Short answer. The Vatican Museums are open Monday to Saturday from 8:00 to 20:00, with last entry at 18:00, and St. Peter’s Basilica is open every day, from 7:00 to 19:00 in winter. Dress for a place of worship at both. The nearest metro stations are Cipro and Ottaviano on line A.
Tickets, guided tours and combined visits
Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel: Entry Ticket
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Book tickets and tours →What are the opening hours?
Vatican Museums: Monday to Saturday, 8:00 to 20:00. Last entry 18:00. The galleries start to empty 30 minutes before closing. On the last Sunday of the month the museums open free from 9:00 to 14:00, with last entry at 12:30. They are closed on all other Sundays.
St. Peter’s Basilica: every day, 7:00 to 19:00, from 26 October 2026 to 28 March 2027. The dome is open from 7:30 to 17:00 in winter. In summer the Basilica stays open longer.
The museums are closed on 1 and 6 January, 11 February, 19 March, 1 May, 29 June, 14 and 15 August, 1 November, and 8, 25 and 26 December. The Vatican Museums opening hours page shows today’s status at the top.
Are there changes in November and December 2026?
Yes, a few. On some days in November and December the Sistine Chapel and the Braccio Nuovo (New Wing) close earlier, and on a few mornings the museums open later. Check the date of your visit. The museums are closed on 8 December.
What are the rules at the door?
- Dress at the museums: cover your shoulders and knees. Sleeveless tops, low necklines, shorts and short skirts are not allowed, and neither are hats.
- Bags at the museums: large bags and backpacks go to the free cloakroom. Everyone passes a metal detector.
- Security at the Basilica: the Italian State Police check everyone at the entrance, under the right-hand colonnade as you face the church.
- Behaviour in the Basilica: speak quietly, silence your phone, and do not eat, drink or smoke inside. The Basilica asks visitors to refrain from taking photos.
- Sistine Chapel: no photos, no video and no phones, and complete silence.
How do I get there by metro?
Take line A towards Battistini. For the museums, get off at Cipro, about 400 metres from the middle of the museum complex in a straight line, or Ottaviano, about 600 metres. For St. Peter’s Square, Ottaviano is the best choice: it is about 800 metres from the square in a straight line. The museums’ entrance is on the Viale Vaticano side, so the real walk is a little longer than the line on the map.
Which bus or tram goes there?
Bus 49 stops in the square in front of the museums. Buses 32, 81 and 982 and tram 19 stop at Piazza del Risorgimento. Buses 492 and 990 stop on Via Leone IV and Via degli Scipioni. There is a taxi rank in the square in front of the museums. Check the lines before you go.
How do I get there from the airports?
From Fiumicino or Ciampino, go to Roma Termini first. From Termini, continue by metro line A towards Battistini.
How do I get from the museums to St. Peter’s Basilica?
Independent visitors leave at the end of the route and walk to St. Peter’s Square. The distance on the map looks short, but the walk is much longer than it looks. On Wednesday mornings the square can be set up for the pope’s general audience, so allow extra time.
From the square, Castel Sant’Angelo is about 750 metres away in a straight line, at the other end of Via della Conciliazione. For tickets, see the St. Peter’s Basilica tickets page, and for the stories of the places, read what to see.
