Vatican Museums Tickets: All You Need to Know

The Vatican City of Italy is heaven for art lovers. With its extensive galleries, museums, and street architecture it makes you go in awe of the talent that Romans had. Vatican museums host around 70,000 artworks related to Renaissance, Roman Empire, and Catholic beliefs. These are spread 54 rooms across the 7 kilometers of the art gallery. This gallery exhibits sculptures made by famous Romans during the 16th and 17th centuries. It also exhibits some famous paintings made during the Renaissance, depicting the struggle and participation of the commons. With so much to see and experience, Vatican Museums are the best visited during winters to avoid the crowd. Here we have covered the Vatican Museums Tickets prices and offers along.  

To check out the Vatican Museums opening hours and the best time to visit this place, visit here.

Book Vatican Museums Tickets Online

This page contains all the information you need about Vatican museums tickets prices. You can pre-reserve tickets from https://tickets.museivaticani.va/home by choosing the dates and the wing you want to visit.

Note that you can no longer purchase the tickets on-site, they must be booked online. And you can only enter once with the tickets. Here’s how you can book the tickets online.

On visiting the link https://tickets.museivaticani.va/home first select the language that you want to deal in with the website. It can be English, or Italian.

Select the number of visitors, date, and area as Vatican Museums. Now since there are various discount options available in different visitor categories, hence choose yours. We have covered the different ticket prices below.

Then click on search to initiate filtering of desired results. Choose from the various tour package options. Note that the visit to Sistine Chapel is included in every ticket of Vatican Museums.

It is possible to book tickets on the same day of the visit but during high season it is better to book in advance.

Once you have booked the tickets you will receive two emails. One as a confirmation mail for the tickets and another mail containing the voucher for your tickets. You can print the voucher or carry it as a pdf on your cell phone.  

How much Vatican Museums Tickets Cost?

Talking about the cost of tickets for Vatican museums, the charges are different for different categories of visitors.

The ticket price starts at €17 per adult over 18 years for general on-site booking. This is the basic price without any tour fee added. But since right now you must book the tickets online so, an additional cost of €4 will be added.

CategoryGeneral Price (€)Skip-the-line Price (€)
Full entry ticket1721
Reduced entry ticket812
Reduced ticket pilgrimages812
Reduced tickets Schools46
Reduced ticket University Institute812
Reduced ticket Students812
Reduced ticket Seminars and religious colleges46

Vatican museums Tickets Options:

While booking online you will see various options in the “who” dropdown to choose from. Here is a brief description of the options to help you choose better.

Reduced entry ticket:

  • This ticket price is applicable to children between 6 and 18 years.
  • Individual priests, religious men and women, seminarians, and novices are also given reduced fee benefits upon presentation of the valid document.
  • Employees- in service and/or retired of all offices, dicastery, and other entities of the Holy See and/or Vatican City state are also entitled to these benefits.

Reduced ticket pilgrimages

  • This reduced ticket is provided to groups of any geographical origin on a pilgrimage to Eternal City, upon the presentation of a letter of request, with an official stamp, from the Parish, religious institute, or Diocese of origin.
  • The group must be accompanied by the priest or member of the religious institute of reference, to get the reduced ticket benefit.
  • Free entry is guaranteed to one accompanying priest. (Upon the representation of the celebret)

Reduced tickets school

  • This is a special ticket price for school students.
  • The reduction is available for groups of pupils from primary and secondary schools of first and secondary levels. The extra fee of €2 per student for online booking is not levied between November and December.
  • Also, for each group of 10 students, a free entry ticket is offered to the teacher.
  • The group must present the document from the school indicating the number of teachers, students, and other visitors along. This must be attested by the official stamp and signature of the head of the school.

Reduced ticket university institute

  • This reduction is available for groups of college students up to 25 years. The same condition applies to the category of reduced tickets for students.
  • And for each group of 10 students, a reduced entry ticket is offered to the teacher or tour head.
  • Note that free entry is not applicable.
  • The letter of request from the institute concerned must be carried along to be presented on the day of the visit. It must contain the official stamp of the institute and the signature of the head of the faculty or rector.

Reduced ticket seminars and religious colleges

  • This reduction is reserved for groups of seminarians and novices from seminaries and religious colleges.
  •  For each group of seminarians, a reduced entry ticket of €8 is offered to the teacher. Other visitors need to buy the tickets.
  • Note that this reduction is not applicable to university students for whom the reduced ticket for university students is reserved instead.

Get Free Vatican Museums Tickets

Apart from the spiral staircase and the Sistine Chapel, the other best thing about Vatican Museums is their free tickets. here’s how you can avail the free tickets.

Family tariff

Parents with children, for the tours of Pontifical Villas of Castel Gandolfo, can take advantage of the family tariff. The reduced tariff is reserved for families with a mother, father, and at least two children between the ages of 6 and 18 years or for students up to 25 years of age with valid documentation.

The ticket is free for the second and subsequent children. And children under 6 years of age can enter for free.

Free entry in Vatican Museums:
  • Entry to museums is free on last sunday of every month.
  • All disabled visitors with certified invalidity of more than 74{57153e4ab753c507cd6198faae0710d11a07825d82c419cbd687d96f04d70f48}.
  • The visitors who are not self sufficient, free entry is extended to their companion. this special permit is taken from the entrance after showing the certificate.
  • Holders of valid cards issued by ICOMs( International council of museums) and ICOMOS(International Council of Monuments and sites).

Points to remember while booking Vatican Museums Tickets for groups:

  • Bookings cannot be refunded.
  • Ensure to indicate the precise number of participants (including a priest, pilgrims, and any accompanying visitors)
  • You can change the booking, 72 hours before the scheduled visit guided tour and 60 minutes before the scheduled visit entry ticket.
  • Ticket may be booked subject to availability and only the booking fees must be paid in advance.
  • Failure to present the required document may lead to visitors having to pay an additional amount due for the purchase of a full-price ticket.