The Basilica is open every day from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Admission is free (last admission is at 6:30 pm).
The Polo Museale is open from 9:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Last admission is at 5:30 p.m.
Tickets for visits to the Liberian Historical Museum, the Loggia delle Benedizioni, the Hall of Popes, Bernini’s staircase and the archaeological area can be purchased at the reception desk located below the portico, or by making an online reservation at
To make a reservation for a guided visit of the Basilica or for the archaeological area with an official guide of the Vatican Museums, click here.
Audio guides that accompany a visit to the Basilica are available in 5 languages (Italian, English, Spanish, German and French) and can be hired at the reception desk.
Useful information for guided group tours:
Inside the Basilica and the areas that are part of the Polo Museale, it is mandatory to use radio headsets for all groups of eight or more people. The service will be guaranteed exclusively by the Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major through its own agents.