Amenities at the Vatican Museums

Given the surge of crowds at the Vatican Museums, one wonders how good the attractions’ amenities are. Trust us, they are excellent!

Here’s a rundown of what’s available within the Museums to make the day’s itinerary all the more pleasant for individuals and groups.

Parking facilities

There are several parking facilities available near the Vatican Museums. These include:

Parking Prati, on Piazza Unità, 62-193. You need to leave your vehicle keys with the valet present there. This parking spot is a 10-minute walk to the Museums
Garage San Pietro, on Via di Santa Maria alle Fornaci, 26-165. It’s a 5-minute walk to the Vatican Museums
Vespasian Garage charges by the hour. It also has daily, nightly, and monthly parking fares. The garage is a 5-minute walk to the Museums

Cloakroom

Clock room in Vatican museum — image: Museivaticani.va

The Vatican Museums offer free cloakroom service for all visitors. The cloakroom is situated next to the main entrance on your right. Before you begin touring the Museums, you need to deliver your suitcases, luggage, and backpacks here. Other items, such as food, drinks other than water, knives, scissors, cigarettes, etc., must be deposited in the cloakroom’s wardrobe. Medium and large umbrellas, tripods, video cameras, and banners must all be left in the cloakroom.

You can collect the stored items from the counter at the foot of the Momo helical staircase near the exit hall.

Restrooms

The Vatican Museums have clearly signposted restrooms for regular and disabled visitors along their itinerary. They are on both the ground and first floors of the attraction.

There are also baby changing stations and a nursing room within the Museums.

Planning a visit to the Museums? Here’s all you need to know about the attraction’s dress code, its three entrance lines, opening and closing hours, the amenities within the Museums, how to reach the Vatican, and special tours like the Vatican Museums early morning and late evening tickets, Castle Gandolfo, St. Peter’s Basilica, Vatican Gardens, and Vatican Grottoes & Necropolis tickets.

Drinking Water

There are several vending machines along the Museums’ itinerary that provide you with drinking water and other non-alcoholic beverages. You are also permitted to carry drinking water in a plastic bottle.

Audio guide

If you’ve booked an audio-guided tour, head to the audio guide desk situated in front of the Gregorian Egyptian Museum.

Here, you will be given a modern yet simple MP3 reader. The itinerary in these audio guides can be customized to suit your interests and time.

These guides include more than 400 audio comments in languages such as Italian, English, French, German, Spanish, Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Russian, and Portuguese.

Please remember to return your audio guide at the end of your tour. You can deposit it at the audio guide return counter near the Museums’ main entrance.

WiFi

The Vatican Museums strongly discourage the use of mobile phones inside the attraction, so there are no WiFi facilities available inside. Moreover, visitors are required to keep their mobile devices in silent mode.

Note: The use of mobile phones is strictly forbidden in the Sistine Chapel.

Wheelchairs, Strollers, lifts, and Ramps for the Differentially Abled

Amenities provided to a person with disability — image: Museivaticani.va

Visitors with mobility issues can borrow wheelchairs for free at the Vatican Museums’ cloakroom by presenting a valid ID and deposit. While mobility scooters and electric wheelchairs are allowed, some areas are restricted. In such cases, traditional wheelchairs, available for free at the entrance, will be provided. Amenities for the disabled are located along the itinerary, including toilets, resting points, lifts, and ramps.

Seating area

Seating arrangement in Vatican museum — image: Tiqets.com/

If you’re tired after all the walking and are looking for a place to rest your limbs, you’ll find comfortable wrought iron chairs at the Museums’ Courtyard of the Cuirasses, Courtyard of the Pinacoteca, Square Garden, and Courtyard of the Pinecone.

You’ll also find some wooden chairs in the Raphael rooms and other galleries, although these are reserved for those with infirmities and the elderly.

Apart from the above, you can find side chairs around the perimeter of the Sistine Chapel, but finding an empty seat boils down to hard luck as the Chapel is always crowded—unless you’ve booked an early morning Vatican Museums tour, a late evening Vatican tour, or an exclusive Sistine Chapel night tour.

Cafeteria

A tourist holding the alcohol in Vatican — Image: M.museivaticani.va

The Museums have several cafeteria options, the most notable among them being the Self-Service cafeteria and the Pinecone Courtyard Bistrot. There are also vending machines (snacks and soda) along the Museums’ itinerary.

If you’re heading to Museums’ Self-Service Cafeteria, make sure to check out their antique Napoleonic cookware! The fare here is basically Italian with meat and fish dishes, fried foods, cheese, fresh seasonal fruit, yoghurt and desserts up for grabs.

Note: The preferred mode of payment here is by cash or credit cards barring American Express, Diners, and JCB credit cards.

While the Self-Service Cafeteria has a fixed menu, you can try the more opulent Pinecone Courtyard Bistrot, a large outdoor cafe situated near the ‘Sphere Within A Sphere’, for a variety of local and continental menus.

The Bistrot is known for its Aperitivo, a pre-meal, low-alcohol drink that enhances the experience if you’ve opted for a late-evening or private night tour of the Vatican Museums.

First Aid

The Vatican Museums’ First Aid bays are located near the main entrance of the attraction. In addition, 18 defibrillators are installed along the entire museum itinerary to ensure immediate cardio-protective treatment.

In case of emergency or more serious cases, visitors will be transferred to the nearest hospital by ambulance.

Lost & Found

In case of loss of any personal belongings, you are advised to report the same immediately at the nearest security point or to a custodial staff member. If you have already left the Museums, you can report or request assistance via email at accoglienza.musei@scv.va.

Note: Items not claimed will be stored at the Vatican Gendarmery.