Vatican Museums Time: Opening Hours, Last Entry, Closed Days
Updated October 28, 2026
Quick answer
The Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel open Monday to Saturday from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm, with last entry at 6:00 pm. They close on Sundays, except the last Sunday of the month, when they open from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm (last entry 12:30 pm) with free entry. St Peter's Basilica opens every day from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm from October 26, 2026 to March 28, 2027.
| Place | Days | Hours | Last entry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel | Monday to Saturday | 8:00 am–8:00 pm | 6:00 pm |
| Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel | Last Sunday of the month (free) | 9:00 am–2:00 pm | 12:30 pm |
| Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel | Other Sundays and listed holidays | Closed | — |
| St Peter's Basilica | Every day, Oct 26, 2026–Mar 28, 2027 | 7:00 am–7:00 pm | — |
| St Peter's Basilica | Every day, Jun 1–Oct 25, 2026 | 7:00 am–8:00 pm | 7:15 pm |
| St Peter's dome | Oct 26, 2026–Mar 28, 2027 | 7:30 am–5:00 pm | — |
| St Peter's dome | Mar 29–Oct 25, 2026 | 7:00 am–6:00 pm | — |
| Guided tours inside the basilica | Monday to Saturday | 9:30 am–5:30 pm | 5:00 pm |
| Guided tours inside the basilica | Sundays and Vatican holidays | 1:30 pm–3:30 pm | 3:00 pm |
Vatican Museums opening hours and last entry
The Vatican Museums open Monday to Saturday from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm. Last entry is at 6:00 pm, and staff start clearing the rooms 30 minutes before closing, at 7:30 pm. The Sistine Chapel keeps the same hours, because you visit it on the same ticket and as part of the Museums route. If you go in at 6:00 pm, you have an hour and a half of useful visiting time, not much for some 7 km (about 4.3 miles) of galleries. Timed tour tickets set their own slot: each listing shows the times for your date. To know how much time to set aside, see how long it takes to see the Vatican Museums.
Closing days (Sundays and holidays)
The Museums close every Sunday, except the last one of each month. In 2026 they also close on these holidays, according to the official calendar. Partial and extraordinary closures of rooms or of single hours are announced in the Vatican Museums' official calendar of openings and closures; for example, that calendar lists a closure of all sectors from 8:00 am to 9:00 am on November 10. Check it before you buy, because the official ticket is valid only for its day and is not refundable.
- January — January 1 and 6
- February — February 11
- March — March 19
- April — April 6
- May — May 1
- June — June 29
- August — August 14 and 15
- November — November 1
- December — December 8, 25 and 26
St Peter's Basilica and dome hours
St Peter's Basilica opens every day. From June 1 to October 25, 2026 it opened from 7:00 am to 8:00 pm, with last entry at 7:15 pm; from October 26, 2026 to March 28, 2027 it opens from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm. The dome opens from 7:30 am to 5:00 pm in the winter period (October 26, 2026 to March 28, 2027) and from 7:00 am to 6:00 pm in the summer period. Guided tours inside the basilica, with a guide from the Fabbrica di San Pietro or your own, run Monday to Saturday from 9:30 am to 5:30 pm and on Sundays and Vatican holidays from 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm. Tour operators warn that the basilica closes on Wednesday mornings for the Pope's general audience and can close without notice for ceremonies.
Last Sunday of the month
On the last Sunday of each month the Vatican Museums open from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm, with last entry at 12:30 pm, and entry is free. This does not apply if that Sunday falls on Easter, June 29, December 25 or 26, or December 31. That is five opening hours against twelve on a weekday, so arrive well before last entry. The Museums let you add a guided tour with a reservation. Everything that is free, and for whom, is on the Vatican Museums free Sunday page.
Best time to go
The quietest time is opening, at 8:00 am, or an early-entry Vatican Museums ticket that includes the Sistine Chapel and the Basilica. June, July and August are the busiest months, and in high season the security check can take more than 30 minutes even with a booked ticket. If you want to see the basilica the same day, avoid Wednesday morning. For the dome, go before it closes: at 5:00 pm in winter. Compare the options on the Vatican Museums ticket prices page or book through Vatican Museum tickets.
Frequently asked questions
What time do the Vatican Museums open?
At 8:00 am, Monday to Saturday. On the last Sunday of the month they open at 9:00 am.
What time do the Vatican Museums close?
At 8:00 pm Monday to Saturday, with last entry at 6:00 pm and rooms cleared from 7:30 pm. On the last Sunday of the month they close at 2:00 pm, with last entry at 12:30 pm.
Which days are the Vatican Museums closed?
Sundays, except the last one of the month, and in 2026 on January 1 and 6, February 11, March 19, April 6, May 1, June 29, August 14 and 15, November 1 and December 8, 25 and 26. Extraordinary closures are published in the official calendar.
What are St Peter's Basilica's opening hours?
Every day from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm from October 26, 2026 to March 28, 2027. The dome opens from 7:30 am to 5:00 pm in that period.
Does the Sistine Chapel have different hours?
No. You visit it on the Vatican Museums ticket and as part of the Museums route, so it follows the Museums' hours: Monday to Saturday from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm, with last entry at 6:00 pm.
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