After 503 years, Vatican Museums open doors to public at night

(July28,2009): For the first time in half a millennium, the doors of the Vatican Museums were open to the public at night. Some 6,500 people took advantage of the after-hours event on July 24. More than 5,000 people reserved a spot online ahead of time as required, but another 1.400 visitors, who had not made bookings were allowed to enter, reported Vatican’s newspaper L'Osservatore Romano. It said for the next four hours, visitors wandered through the Raphael Rooms, the Sistine Chapel, and the corridors of the museums and galleries of the Apostolic Library, as well as other areas of the museums. In one of the courtyards, the museums also offered live Renaissance-era music and dance during the special initiative.
The last time the museums were opened to the public at night was 503 years ago. The director of the Vatican Museums, Antonio Paolucci, who spearheaded the night time visit said because the very good response, the museums will be open for late evening visits four times in September and again in October. Officials will decide later, how often to schedule other night time openings throughout the year, he added.