Vatican Museums will reopen on 1 February with advance booking required.

The Vatican Museums, including the Sistine Chapel, will reopen their doors to the public from Monday 1 February after being closed for 88 days, the longest closure in the museums' history since 1943 during world war two.

The Museums have been shut since 5 November, in line with the closure of Italy's museums amid tighter covid-19 restrictions.

Most museums and archaeological sites in Italy will reopen on 1 February as the country eases its coronavirus restrictions, reclassifying most regions from medium-risk orange zones to lower-risk yellow zones.

• Rome museums to reopen as Italy eases covid-19 restrictions

However unlike museums in Italy's yellow zones, which are only allowed to open from Monday to Friday, the Vatican Museums will return to its usual timetable of Monday to Saturday, from 08.30 to 18.30 , with last admission at 16.30.

Reservations are required and can be made directly from the Vatican Museums website.

The Vatican Gardens, as well as the archaeological area of the Necropolis of Via Triumphalis, will also reopen to the public from 1 February.

• Vatican Museums aim to reopen on 1 February

However the museum complex and gardens of Castel Gandolfo will not reopen until 6 February, and only on Saturdays (09.00-17.30, last admission 16.30.

Earlier in 2020 the Vatican Museums were shut for almost three months, due to the coronavirus emergency, reopening in June.

Despite the extended closures, the Vatican Museums’ director Barbara Jatta.said that "work never stopped" behind the scenes, with a busy programme of research, restoration, construction and online activity continuing as normal.

Photo Vatican News