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The Vatican museums consist of a number of different museums, and their respective galleries, originated by the popes with the aim of sharing the art history and culture to the public, once reserved only for them.
Pope Julius II began his collection of sculptures during his papacy (1503-1513) which constitutes the origin of the first pieces, seen today in the "Cortile Ottagono", destined to the museums that began to materialize during the papacies of Pope Clement XIV (1769-1774) and Pope Pius VI (1775-1799). In fact, the first museum was named the Pio-Clementine Museum in honor of them both. The Chiaramonti Museum was added by Pope Pius VII (1800-1823) and includes the "Braccio Nuovo" Gallery.
The Etruscan Museum was founded by Pope Gregory the XVI (1831-1846) with a collection of artefacts discovered through excavations from Etruria. The same pope established the Egypitian Museum and the Lateran Profane Museum which was later enlarged by Pope Pius IX (1846-1878) with the addition of the Pio Christian Museum. Some years later, Pope Saint Pius X (1903-1914), made the addition of the Hebrew Lapidary.
The Vatican Museums include a number of Galleries and other rooms; Gallery of Tapestries, Gallery of Maps, the Sobieski Room and Room of the Immaculate Conception, The Raphael Stanze (rooms), and the Loggia, the Chapel of Nicholas, the Borgia Apartment, and the Vatican Pinacoteca (gallery), which were added during a span from the 15th to 20th centuries.
The latest additions to the Vatican museums are; the Collection of Modern and Contemporary Religious Art, inaugurated by Pope Paul VI (1963-1978) and placed in the Borgia Apartment; the Vatican Historical Museum, founded in 1973 and transferred to the Papal Apartment in the Lateran Palace in 1987; and the Carriage and Automobile Museum, a section of the Vatican Historical Museum.
Of course, we mustn't forget to mention the Sistine Chapel which was created on the already existing Magna Chapel, restored between 1477 and 1480 by a team of well known artists that include Pietro Perugino, Sandro Botticelli, Domenico Ghirlandaio and Cosimo Rosselli.
The ceiling of the chapel was originally done by Pier Matteo d'Amelia who painted it with a starlit sky and it wasn't until some years later, 1508, that Michelangelo Buonarroti altered the theme by the will of Pope Julius II della Rovere.
A modern entrance to the museums was opened in the year 2000 and efficiently provides visitors with information and services.
The admission ticket to the Vatican Museums is valid for entrance to the Vatican Museums, the Sistine Chapel, and the Vatican Historical Museum and Noble Apartment of the Lateran Apostolic Palace (near the Basilica of St. John Lateran in Rome). Tickets are only valid on the date of purchase.
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