The Ultimate Guide to Vatican Museum

One of the largest art collections in the world is housed in the Vatican. There are some of the world’s most well-known works of art there. If you enjoy art or history, you must visit the Vatican while in Rome.

When you venture on your Vatican museum tour, you’ll find 26 museums and a 5-mile wall inside the Vatican, so it’s critical to plan what to see there in advance. A tour guide for the Vatican Museum is provided here.

How to Plan

Hours of Operation and Closing

On Monday through Friday, from 9 am to 6 pm, the Vatican Museums are open; they are closed on Sundays. Except on the final Sunday of the month, when admission to the magnificent collection at the Vatican Museums is free! 

A freebie sounds appealing, no? On September 27, which is World Tourism Day, anyone can enter without charge.

Would you like to visit the Vatican Museums after hours? 

On Friday evenings from April to October, the Museums offer late closing. But avoid visiting on the following dates: January 1, January 6, February 11, March 19, Good Friday, and Easter Monday, May 1, June 29, August 14, August 15, November 1, December 8, December 25, and December 26.

Location of Vatican Museum

The Vatican Museums are located at Viale Vaticano, 00165. On the A-line, Ottaviano is the closest metro stop. The Vatican Museums are just a 10-minute walk away from there.

What is the entrance fee to the Vatican Museums?

If purchased on the spot, a straightforward admission fee of €17 is charged. However, given how long the line is, it’s likely that you won’t even get in if you just show up. If you want to ensure access and avoid that ominous line, it is much preferable to pay the €21 through the Vatican Museums website before you visit. Reduced entry is available for children, students, and retirees for €8 at the door and €12 online.

Sights to See

St. Peter’s Basilica

Without visiting the majestic St. Peter’s Basilica, a trip to Vatican City is not complete. The best Vatican tours take you inside the Basilica, where you may see works of art by Michelangelo, Raphael, Bramante, and Bernini. Admire the impressive internal space and the ornate interior.

The Vatican Gardens

Many people gaze out the window of the Vatican Museums, longingly casting glances in the direction of the gardens and trying to figure out how to get there. To visit the gardens, however, you must reserve a private guided trip in advance, either through the Vatican Museums or a private tour provider. You will be able to peacefully appreciate the lovely gardens, where Popes have spent countless years relaxing if you choose to do this.

Vatican Post Office

What is one of the cutest presents you can give someone back home? A postcard from the little post office in the Vatican Museums! The Vatican Post Office sends more mail than any other nation in the world relative to its size.

What is one of the cutest presents you can give someone back home? A postcard from the little post office in the Vatican Museums! The Vatican Post Office sends more mail than any other nation in the world relative to its size.

The Gallery of Maps

The Gallery of Maps is a strong favorite. By the time tourists leave the Vatican Museums, despite the fact that the majority of first-time visitors are unfamiliar with it when they arrive. To not find the Gallery of Maps delightful, you would need to be very lacking in sensibility.

More than 40 paintings depicting the Italian peninsula and its Islands from the 16th century span an astounding 394 feet. These maps, created by Ignazio Danti, a monk with a love of cartography, continue to enchant and amuse people today.

The Gregorian Museum of Etruscan Art

The civilization that ruled most of Italy before the Roman Empire rose, the Etruscans, existed before the Romans. The Gregorian Etruscan Museum was the first institution of its kind to focus exclusively on Etruscan artefacts. Admire exquisitely crafted jewellery, crafts, and pottery. Keep a look out for the ancient Bramante Staircase from the 16th century, which offers privileged access to Vatican City and is typically off-limits to visitors.

The Gregorian Museums of Egypt

Anyone interested in the effect of Egypt on Rome and vice versa should visit the nine-room Gregorian Egyptian Museums. The majority of artifacts were brought to Rome from Egypt during the ancient era by the emperors of Rome, many of which were looted from Hadrian’s Villa in Tivoli.

So, in case you are thinking of taking the Vatican Palace, go through this article to know the best of things that are there. Also, book your tickets beforehand so that you don’t have to stand in long lines for hours. Safe travels!