Vatican Museums Tickets

The name's a little misleading – the Vatican Museums are the home of the Catholic Church's huge collection of priceless art and sculpture, and are found inside the Vatican City itself. The museums are all in the same vicinity, not scattered in different locations. The Vatican Museums are made up of galleries, rooms, courtyards, towers, staircases, chapels, and more.

The Vatican Museums collection began in the early 16th century when Pope Julius II purchased the famous ode to snake-wrestling, Laocoön and His Sons.

Holders of Vatican Museums tickets can explore a trove of religious art, which now houses masterpieces by everyone from Michelangelo to Raphael and Bernini. And, of course, it's home to the world-famous Sistine Chapel and its wonderful ceiling, which is gawped at by as many as 25,000 people every day.

There's a lot to see at the Vatican Museums. Thousands of people visit the Holy Enclave every day and miss many of its treasures. In terms of highlights, you should definitely:

• Stop to admire the huge Roman bronze pinecone statue in Pinecone Courtyard

• Visit the Raphael Rooms to see the Italian master's frescoes and workshop

• Wander the golden Gallery of Maps to admire stunning 16th-century cartography

• Find Caravaggio's famous depiction of the Deposition of Christ in the Pinacoteca

• See works by Van Gogh and Rodin in the Collection of Contemporary Art

• Walk the Vatican Museums' famous spiral staircase on exiting the museums

• Look up at the Sistine Chapel ceiling and look for the Creation of Adam

If you really want to make the most of your Vatican Museums tickets, try to allow for 4-5 hours inside. That'll give you enough time to visit the popular exhibits, plus the Pinacoteca Vaticana, Ethnological Museum, New Wing, and Collection of Contemporary Art.

Of course, you might not have the time (or the luxury) to allocate most of your day to the Vatican Museums. Two hours is the minimum amount of time you'll need to see some highlights and have a good long look at the Sistine Chapel ceiling.

The best time to visit the Vatican Museums is early in the day, in the middle of the week – the Vatican Museums are closed on Sundays.

October through April is the low season, so things are a little quieter then. But in reality, there's no time you can really guarantee avoiding crowds. To save yourself some standing around, opt for skip-the-line Vatican Museums tickets!

Dressing appropriately for your visit to the Vatican Museums is important. It's the 21st century, so you don't need to worry too much about the dress code. But here are some tips to make sure you don't commit any outfit faux-pas!

• Avoid revealing or low-cut clothing – sleeveless tops and see-through clothing are banned

• Short shorts (above the knee) and miniskirts are not allowed

• You'll be asked to remove hats on arrival

• Jeans and sneakers are permitted, so your Nike high-tops have Papal approval

• Of course you can't carry your backpack or suitcase around. You'll have to leave those in the cloakroom!

Looking to get into the Vatican Museums before the crowds? There are ticket options that allow you to enter before the daily flock of cultural visitors arrives.

Our tip would be to purchase a VIP early-access ticket that includes a guided tour and a sit-down breakfast in the evocative atmosphere of the Cortile della Pigna. That way, you're rewarded for getting up at the crack of dawn and beating the rush.

Does this sound like your dream Vatican Museums ticket? Book your guided tour and breakfast now!