The Vatican Museums have specific opening and closing hours, and the last entry is often scheduled two hours earlier than the Museums’ closing time.

In fact, knowing when to enter or exit the Museums can be a deal-breaker for any awe-struck tourist, especially when you have to deal with crowds making a beeline for the Sistine Chapel, the Raphael Rooms, and the Museums’ 54 galleries.

Here’s everything you need to know about the Vatican Museums’ opening and closing hours, last entries, holidays, private tour timings, etc.

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Since Vatican Museum tickets sell out well in advance, it is best to book them as soon as your travel dates are confirmed.

Vatican Museums

The timings apply to all galleries and rooms within the Museums, most notably the Sistine Chapel, which many tourists mistake for a standalone attraction.

St. Peter’s Basilica

Some Vatican Museums tours also include a visit to St. Peter’s Basilica. Here are the mass times and the opening and closing hours of other sites within the Basilica.

Weekday mass timings

Sunday mass timings

*Masses are conducted in Italian

Mass confession timings

Weekdays: 7 am – 12.30 pm and 4 pm – 7 pm
Sundays & Holy Days: 7 am – 1 pm and 4 pm – 7 pm

Note: Confession or the Sacrament of Penance is conducted on the right transept of the Papal altar. Make sure you maintain silence at all times.

St. Peter’s Basilica

Note: The Basilica remains closed from 7 am to 12.30 pm on Wednesday on account of the Papal Audience

St. Peter’s Basilica Dome

St. Peter’s Tomb

Vatican Grottoes

Vatican Necropolis

Note: The Vatican Necropolis remains closed on Sundays

St. Peter’s Square

Vatican Gardens

The Vatican Gardens—also known as the Pope’s ‘personal garden of Eden’—are adjacent to the Vatican Museums and make for a compelling visit, especially if you have been bogged down by the magnitude of the Museums and the Basilica.

The Gardens are open throughout the year but have differing opening and closing hours compared to the Basilica and Vatican Museums.

Note: The Gardens remain closed on Wednesday mornings and Sundays.

Things to Remember

• The Vatican Gardens have a strict timed entry policy; you won’t be allowed to enter if you arrive later than your assigned time slot.
• Only a limited number of ticket holders can enter the Gardens to preserve their tranquility and ambiance, so book your ticket online in advance.
• Visiting the Vatican Gardens is only possible through a guided tour or with an audio guide. You won’t be allowed to self-tour or visit the Gardens independently.
• The Gardens span half of the Vatican’s total area, so it would be advisable to opt for the Vatican Gardens open-top bus tour.
• This site is accessible only to children aged 6 years and above, as it involves a lot of walking and historical narratives that may be uninteresting to kids.
• If you’ve booked an early morning or night tour ticket, the Vatican Museums’ timings differ, and they operate well beyond their regular opening and closing hours.
• The last entry is an hour before the closing time; However, you need to leave the site 30 minutes before the Museums cease their daily operations for the day.
• You can enter the Museums for free on the last Sunday of each month, provided it does not coincide with the feasts of St. Peter and Paul, and Christmas Day.