Vatican Museums

Following the huge success of the past months, from Friday 2 September 2011 the autumn evening openings of the Vatican Museums are reconfirmed. Until 28 October 2011 the Museums of the Pope will open their doors after sunset, every Friday from 07.00 p.m. to 11.00 p.m. (last admission at 09.30 p.m.).

In 2010 over 30.300 visitors walked through the moonlit pontifical galleries. The public comprised mostly Roman citizens, young couples, families with children, and young people who enthusiastically chose the Vatican Museums as an alternative night out.

This exclusive invitation to visit the Museums by night is addressed not only to all tourists, Italian and foreign, for whom the Vatican Museums are a "sanctuary of art and faith" - to use the words of the Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI - but also and above all to all the Roman public, normally too busy to visit the Museums during the day.

"The Pope, as the bishop of Rome, wishes to offer the most beautiful works of art to his people. To be open during the evening means offering the possibility for families and friends to visit the Vatican Museums together - comments the Director of the Museums, Antonio Paolucci - to go for a short walk, visit the Museums. Thus every Roman can feel the Museums belong to each and everyone".