Vatican Museums Amenities & Facilities
Cafeteria, Cloakroom, Toilets & More
The Vatican Museums offer a comprehensive range of visitor facilities across all three floors: a free cloakroom near the main entrance for bags over 40×35×15cm; two cafeteria options (Self-Service Cafeteria and Pinecone Courtyard Bistro); toilets, disabled toilets, and baby changing tables on every floor; a free wheelchair loan service at the cloakroom; an audio guide desk near the Gregorian Egyptian Museum; 18 defibrillators along the visitor route; a lost and found service; a bookshop and Vatican post office. There is no public Wi-Fi inside the Museums.
The Vatican Museums receive over 6 million visitors a year — and the facilities reflect this scale. Knowing where to find each amenity before you arrive helps you plan rest stops, manage children’s needs, and navigate the 4.8km visitor route with more comfort.
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Cloakroom — Free Bag Storage
The Vatican Museums offer a free cloakroom service located to the right of the main entrance on Viale Vaticano. All visitors must deposit bags and luggage over 40×35×15cm before entering the galleries — these are not permitted inside. The cloakroom also accepts umbrellas (medium and large), tripods, video cameras, and food items. Collect stored items at the counter at the foot of the Momo helical spiral staircase near the exit. The service is free of charge.
- Location: Right of the main entrance, ground level
- What must be deposited: Bags, suitcases, rucksacks, and backpacks larger than 40×35×15cm; medium and large umbrellas; tripods; video cameras; food and drinks other than water
- Collection point: Counter at the foot of the Momo helical staircase near the exit — not the same point as drop-off
- Cost: Free
- ID: A valid ID may be required to borrow a wheelchair from the cloakroom
Cafeteria & Food Options
The Vatican Museums have two main food options inside: the Self-Service Cafeteria on the ground floor near the entrance area, serving hot Italian meals, sandwiches, salads, and desserts; and the Pinecone Courtyard Bistro (Bistrot del Cortile della Pigna), a large outdoor café on the upper floor near the Pinecone Courtyard, serving coffee, aperitivo, light snacks, and continental menus. Both are open during Museums hours. Vending machines for water and non-alcoholic drinks are also positioned along the visitor route. Payment by cash or credit card (American Express, Diners, and JCB are not accepted at the Self-Service Cafeteria).
Self-Service Cafeteria
- Location: Ground floor, near the main entrance and reception area
- Menu: Italian hot dishes (meat, fish), fried foods, cheese, salads, fresh fruit, yoghurt, and desserts. Notable for its antique Napoleonic cookware on display
- Payment: Cash or credit card — American Express, Diners, and JCB not accepted
- Best for: A proper sit-down lunch break during a long visit
Pinecone Courtyard Bistro
- Location: Upper floor, adjacent to the Pinecone Courtyard (Cortile della Pigna) — the large outdoor courtyard with Arnaldo Pomodoro’s Sphere Within a Sphere
- Menu: Coffee, aperitivo, light snacks, sandwiches, and continental dishes. Well known for its aperitivo — particularly suited to late evening visits
- Setting: Large outdoor café with courtyard seating — one of the more pleasant places to rest inside the Museums
- Best for: Coffee breaks, early evening visits, or a lighter snack during the day
Vending Machines
Water and non-alcoholic drinks are available from vending machines positioned at intervals along the visitor route on all floors. You may also bring your own water in a sealed plastic bottle into the galleries — no other food or drinks are permitted.
Toilets & Restrooms
Toilets are available on all three floors of the Vatican Museums and are clearly signposted along the visitor route. Disabled-accessible toilets are also on every floor. Baby changing tables and a nursing room are provided on the ground floor. Restrooms are regularly cleaned during opening hours.
| Floor | Toilets | Disabled Toilets | Baby Changing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ground Floor (Level 1) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ + nursing room |
| Upper Floor (Level 2) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Basement | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Toilet locations are indicated on the Museums’ floor maps available at reception. The longest queues for toilets form on the ground floor near the entrance area around 10am–12pm — the upper floor facilities and basement are typically less crowded.
Wheelchairs & Accessible Facilities
Free wheelchairs are available to borrow at the cloakroom near the main entrance — present a valid ID and pay a deposit. Manual wheelchairs are available in all areas; electric wheelchairs and mobility scooters are also permitted but may face restrictions in some narrower gallery sections, where staff will provide a standard wheelchair. Lifts and ramps connect all three floors. A separate accessible entrance is located opposite the Pinecone Courtyard.
- Free wheelchair loan: At the cloakroom near the main entrance; valid ID and deposit required
- Accessible entrance: Opposite the Pinecone Courtyard (Cortile della Pigna) — avoids the main entrance queue
- Lifts: Available on all floors throughout the main gallery circuit
- Ramps: Wheelchair ramps throughout the main visitor route
- Resting points: Seating is available in the Courtyard of the Cuirasses, Courtyard of the Pinacoteca, Square Garden, and Courtyard of the Pinecone. Wooden chairs in the Raphael Rooms are reserved for elderly visitors and those with infirmities. Perimeter chairs exist in the Sistine Chapel but fill quickly
- Disabled toilets: On all three floors
- Companion free entry: Visitors with a certified disability of 67%+ enter free with one companion — present disability certificate at the Special Permits desk inside the main entrance
Audio Guide Desk
The audio guide desk is located near the entrance to the Gregorian Egyptian Museum on the ground floor — just inside the main entrance, follow the signs. The official audio guide MP3 device covers 400+ commentary points across all main galleries in 10 languages: Italian, English, French, German, Spanish, Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Russian, and Portuguese. The route can be customised at the desk to suit your available time and interests. Return the device at the audio guide return counter near the main entrance at the end of your visit. For full details, see our Vatican Museums audio guide page.
Seating & Rest Areas
- Courtyard of the Cuirasses: Wrought iron chairs available for resting
- Courtyard of the Pinacoteca: Outdoor seating area
- Square Garden & Courtyard of the Pinecone: Additional outdoor seating
- Raphael Rooms: Wooden chairs along the walls reserved for elderly visitors and those with infirmities
- Sistine Chapel: Perimeter chairs around the edge of the chapel — fill quickly on busy days. Early morning tour visitors have the best chance of finding a seat
- Pinecone Courtyard Bistro: Café seating in the courtyard — the most comfortable extended rest point in the Museums
First Aid
- First Aid bays: Located near the main entrance of the Museums
- Defibrillators: 18 AEDs installed along the entire visitor route
- Emergency transfer: In serious cases, visitors are transferred to the nearest hospital by ambulance
- For non-emergency medical help: Alert the nearest security staff member or custodial employee
Wi-Fi Policy
There is no public Wi-Fi available inside the Vatican Museums. The Vatican strongly discourages mobile phone use throughout the Museums, and mobile devices must be kept on silent mode at all times. Mobile phone use is strictly forbidden inside the Sistine Chapel. If you need to use navigation or an app-based audio guide inside the Museums, download content before arriving — do not rely on mobile data near the entrance, where signal is also unreliable.
Lost & Found
Report lost items immediately to the nearest security point or custodial staff member. If you have already left the Museums, contact the Vatican Museums lost property service by email at accoglienza.musei@scv.va. Unclaimed items are stored at the Vatican Gendarmery. The Vatican Museums are not responsible for items left unattended or stored in the cloakroom beyond the day of your visit.
Bookshop & Vatican Post Office
- Bookshop: Available on both the ground floor and upper floor. Stocks art books, exhibition catalogues, reproductions, and Vatican souvenirs
- Vatican Post Office: Located on the ground floor near the main entrance. Vatican City State postage stamps are a popular collector’s item — letters and postcards sent from the Vatican post office carry the Vatican City State postmark, not the Italian one
Parking Near the Vatican Museums
There is no parking inside Vatican City. The nearest parking options to the Vatican Museums are: Parking Prati (Piazza Unità 62–193, 10-minute walk); Garage San Pietro (Via di Santa Maria alle Fornaci 26–165, 5-minute walk); Vespasian Garage (5-minute walk, charges by the hour with daily, nightly, and monthly rates). For a full guide to getting there by car and public transport, see our Vatican Museums parking guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a café inside the Vatican Museums?
Yes — two main options: the Self-Service Cafeteria (ground floor, hot Italian meals) and the Pinecone Courtyard Bistro (upper floor, coffee, snacks, and aperitivo). Vending machines for water and drinks are also available on all floors.
Is the cloakroom at the Vatican Museums free?
Yes — the cloakroom is free of charge. All bags and luggage over 40×35×15cm must be deposited there before entering the galleries.
Are wheelchairs available at the Vatican Museums?
Yes — free wheelchairs are available to borrow at the cloakroom. Present a valid ID and pay a deposit. A separate accessible entrance is available opposite the Pinecone Courtyard.
Is there Wi-Fi in the Vatican Museums?
No — there is no public Wi-Fi inside the Vatican Museums. Download any maps, audio guides, or apps before arriving. Mobile devices must be kept on silent throughout the Museums.
Where are the toilets in the Vatican Museums?
Toilets are on all three floors (ground floor, upper floor, and basement) and are clearly signposted along the visitor route. Disabled-accessible toilets and baby changing facilities are also on every floor.
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