Every Friday night this past September and October the Vatican Museums have been open between 7-11pm. I didn't find out about this until last week, but luckily I was able to get tickets for me and a few friends for last night. The experience was absolutely unreal. There were still a lot of tour groups, but way fewer people than normal. Also, being there at night was really magical, as everything outside was lit up, and inside the lights were dimmed, making the rooms appear as if illuminated by candlelight. We started by following the route to the Sistine Chapel, hurrying through everything, thinking that by the time we got to our destination it wouldn't be too crowded. We were wrong; it was way less crowded than normal, but not as empty as we were hoping. After that we sought out a temporary exhibition called Astrum, celebrating the 400 years since the "invention" of modern astronomy. We had a hard time locating it, and happened upon some guards who were happy to help, taking us along some normally-not-seen routes. The exhibition was spectacular, and completely empty, allowing us to really see things up close and take some photos.
After the exhibition we still had time until the museums closed, so we decided to go back through all of the rooms again, en route to the Sistine Chapel. By this point there was hardly anyone left, and many of the rooms were virtually empty-- something that never happens during the day. It was beyond amazing, to experience the rooms as they were designed to be, without the crowds and ever present tour groups.
Being outside was great; it was a warm night and we were able to see things from a point of view most people never experience
The courtyards of the Belvedere were closed but lit up
Our two guard friends, taking us in an elevator to the astronomical exhibition
The exhibition was completely empty. I don't think anybody else cared about it, which was fabulous for us!!
3rd century BC marble sphere with the zodiac
This astrological globe is part of the permanent collection, but is usually located in a hallway in a glass case, against a wall, and therefore not great for proper viewing
Galileo's handwriting. I was in heaven!
Siderius Nuncius
Letters on Sunspots
Il Saggiotore
After the astro exhibition we headed back through all the galleries. This is the Gallery of Maps, commissioned in 1580 by Gregory XIII (the same pope who commissioned the room I am working on for my dissertation). I have been here so many times and it is always wall-to-wall people. It was absolutely amazing to experience it as a real hallway, and to be able to stroll through at our leisure as it was originally designed.
On each side are maps of various Italian regions and other sections of the papal states at the time. Such broad views of the walls like this are normally impossible.
On the ceiling are assorted Christian allegories, relating to the various geographic regions painted below
Closeup of one of the maps
Part of the ceiling in the Stanza della Segnatura, Astronomia above The School of Athens
Raphael's Fire in the Borgo
Finally, at the Sistine for the second time, with fellow Fulbrighters Michael and Brad. You are normally not allowed to take pictures inside the chapel (flash or no), but the guards were so exhausted at this point that I think as long as you didn't make a big deal out of it, and didn't use a flash, they didn't care.
After the exhibition we still had time until the museums closed, so we decided to go back through all of the rooms again, en route to the Sistine Chapel. By this point there was hardly anyone left, and many of the rooms were virtually empty-- something that never happens during the day. It was beyond amazing, to experience the rooms as they were designed to be, without the crowds and ever present tour groups.
Being outside was great; it was a warm night and we were able to see things from a point of view most people never experience
The courtyards of the Belvedere were closed but lit up
Our two guard friends, taking us in an elevator to the astronomical exhibition
The exhibition was completely empty. I don't think anybody else cared about it, which was fabulous for us!!
3rd century BC marble sphere with the zodiac
This astrological globe is part of the permanent collection, but is usually located in a hallway in a glass case, against a wall, and therefore not great for proper viewing
Galileo's handwriting. I was in heaven!
Siderius Nuncius
Letters on Sunspots
Il Saggiotore
After the astro exhibition we headed back through all the galleries. This is the Gallery of Maps, commissioned in 1580 by Gregory XIII (the same pope who commissioned the room I am working on for my dissertation). I have been here so many times and it is always wall-to-wall people. It was absolutely amazing to experience it as a real hallway, and to be able to stroll through at our leisure as it was originally designed.
On each side are maps of various Italian regions and other sections of the papal states at the time. Such broad views of the walls like this are normally impossible.
On the ceiling are assorted Christian allegories, relating to the various geographic regions painted below
Closeup of one of the maps
Part of the ceiling in the Stanza della Segnatura, Astronomia above The School of Athens
Raphael's Fire in the Borgo
Finally, at the Sistine for the second time, with fellow Fulbrighters Michael and Brad. You are normally not allowed to take pictures inside the chapel (flash or no), but the guards were so exhausted at this point that I think as long as you didn't make a big deal out of it, and didn't use a flash, they didn't care.
