There is no moderation or simplicity in the Vatican Museums, and the splendor is immediately striking when entering. Don’t expect that by visiting the tourist attractions of the Papal States you will learn how to live in poverty. However, you can count on seeing an impressive collection of wonderful works of art from all over the world.
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Vatican Museums – photos
Entrance to the Vatican Museums
At the beginning of the trip, you will undergo a strict security check with a metal detector. The same rules apply here as at the airport. Thanks to it, you will be sure that nothing bad will happen to you while sightseeing. To speed it up, remove all metal and electronic devices from your luggage in advance. Straight from the gate, go towards the spiral ramp that will take you straight to the impressive Vatican collections. Take my word for it that this is the last moment when the interior design will not be overwhelming for you.
The Pinecone Courtyard in the Vatican Museums
Before your eyes get tired of the wealth of museum interiors, be sure to catch your breath in The Pinecone Courtyard. The rectangular square takes its name from the 4-meter-high sculpture of a pine cone (seen in the photo above). It most likely comes from the 2nd century and decorated the Temple of Isis on the Campus Martius in the Roman era. Today, in The Pinecone Courtyard, it is guarded by two handsome peacocks made of bronze. But that’s not all you can see on the square. Its central point is the monumental sculpture “Sphere Within a Sphere” by Arnaldo Pomodoro, created in 1989-1990. Made of fiberglass, “ball within a ball” is intended to symbolize the Earth (outer shell) and the Church (inner body), which is the inviolable basis of the world.
Vatican Museums – gallery interiors
Let’s finally get to the point. You are probably wondering how it is possible that you can visit such huge museums in the tiny Vatican? Well, it’s all thanks to two popes – Sixtus IV and Julius II. They were the precursors of collecting precious works of art by subsequent heads of the Catholic Church. In total, the Bishops of Rome have collected as many as 70,000 collections since 1506, of which 20,000 are currently available to tourists. The official opening of the Vatican Museums took place in 1757. Currently, all the exhibits, located on several levels, cover an area of 42,000 square meters. During the trip, we covered a relatively long – 7-kilometer – sightseeing route. We moved around surrounded by marble floors and columns, as well as richly decorated ceilings stretched above our heads. Gold literally was seething everywhere.
The Gallery of Geographic Maps in the Vatican Museums
For real travelers – and therefore also the Travel Mates team – the most interesting room should be The Gallery of Geographic Maps. Walking through the 120-meter-long corridor is reminiscent of walking along the underwater tunnels in the Afrykarium in Wroclaw or the Orientarium in Lodz. The walls are mostly blue, giving the impression of walking through a parted sea. On 40 gigantic maps, the painter presented all regions of 16th-century Italy. Well, back then the pope didn’t have to go on pilgrimages to know what the world looked like. While in the Map Gallery, try to take your eyes off the walls for a moment to admire the gilding and ornaments above your heads. You will find there an artistic record of the history of Christianity.
Sculptures in the Vatican Museums
What exhibits are worth seeing in the Vatican Museums? Let’s start with the sculptures, because it was one of them that gave rise to the incredible papal collection. This is, of course, the Laocoön Group from ancient Greece, depicting the title character and his sons killed by sea serpents. Another important work of art is the Roman statue of Apollo Belvedere, which dates back to the 2nd century AD. The third famous sculpture in the Vatican Museums is the Belvedere Torso, made famous by Michelangelo and Raphael Santi thanks to its excellently reproduced musculature of the human body. However, we liked another marble figure, namely… The Nile. It may sound ridiculous, but this portly man in the photo below, lounging on a platform surrounded by a group of children, symbolizes the longest river in Egypt. Take my word for it that in real life it is the most dynamic and cheerful sculpture in the Vatican Museums.
Paintings, frescoes, tapestries in the Vatican Museums
For painting lovers, the most important Vatican gallery is certainly the Pinacoteca. The only painting by Leonardo da Vinci, “Saint Jerome in the Wilderness”, is considered a real jewel among museum works of art. But that’s not all. In the Museums you can also see “The Transfiguration” by Raphael, “The Transfiguration” by Caravaggio, “Pietà” by Vincent van Gogh and “Saint Matthew with the Angel” by Reni. We in the Sobieski’s Room proudly looked at the Polish accent which is “Sobieski at Vienna” painted by Jan Matejko. When it comes to frescoes, you must see Raphael’s “School of Athens”, in which the author depicted as many as 40 figures. It is also worth paying attention to the tapestries made of wool and silk, interwoven with silver and gold thread, designed for Pope Leo X. The most famous ones depict scenes from the life of Christ – the calling of the first apostles, the last supper and the resurrection.
Other exhibits in the Vatican Museums
In addition to the gigantic works of art, in the showcases of the Vatican Museums you can see a lot of smaller exhibits that tell a story from ancient times to the present day. The variety of gold-plated monstrances and chalices is impressive, but interestingly, many of the collections are not directly related to the Christian religion. It’s hard to believe, but the Gregorian-Egyptian Museum houses one of the largest collections of Egyptian sarcophagi in the world. The Vatican Museums are also full of ancient collections, more closely related to Greek or Roman mythology than to the Bible. You will probably be surprised to learn that you can even see exhibits from the Far East here (Chinese porcelain, Japanese woodcuts, and even Persian carpets). If we judged the Church by the diversity of its museum collections, we would have to hail it as a truly progressive and open institution.
Sistine Chapel – the pearl of the Vatican Museums
Although many of you would probably like to see here photos of the most famous chapel in the world with the legendary fresco “The Creation of Adam”, we regret to inform you that due to respecting the regulations of the Vatican Museums, we have decided not to publish photos of the Sistine Chapel. You can easily find legally taken photos on the Internet. For our part, we will only confirm that the frescoes painted there are truly epic and exceptionally realistic. Do they look like Michelangelo himself painted them? Definitely yes. After all, they really came from the brush of this outstanding Renaissance artist.
Vatican Museums – tickets
You can buy tickets to the Vatican Museums on the official website at the following prices:
- normal – 20 euros (if you want to use the “Skip the line” option you have to pay an additional 5 euros).
- reduced – 8 euros (if you want to use the “Skip the line” option, you have to pay an additional 5 euros).
- reduced for Pilgrims – 8 euros (if you want to use the “Skip the line” option, you have to pay an additional 5 euros).
- reduced for school groups – 4 euros (if you want to use the “Skip the line” option, you have to pay an additional 2 euros).
Free visits to the Vatican Museums are possible:
- every last Sunday of the month (more in the calendar on the official website of the Vatican Museums).
- for children up to 7 years of age.
We bought our tickets using Go City. It is a “virtual card” that allows you to save a few euros on entries to many tourist attractions in various cities around the world. First, you choose how many places you would like to see – we chose the “5 attractions for 129 euros” option. Then, using the application, we booked entry to the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel for a specific day and time. As you can easily calculate, using one attraction cost us on average about 26 euros. The online booking itself was quick and efficient. Just remember that when using Go City, you must first go to the local Touristation travel agency, from where a local guide will take you to the very door of the Vatican Museums.
Vatican Museums – opening hours
- Normally, the Vatican Museums can be visited from Monday to Saturday from 08:00 to 19:00 (last entry at 17:00).
- Until 31.12.2024 extended opening hours apply on Fridays and Saturdays – until 8 p.m. (last entry at 6:00 p.m.).
- The Vatican Museums are also open every last Sunday of the month from 09:00 to 14:00 (last entry at 12.30). This is the day when you can enter for free.
Vatican Museums – visiting time
- Allow at least 3 hours for a walk around the Vatican Museums, during which you will briefly look at the exhibits.
- If you want to contemplate Vatican art a bit, spend 4-5 hours on this attraction. It took us about that much time to leisurely walk the sightseeing route, devote some time to the most interesting (in our opinion) works of art and take photos.
- True art connoisseurs can spend the whole day here or even divide the visit into several days. We’re not kidding. Remember that there are 20,000 exhibits to see here.
Vatican Museums – how to get?
The Vatican Museums are located in the Vatican at Viale Vaticano, VA 00120.
- On foot/bike. The attraction is just over 3 kilometers from the center of Rome – about a 45-minute walk or less than 20 minutes by bike.
- Bus. The nearest bus stop is V.Le Vaticano / Musei Vaticani, located right at the entrance to the Vatican Museums.
- Subway. The Vatican Museums are approximately 500 meters (approximately 7 minutes’ walk) from Ottaviano Metro Station and approximately 600 meters (9 minutes’ walk) from Cipro Metro Station.
- Samochód. Car. There is a multi-story, paid underground parking lot near the Vatican Museums. Grab the location: PARKING AT THE VATICAN MUSEUMS
Vatican Museums – interesting facts and tips
- The Vatican Museums are one of the most visited facilities of this type in the world. In 2023, over 6 million tourists arrived here.
- A conclave, an assembly of cardinals electing a new pope, takes place in the Sistine Chapel.
- The 120-meter Map Gallery in the Vatican Museum is the world’s longest art gallery.
- When going to the Vatican Museums, remember to dress appropriately. Leave exposed shoulders or knees, deep necklines and headgear for another occasion. Tattoos that could offend religious feelings are also unwelcome.
- All big luggage (suitcases, bags, backpacks), umbrellas, large photographic equipment (cameras, tripods, stands) must be left in the free cloakroom.
- The Vatican Museums are happy to host families with children, including those in strollers. Please ask the staff about the most convenient sightseeing route. There are also elevators on site. Parents can also change and feed their children in specially designated rooms.
- Unfortunately, pets are not allowed in the Vatican Museums. The exception are guide dogs accompanying blind people. They should be introduced on a leash and with a muzzle.
Vatican Museums – opinions / reviews
- Patrix – 7/10. This is the largest concentration of works of art I have ever been to! The number of all kinds of paintings and sculptures is huge. It is difficult to look and contemplate them, because you are constantly stimulated by new ones. If we wanted to devote only 3 seconds to each exhibit, visiting the facility would take over 16 hours! Therefore, after seeing several thousand exhibits, I walked through the aisles without any major emotions. After a few hours, I was starting to get a little tired of the pomp. Visiting Musei Vaticani is a very interesting and specific treat.
- Wiolczix – 5/10. The Vatican is not so modest as he is painted by the Church. As a fan of sacred art of all denominations and religions, I cannot rate the Vatican Museums low. The architecture of the buildings is wonderful. Soaring walls, arched vaults, marble pillars, mosaics on the floor and beautiful frescoes (I bet!) will make a powerful impression on every visitor – even those who are completely uninterested in art. The collection of works is impressive. But if you look at it from another angle… The wealth that is seething in the Vatican Museums is terrifying, overwhelming and – simply – distasteful. The Catholic Church, which tells us to live modestly and sell all that we have, collects over 70,000 expensive works of art, creates huge museums and sells tickets to them for 20 euros each? I can understand if at least the proceeds from the sale were donated to charity, but I daresay that’s probably not the case (please correct me if I’m wrong). In my opinion that’s probably not what the founders of the Church had in mind. Well, I leave you alone with this thought. Nevertheless, despite some kind of hypocrisy, I recommend seeing the Vatican Museums live.
Vatican Museums – frequently asked questions
How much time to visit the Vatican Museums?
In our opinion, you should spend at least 3 hours to visit this place. If you want to look at some works of art longer, reserve 4-5 hours.
How much does it cost to enter the Vatican Museum/Vatican Museums?
Entrance to the Vatican Museums costs 20 euros for adults (no discounts); 8 euros for people who are entitled to discounts; 4 euros for members of organized groups. If you want to use the “Skip the line” option and not stand in a long queue, you have to pay an additional EUR 5 (group members – EUR 2). Children under 7 years of age can enter for free. Every last Sunday of the month, the Vatican Museums offer free visits – but you have to take into account the great interest of tourists and the crowds of people waiting.
Can the Vatican Museums be visited without a guide?
Yes, the Vatican Museums can be visited without a guide. Detailed maps of the building are available at the entrance. When moving between rooms, you can also use a special smartphone application that replaces the audio guide. The tour route is clearly and legibly marked, so you won’t have any problems finding your way inside. We took advantage of the self-guided tour and were very pleased.
Can you enter the Vatican for free?
You can enter the Vatican for free – walking around costs nothing. It applies to admission to St. Peter’s Basilica and the area of St. Peter’s Square. Visiting the Sistine Chapel and the Vatican Museums requires purchasing a ticket (normal ticket costs 20 euros, reduced ticket – 8 euros).
Vatican Museums – map
The Vatican Museums are located in the northern part of the small Vatican City State.