Latest generation termoscanner at the entrance, where there are also metal detectors, calibrated to detect the temperature when tourists pass, mandatory masks, liquids to sanitize hands everywhere, a medical facility inside, and groups of up to 10 people, to ensure the necessary spacing in even restricted environments.
The Vatican Museums opened this morning after three months of closure. The first visitors, when the bronze doors reopened, were greeted by the director Barbara Jatta. For the Vatican, this is a beginning full of expectations and hopes.
In recent days, groups of journalists have been able to check that the chosen route is safe from a health point of view, for those who book the ticket and go to visit one of the most extraordinary art fields in the world.
Among the rooms that tourists will see, there are the newly restored rooms of Constantine, where two figures attributed to Raffaello Sanzio have been brought to light. Then the Sistine Chapel, Raphael’s rooms, the art gallery, the geographical maps room, the Egyptian museum. Over twenty kilometers of fantastic collections.
In this period the cost of the presale fees of 4 Euro will not be applied. The opening hours will also change: from Monday to Thursday, the Pontifical Collections will remain open from 10.00 to 20.00, with last entry at 18.00 (the exit from the museum sectors starts at 19.30); Friday and Saturday, from 10.00 to 22.00, with last entry at 20.00 (exit of the museum sectors at 21.30). The usual free opening on the last Sunday of the month is currently suspended.
As with the other museums in Rome, reservations will be required and can be made directly from the official website.
To have access to the Vatican Museums, it is obligatory to book your visit via the official ticket office portal at tickets.museivaticani.va.
Access will be restricted, and phased at 15-minute intervals
“Coronavirus” Emergency Modalities, procedures and rules for visits to the Vatican Museums and Gardens
At the moment of booking, it will be necessary to choose your preferred entry time among those available.
On the day of the visit you must observe with extreme precision the time on the booking voucher (for example: those who have booked for 10.00 AM may enter no earlier than 10.00 AM and no later than 10.15 AM). Once the fifteen-minute phase has passed, the Guard Corps staff who is responsible for checking the voucher will be able to prevent access to the Museums and, in this case, no refund will be available.
Only for the guided tours organised by the Directorate of the Vatican Museums and for the visits to the Vatican Gardens on foot or by open bus are visitors requested to arrive15 minutes in advance of the time on the voucher, so as to enable the necessary reception procedures and to guarantee the punctual departure of the tour.
To enter the Vatican Museums and Gardens it is obligatory to wear a mask covering the noseand mouth. The mask must be worn for the entire duration of the visit.
Each visitor will be subjected to a body temperature check using suitable thermometric instruments. The control is mandatory.
Access will be denied to all those with a body temperature of 37.5° C or more.
Within the Museums it will be necessary to maintain an interpersonal distance of over 1 metre and to avoid gatherings. The Guard Corps will ensure that the rule is respected scrupulously. Visitors are reminded to observe carefully the health rules, intended to guarantee the health and safety of all and set out at the end of this document. It is the duty of every visitor to readthese rules carefully before the visit, and then to observe them for the duration of their stay within the Museums or the Vatican Gardens.
At the time of booking the visit it is understood that all people who have access to the Museums and who receive the booking voucher will have read, understood and fully accepted all these rules, without exception.
Every violation will be brought to the attention of the competent Authorities. Those who do not follow the rules may be required to leave the Museums.
Guided tours and Group visits
Visits will be possible in groups made up of a maximum of 10 people (plus guide). It will be the responsibility of the guide to ensure that interpersonal distance is maintained between the members of the group, and the observance for all the other current rules and regulations.
The Directorate of the Vatican Museums will also organise guided tours entrusted to their own educational workers, again for groups of 10 people. It will be possible to book them through the official ticket office portal at tickets.museivaticani.va.
Visitors are reminded that in this case they are requested to arrive 15 minutes in advance of thetime on the voucher, so as to enable the necessary reception procedures and to guarantee the punctual departure of the tour.
With regard to the guided tours of the archaeological areas, visitors are reminded that the tours of the Excavations of Saint John Lateran are temporality suspended. Instead, visits to the Necropolis of the Via Triumphalis have been organised.
The use of radio-transmitter equipment (group tour/whisper systems) is not permitted. Therefore, tour guides are reminded to moderate their tone of voice during their explanations, so as not to disturb other visitors.
Access to Saint Peter’s Basilica
The exit that provides direct access from the Sistine Chapel to Saint Peter’s Basilica will remain closed until further notice.
Visit to the Vatican Gardens
The Directorate of the Museums will offer the traditional visits to the Vatican Gardens on foot, entrusted to our own educational workers, for groups of 10 people. These may be booked rough the official ticket office portal attickets.museivaticani.va
In addition, it will be possible to book a new visit to the Vatican Gardens alone by the ecological panoramic open bus, which does not include passage through the Museums. A total of 12 places will be available for each trip, in order to ensure the necessary interpersonal distance.
For both visits, participants are reminded to arrive 15 minutes in advance of the time on the voucher, so as to enable the necessary reception procedures and to guarantee the punctual departure of the tour.
The open buses will depart from the entrance to Vatican City State entitled “Petriano” in Largo del Sant’Uffizio
(see the map: https://www.google.it/maps/place/Cancello+Petriano/@41.9014972,12.4550827,18z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x132f60661b9f55eb:0x401a8ffe1fa0e588!8m2!3d41.9014972!4d12.456177)
Museum staff will be present on-site to offer useful assistance. The specific rules are given on the booking voucher.
Visitors are reminded that in this case it is obligatory to arrive wearing a mask covering thenose and mouth, which must be worn throughout the entire visit.
As in the case of access to the Museums, each visitor will be subjected to a body temperature check using suitable thermometric instruments. The control is mandatory.
Access to the open bus will be denied to all those with a body temperature of 37.5° C or more.
Please also note that you will not be allowed access to the open bus with luggage (suitcases, bags, packages and containers in general) of dimensions greater than cm. 40 x 35 x 15. There is no cloakroom service.
The utmost punctuality is recommended. Once the open bus has started its tour it will not be possible to participate in the visit. The ticket will not be refunded in any case.
