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The Night Openings of the Vatican Museums will return for the fourth year running on 4 May. This has by now become a fixed event in Rome's spring and summer calendar. So, beginning on 4 May, the Vatican Museums will be open every Friday from 7.00 to 11.00 pm. The Night Openings will continue to 26 October (except for the period from 20 July to 31 August). Info
Online booking is required
Vatican Museums by night

With the new series of concerts, Che c'è di Bello?, beginning on Friday 11 May, the night openings of the Vatican Museums bring back to the fore the fruitful union between art and music, offering privileged evening visitors a co-ordinated programme of five musical concerts performed by the most talented students of the Conservatory of Frosinone. [More]
"Che c'è di Bello?"- programme 2012

The next event in the lecture series Thursdays in the Museums, dedicated to the Fondo Moscioni and the birth of the photographic collection of the Vatican Museums, will be held on 24 May. [More]
Thursdays in the Museums: programme 2011/12

The "green heart" of the Vatican is being opened from today onwards to schoolchildren with a new animated educational tour. Equipped with ecological notebook, the tyro botanists will be able, in a playful way, to access the history, symbols and aromas of the Vatican Gardens, and admire their centuries-old trees, exotic plants, historic buildings and no less than 100 fountains. A unique experience in one of the most beautiful open-air laboratories in the world! [More]

Greetings from the Director

Visit the Collections Online

• Virtual online Tour of the Vatican Museums (explore the Sistine Chapel)
  

MeetingPlace

On the 17 April, at 4.00 pm, the Ufficio di Sovrintendenza ai Beni Architettonici of the Vatican Museums is presenting the 3^rd Conference on the Architectural Heritage. Focus of the meeting, chaired by Prof. Nicoletta Marconi, will be the role of the Fabbrica di San Pietro in the practice of restoration between the 17^th and 19^th century. [More]

New Publication

"PENSIERI D'ARTE. Dentro e fuori i Musei Vaticani" is the title of the new book by the Director of the Vatican Museums, Antonio Paolucci, published by the Libreria Editrice Vaticana. Edited by Paola Di Giammaria, the volume comprises a series of articles that first appeared in the Holy See's daily, L'Osservatore Romano, between 2008 and 2011.
Introduction by Antonio Paolucci

Important restorations

The Room of the Immaculate, decorated with a cycle of frescoes by Francesco Podesti, is located in the Borgia Tower next to the Raphael's Rooms.

The restoration of the Bernini Angels for the Cathedra and the Blessed Sacrament Chapel in St. Peter's Basilica is underway in the "open laboratory".

Everyday thousands of tourists walk through the evocative Room of the Tributes as they leave the Sistine Chapel.