Rome, Vatican Egyptian, Roman & Gold Rooms

[happy 2 b cruising]

I have been to the amazing Vatican before and I am interested in exploring some different rooms, Museums etc. when we return this fall. Looked online and the tour companies all seem to only offer the Raphael, Tapestries & Map rooms. They all add on the Sistine Chapel too. Does the Vatican directly sell advance tickets to the Egyptian, Rome, Etruscan or Gold Museums? Would really appreciate your experiences regarding getting into these rooms and how you were able to accomplish that. What tour companies did you use or did you by tickets directly from the Vatican so you could see these rooms I mentioned, thank-you.

[cruisemom42]

First, let me say you're singing my tune. I have been through the Raphael rooms, map rooms, and tapestries way too many times.... ;)

 

The galleries/rooms you mention should all be open to the general public with a regular ticket. No tour needed to access them. At least, I know this to be true for the Egyptian, Roman and Etruscan areas. (The Etruscan rooms, in particular, tend to be practically deserted when the rest of the museum is swarmed with people....a great retreat from the crowds.)

 

However, keep in mind that at any given time, some of the rooms may be closed to everyone. The last couple of times I've been to the Vatican museum, the charming room with all the Roman-era animal sculptures ("Sala degli Animali) has been closed.

 

The Egyptian collection is small but interesting. There is also an entire room devoted to the "Egyptian style" sculptures recovered from Hadrian's villa at Tivoli. Note that these are not Egyptian, but just Egyptian influenced. Still very beautiful.

 

The Roman collection includes a hodgepodge of finds. The Vatican originally had many more pieces but quite a few were 'donated' to the Capitoline museum, where there are probably finer Roman masterpieces, with exception of a few: the oversized Prima Porta sculpture of Augustus (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Statue-Augustus_white_background.jpg, which may or may not be on display), the Laocoon and the nearby Apollo Belvedere (both in the Belvedere courtyard; actually many private tours take you to see these masterpieces), and a number of wonderful, large statues in the Sala Rotonda, along with a huge porphyry basin from Nero's Golden Palace, and an equally large mosaic on the floor.

 

The Etruscan collection fills several rooms, but IMO a lot of it is repetitive. The finer Etruscan masterpieces are mostly at Villa Giulia (elsewhere in Rome). I seem to recall a very nice chariot, however, and a bronze statue of the Etruscan version of Mars.

 

I am not sure what you mean by the "Gold Museums"? I think there is a "gold room" in the Etruscan section, but perhaps you mean something else?

[happy 2 b cruising]

First, let me say you're singing my tune. I have been through the Raphael rooms, map rooms, and tapestries way too many times.... ;)

 

The galleries/rooms you mention should all be open to the general public with a regular ticket. No tour needed to access them. At least, I know this to be true for the Egyptian, Roman and Etruscan areas. (The Etruscan rooms, in particular, tend to be practically deserted when the rest of the museum is swarmed with people....a great retreat from the crowds.)

 

However, keep in mind that at any given time, some of the rooms may be closed to everyone. The last couple of times I've been to the Vatican museum, the charming room with all the Roman-era animal sculptures ("Sala degli Animali) has been closed.

 

The Egyptian collection is small but interesting. There is also an entire room devoted to the "Egyptian style" sculptures recovered from Hadrian's villa at Tivoli. Note that these are not Egyptian, but just Egyptian influenced. Still very beautiful.

 

The Roman collection includes a hodgepodge of finds. The Vatican originally had many more pieces but quite a few were 'donated' to the Capitoline museum, where there are probably finer Roman masterpieces, with exception of a few: the oversized Prima Porta sculpture of Augustus (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Statue-Augustus_white_background.jpg, which may or may not be on display), the Laocoon and the nearby Apollo Belvedere (both in the Belvedere courtyard; actually many private tours take you to see these masterpieces), and a number of wonderful, large statues in the Sala Rotonda, along with a huge porphyry basin from Nero's Golden Palace, and an equally large mosaic on the floor.

 

The Etruscan collection fills several rooms, but IMO a lot of it is repetitive. The finer Etruscan masterpieces are mostly at Villa Giulia (elsewhere in Rome). I seem to recall a very nice chariot, however, and a bronze statue of the Etruscan version of Mars.

 

I am not sure what you mean by the "Gold Museums"? I think there is a "gold room" in the Etruscan section, but perhaps you mean something else?

 

Where you able to purchase the admission ticket in advance directly from the Vatican with a Skip The Line Option? Don't want to wait on long long lines.

[cruisemom42]

Where you able to purchase the admission ticket in advance directly from the Vatican with a Skip The Line Option? Don't want to wait on long long lines.

 

If you buy your ticket online through the official Vatican site, you effectively 'skip the line' as it is a timed ticket. When you get there you will bring a voucher and you'll be in a separate (much shorter) line. But you still have to go through the security line no matter what...

 

If you want to get the least crowds, pick a ticket for the very earliest time available. Of course, that's only possible if you are staying in Rome, not coming in from the port.

Edited July 6, 2016 by cruisemom42