When are the Vatican Museums free?
Updated October 28, 2026
Quick answer
The Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel are free on the last Sunday of each month, from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. (last entry at 12:30 p.m.), as long as it does not fall on Easter, 29 June or 25, 26 or 31 December. Children under 7 and people with a certified disability of 67% or more get in free on any day, and St. Peter's Basilica is free every day.
On other days, the full-price ticket costs 20 € at the ticket office or 20 € + 5 € with a booking on the official website. St. Peter's Basilica has no entrance fee on any day; what you pay for is the climb up the dome. If your trip does not fall on the last Sunday, see Vatican Museums ticket prices to work out what suits you best.
Last Sunday of the month: hours
On Sundays the Vatican Museums are closed, with one exception: on the last Sunday of each month they open from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., with last entry at 12:30 p.m., and entry is free. They do not open that Sunday if it falls on Easter, 29 June (Saints Peter and Paul), 25 December, 26 December or 31 December. The rooms start clearing 30 minutes before closing, so the useful visit is about four and a half hours at most. Check the date in the Museums' official calendar of openings and closures.
What changes that day
It is the only day of the month when the full-price ticket costs nothing, and it is only five opening hours against twelve on a weekday. Arrive before 12:30 p.m., the last entry, and expect the same airport-style security check as any other day. The Museums let you add a booked guided tour to the free entry. If you also want to see St. Peter's Basilica that Sunday, remember that it opens from 7:00 a.m. and that on Sundays guided tours in the basilica run from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m.
Who always gets in free
On any opening day, children under 7 and people with a certified disability of 67% or more get in free, with a document proving it or the European Disability Card. If the person with a disability is not self-sufficient, their companion also gets in free. These tickets cannot be booked online: they are issued at the Special Permits windows or at the Welcome Desk in the entrance hall, with priority entry and no line. Details for families and for wheelchair users are in the Spanish-language guides to the Vatican Museums with children and Vatican Museums accessibility.
The Basilica is free
Entering St. Peter's Basilica has no price, every day, although tour operators warn that access is not guaranteed and that it can close without notice for ceremonies. You pass the security checks under the right-hand colonnade of St. Peter's Square. What you do pay for is the dome: 22 € with the elevator to the terrace and 17 € by the stairs, both with a visit to the basilica, on the basilica's official booking website. The square is an open space, and the Sunday Angelus at noon is followed from it without a ticket; we explain it in how to see the Pope.
Frequently asked questions
Which day is it free to get into the Vatican?
The Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel, on the last Sunday of each month from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. (last entry at 12:30 p.m.), unless it falls on Easter, 29 June or 25, 26 or 31 December. St. Peter's Basilica charges no entrance fee on any day.
Can you get into the Sistine Chapel for free?
Yes, on the last Sunday of the month, because the Sistine Chapel is included in the Vatican Museums ticket. Children under 7 and people with a disability of 67% or more get in free on any day.
Is it free to climb St. Peter's dome?
No. The climb costs 22 € with the elevator to the terrace and 17 € by the stairs. Children up to 6 and people with a disability above 74%, with one companion, go free.
What can I do for free at the Vatican?
Enter St. Peter's Basilica, walk around St. Peter's Square, follow the Sunday Angelus and, with a free ticket requested from the Prefecture of the Papal Household, attend a general audience with the Pope.
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