Vatican Museums

Michelangelo’s ceiling and Last Judgement are the best-known reason to visit the Sistine Chapel. The museums also contain collections and galleries that deserve time in their own right. Do not choose a route on the assumption that every room will be covered.

A focused guided visit is useful if you want a selection of works explained. Independent admission suits visitors who already know which collections interest them and want to consult the museum map.

• Vatican Museums: Sistine Chapel

Read the tour itinerary for its actual stops, language and duration. In the Sistine Chapel visitors must remain silent, so guided explanations take place before entering. This is not a room where a guide can continue a running commentary.

St Peter’s Basilica is a different visit. A museum ticket alone does not promise entry to the basilica or use of a connecting passage.

• Vatican Museums: visitor rules

Wear clothing suitable for a place of worship. The museums exclude sleeveless garments and shorts above the knee, among other items. Security screening applies, and restricted or bulky objects may need to go into the cloakroom.

Photography and filming are prohibited in the Sistine Chapel. Follow the rules elsewhere in the museums too, including the ban on flash photography.

• Vatican Museums: visitor rules

Reserve a substantial part of the day rather than fitting the museums between two tightly timed appointments. Compare the stated tour length with the collections you hope to see. If you also want St Peter’s, leave a separate allowance for reaching its entrance and passing its checks.

The visitor entrance is on Viale Vaticano, around the outside of the Vatican walls. St Peter’s Square is on the other side of the complex. A tour may meet at a nearby office: follow its confirmed address rather than going straight to the museum doorway.