The Vatican Museums are accessible via the Viale Vaticano entrance, situated on the north side of Vatican City. This entrance provides the quickest access to the museums.
Most visitors to the Vatican Museums fail to realize that this attraction has three different lines at the main entrance, each serving a specific purpose and one main common exit.
Incidentally, there were two exits before; the North-side Sistine Chapel passageway to St. Peter’s Basilica was the second exit, but it will be closed temporarily until 2025.
Here’s all you need to know about those three entrance lines to make your journey inside the Museums smooth and hassle-free.
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Line 1
This queue is for visitors who haven’t bought their tickets in advance.
Noticeably, all the way from the Viale Vaticano, this line can, at times, extend beyond 500 meters (0.3 Miles) regardless of the time and season.
It is best to avoid this line as you can waste up to two hours of your precious time. Hence, we suggest buying your tickets in advance and queuing up at Line 2.
Line 2
This line is for tourists who have already bought their Vatican Museums tickets online.
If you are unsure where this line starts, Look for a yellow signboard, as shown in the photo above.
This online Vatican Museum ticket is a smart choice on any given day. It allows you to skip a two-hour wait in the regular line.
We recommend you buy this ticket online, especially if you have kids or elders accompanying you on the tour.
If you have bought the Vatican Museums entrance ticket, the Skip-the-line Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel ticket, or the Vatican Museums last-minute ticket, you need to use this entrance.
Line 3
The fastest moving line among the three, Line 3 is exclusively for those who have booked a guided tour ticket to the Vatican.
This includes those who have bought the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel guided tour ticket and Vatican Museums, Vatican Gardens, and St. Peter’s Basilica private tour ticket.
If you’re unsure where this line starts, look for an orange-yellow signboard with the words ‘Group entrance with online reservation’ etched on it.
Before you make a dash for this entrance, make sure you listen to the guide’s instructions.
You will also be given some colored markers in the form of pins or tags for easy identification among the crowds; retaining the same throughout your tour is important.
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.
Special Entrance for those with Disabilities
There’s a special entrance reserved for those with disabilities and their companions opposite the Pine Cone Courtyard.
This is to help them avoid the main entrances and queues, offering the disabled easier access to the Museums.
Unlike many attractions in Rome, the Vatican Museums have been upgraded over the years with wheelchair ramps and elevators to make it easier for those with disabilities to navigate the major galleries and exhibitions on site easily.
Entrance for Last Sunday Free-Entry
Did you know you can enter the Vatican Museums for free on every last Sunday of the month, barring religious holidays?
On such occasions, you need to queue up at Line 1.
The Museum doesn’t collect any fee, and its doors are open to visitors from 9 am to 2 pm.
The last entry is at 12:30 pm. So make sure you arrive well in advance to gain an early entry.
Recommended Reading
# What’s inside Vatican Museums
# Things to know before booking your Vatican Museums tickets
# Last-minute Vatican Museums ticket
# Sistine Chapel ticket
# Floor map of Vatican Museums
