. This applies to both individual tickets and guided tours.

However, in some cases (unexpected museum closures, extraordinary circumstances, etc) refunds may be considered. I’d recommend you to check the specific terms and conditions at the time of booking.

If you're unsure about your travel plans, it’s always best to purchase your Vatican museums and Sistine chapel tickets from authorized resellers who might offer more flexible cancellation options.

Visiting Vatican Museums At Christmas?

While the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel are closed on December 25th and 26th, the Christmas season in Vatican City truly is a magical experience.

Of course you won’t be able to explore the papal collections during these two days, but you can still immerse yourself in the festive atmosphere. St. Peter's Square and Basilica remain open with their beautiful Christmas tree and nativity scene.

Don’t miss the papal audience and the famous Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve (which actually starts at 7:30 PM). To make the most of your visit, book your tickets in advance for any events you wish to attend. The Vatican is indeed particularly busy during this time of year.

Where to Eat Near Vatican Museums

The Vatican museums’ visit will likely work up your appetite. Good news, there are several excellent dining options just a stone's throw away from the museums. Here are my top three recommendations:

• Bonci Pizzarium: located just a 10-minute walk from the Vatican Museums, this acclaimed pizzeria by Gabriele Bonci offers innovative and gourmet pizza al taglio (by the slice). I especially love the creative toppings and crisp crust.
• Il Sorpasso: a charming bistro about 10 minutes from the museums. Il Sorpasso serves delicious Roman cuisine in a cozy atmosphere. Don’t miss their pasta dishes and extensive wine list!
• La Soffitta Renovatio: a short walk from St. Peter's Square, this elegant restaurant offers a mix of traditional Italian and contemporary dishes. Try out their seafood and outdoor seating area!

Where to Stay Near Vatican Museums

I can only recommend you find a nearby hotel to enhance your visit to the Vatican museums.

I’ve personally curated a list of the best accommodations with great balance of proximity, value and comfort:

• Eccelso Hotel (best value): this 3-star hotel offers air-conditioned rooms, free WiFi and a bar, all within walking distance of the Vatican. I love its modern amenities and excellent location. A top choice if you have Vatican museums and Sistine chapel tickets!
• Domus Terenzio (budget-friendly): set just a 10-minute walk from St. Peter's Square, this elegant accommodation features a garden and free WiFi. It's perfect if you seek comfort without breaking the bank.
• Horti 14 Borgo Trastevere Hotel (luxury option): a little further away (30 minutes walk), this 4-star hotel boasts a garden, bar and prime location. It's ideal if you want a high-end stay near the Vatican and the lively Trastevere area.

FAQs

Are discounts available on Vatican Museums tickets?

Yes, discounted tickets are available for students aged 19-25 with valid documentation and children/teens aged 6-18. Some visitors, like disabled persons with 74%+ disability, may also qualify for free entry.

What is the recommended arrival time for visitors with Vatican Museums tickets?

It's best to arrive 15-30 minutes before your scheduled entry time. This allows for security checks and finding the correct entrance, especially during peak seasons.

Can I buy Vatican Museums tickets at the door?

Technically yes, you can purchase tickets at the Vatican Museums entrance. But you’ll have to be prepared for long queues, especially during peak seasons. On some days, waiting times can exceed 2 hours!

Why is it better to buy Vatican Museums tickets online?

Buying tickets online allows you to skip the long queues, save time and secure your preferred entry slot. It's especially interesting during busy periods and for popular time slots.

Is the Sistine Chapel included in Vatican Museum tickets?

Yes, standard Vatican Museums tickets include entry to the Sistine Chapel. It's part of the museum complex and is the culmination of most Vatican Museum tours.

Is the St. Peter's Basilica included in Vatican Museum tickets?

St Peter's Basilica is not included in standard Vatican Museums tickets, but some guided tours come with combined access to both the museums and the St Peter's Basilica.

How can I book a guided tour along with my Vatican Museums ticket?

You can book guided tours directly through the Vatican Museums website or through authorized tour operators. Many sell combined tickets that include both entry and a guided experience.

How long is a Vatican Museums ticket valid for?

Vatican Museums and Sistine chapel tickets are valid only for the date and time slot you've booked. Once inside, you can stay until closing time, but you won’t be allowed to re-enter.

Is photography inside the Vatican Museums allowed?

Photography for personal use is allowed in most areas of the Vatican Museums, but flash photography, tripods and selfie sticks are prohibited. Also photography is strictly forbidden in the Sistine Chapel.

Conclusion on Vatican Museum tickets

So now you have all the information you need to truly enjoy your visit to the Vatican museums, Sistine Chapel and St Peter’s Basilica. Prepare yourself for an unforgettable journey through art, history and faith.

With the right Vatican City tickets in hand, you’re ready to unlock a world of masterpieces. So don't let your Roman holiday pass without experiencing these awe-inspiring museums. Book your tickets now, and prepare to be amazed!