Vatican Museums ticket prices in 2026
A full-price ticket costs €20 at the ticket office. Booking online costs €25, which is the €20 ticket plus a €5 reservation fee. A reduced ticket costs €10, or €15 online.
The ticket covers the museums and the Sistine Chapel on the day it is issued. There is no separate general ticket for the Sistine Chapel, because it is the last part of the same route. Tickets are valid only on the day of issue and are not refundable.
Who pays what
Prices for 2026. Anyone who buys a reduced or free ticket must be able to show proof.
| Visitor | Ticket office | Online |
|---|---|---|
| Adults | €20 | €25 |
| Reduced (ages 7 to 18, students up to 25) | €10 | €15 |
| Children under 7 | Free | Free |
| School groups | €5 | €7 |
| People with a disability of 67% or more, and a companion if needed | Free | – |
Young visitors aged 7 to 18 qualify for the reduced rate. Students qualify up to and including age 25, and need proof of enrollment for the current year from their school or university. It is not enough to be under 26. If a reduced ticket turns out to be unjustified, it is cancelled and you must buy a new full-price ticket, without a refund of the reduced one.
Free tickets for people with a disability of at least 67% are issued on site and cannot be booked online. The companion is free as well if the person cannot visit independently. The school group rate is a special group tariff, not a general child price.
Our picks: entry tickets
Skip-the-queue entry without a guide, or with a guide from the museums.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in euros (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Museums tour with an official museum guide
Entry without the ticket queue, the museum ticket and a guide from the Vatican Museums.
Check availability →Fast-track entry to the museums and Sistine Chapel
Priority entry with an escort from the office to the entrance, but no guide. St Peter's entry and the garden minibus come only with certain options.
Check availability →
Museums and Sistine Chapel entry ticket
Entry to the museums without the ticket queue, with the booking fee included. A guide, a St Peter's ticket and the dome are not part of it.
Check availability →Vatican Museums tickets and tours
Entry tickets with fast access, guided tours and small groups, with live prices and availability.
Official shop and resellers
How to tell them apart.
The official online ticket shop is tickets.museivaticani.va. Websites with similar names can charge much more for the same entry. This does not mean that every reseller is illegal. Many sell tickets bundled with a guide, a meeting point or an extra service. Compare the total price with the €25 online price, and check what the listing includes: the entrance only, a guide, headsets, or a visit to St Peter's Basilica.
A booking through a reseller does not remove the security check at the entrance. Online booking never lets you skip it, so allow time for the metal detectors. Our tours page explains the main kinds of guided visit.
Examples for 2026
What a few groups pay when they book online.
| Group | Tickets | Online total |
|---|---|---|
| Two adults | 2 × €25 | €50 |
| Two adults and a 12-year-old | 2 × €25 and 1 × €15 | €65 |
| Two adults and a child of 5 | 2 × €25, child free | €50 |
| Adult and a student aged 22 with proof | €25 and €15 | €40 |
At the ticket office the same groups pay €5 less per paid ticket. Reduced tickets are not an automatic offer: the proof has to be valid on the day, and an unjustified reduction means a new full-price ticket.
Before you buy
Points that cause problems at the gate.
Choose the right day
The ticket is valid for one day only. Check the opening hours first, because the museums are closed on Sundays except the last one in the month, and on some holidays.
Ticket office or online
The price list names both ways. The ticket office costs €5 less, and online booking gives you a reservation made in advance.
Plan your clothing
Covered shoulders and knees are required. Read the dress code before you leave the hotel.
Free Sunday
On the last Sunday of the month entry is free, with shorter hours. Read the free Sunday page for the exceptions.
Other tickets in the same system
Not part of the museum entry.
The Vatican Gardens, the Papal Palace and Secret Garden at Castel Gandolfo, and the necropolis on Via Triumphalis are separate visits with their own bookings. The museum ticket does not include them. The Papal Palace and Secret Garden cost €12 at full price and €6 reduced, and children up to and including 6 years are free. The Vatican Gardens page explains the garden visit.
St Peter's Basilica is also separate. Entry is generally free and does not require a reservation, while a timed online slot with a digital audio guide is a paid extra service. Details are in the guide to St Peter's Basilica tickets.
Vatican Museums tickets: frequently asked questions
Do I need a separate ticket for the Sistine Chapel?
No. The standard entry ticket includes the museums and the Sistine Chapel on the day of your visit. A listing that names the chapel still sells the museum entry, or a tour that includes it.
Is it cheaper to buy at the ticket office?
Yes, by €5. The full price is €20 there and €25 online. The online price includes the reservation fee.
Can I get a refund if I cannot come?
No. Tickets are not refundable and are valid only on the day they are issued. If you book through a reseller, the terms of that provider apply instead, so read them before paying.
Who gets a reduced ticket?
Visitors from 7 to 18 years old, and students up to and including 25 with proof of enrollment. The reduced price is €10 at the ticket office and €15 online. Children under 7 are free.
How do I avoid fake or overpriced websites?
Use the official shop, tickets.museivaticani.va. If you book elsewhere, compare the price with €25 and read what is included. The best time page helps you pick a day.