The Vatican Museums: a quest tour for children
The Vatican Museums are a vast complex of 1,400 rooms and more than 70,000 works. They hold the world’s largest collection of ancient sculpture, and the Sistine Chapel and Raphael Rooms draw millions of visitors every year.
About the tour
Worried an ordinary tour will bore the children? We have turned meeting the Vatican into an absorbing quest adventure.
How the tour goes
A gripping detective investigation awaits: a map, tasks and clues from a real Swiss Guard. The children become the lead investigators, picking up important historical facts easily through play. And a carefully planned route keeps you clear of the tourist crowds and the exhaustion, making the visit as comfortable as it can be.
Two and a half hours pass unnoticed — in movement, in play and in new discoveries.
What you will see
The Pio-Clementino Museum — masterpieces of ancient sculpture, including the Laocoön and the Apollo Belvedere.
The Gallery of Maps — remarkable 16th-century images of Italy.
The Gallery of Tapestries — sumptuous works woven from designs by Raphael’s pupils.
The Gallery of the Candelabra — a grand corridor of ancient Roman treasures and giant marble lamps.
The Sistine Chapel — the Vatican’s greatest treasure, with Michelangelo’s frescoes.
Extend your adventure
After the museum quest you can continue with an exclusive tour of St Peter’s Basilica (60 €, one hour).
We use the private passage from the Vatican Museums — no queues, straight into the heart of the Christian world. In 2025 separate tickets for St Peter’s are required; we will help you buy them, or buy them for you.
What you will learn
The big secrets of the smallest state in the world
Interesting facts about the great artists and their work
The key moments in history and art that come in useful at school
Who it suits
Families with children aged 6+ — if you worry the younger ones will tire quickly but still want them to come away with vivid memories
Families with children of different ages — if it is hard to find a tour that holds both the little ones and the teenagers
Parents of teenagers — if they “don’t want anything” but you care that they meet the Vatican properly
Adults who want a proper tour — if you have dreamed of the Vatican Museums but fear the children will be bored
How to prepare
Buy your entrance tickets in advance (they are not included in the tour price).
Dress for the Vatican dress code: shoulders and knees must be covered. In hot weather bring a light scarf to throw over your shoulders or tie round your waist to cover your knees.
Bring documents for everyone in the group, children included, to confirm ages for reduced tickets.
Do not forget water and a snack for the children.
Book the tour
Leave your phone number — we will call back and agree a date.
