Privacy Policy
How we collect, use and protect your personal information.
1. Who We Are
The Vatican Museums (Musei Vaticani) are operated by the Governorate of Vatican City State, Viale Vaticano, 00165 Rome, Italy. References to "we", "us" or "our" in this policy refer to the Vatican Museums and their ticketing operations.
For all data protection enquiries, contact us at: [email protected]
2. Information We Collect
When you purchase a ticket or make a booking through our official website, we collect:
- Full name (required to match your photo ID at entry)
- Email address (for booking confirmation and correspondence)
- Phone number (optional, for booking updates)
- Visit date and time slot selected
- Number and type of visitors (adult, reduced, child)
- Payment information (processed securely — we do not store card details)
We may also collect anonymised technical data (browser type, device, IP address) for website analytics and security purposes.
3. How We Use Your Information
We use your personal data solely for the following purposes:
- Processing and confirming your ticket booking
- Verifying your identity at the museum entrance (name must match photo ID)
- Sending booking confirmations and any relevant visit updates
- Responding to customer service enquiries
- Complying with legal obligations and Vatican City State regulations
We do not sell, rent or share your personal data with third parties for marketing purposes.
4. Cookies
Our website uses strictly necessary cookies to enable ticket booking functionality (session management, payment security). We also use anonymised analytics cookies to understand how visitors use our site and improve your experience. You may disable non-essential cookies in your browser settings; this will not affect your ability to purchase tickets.
5. Data Retention
Booking records are retained for a maximum of 24 months from your visit date for accounting and legal compliance purposes. After this period, personal data is deleted or anonymised. You may request earlier deletion by contacting us at [email protected].
6. Your Rights
Under applicable data protection law, you have the right to:
- Access the personal data we hold about you
- Request correction of inaccurate data
- Request deletion of your data (subject to legal retention requirements)
- Object to processing or request restriction of processing
- Lodge a complaint with a data protection authority
To exercise any of these rights, write to us at [email protected].
7. Security
All data transmitted between your browser and our ticketing system is encrypted using TLS (HTTPS). Payment processing is handled by certified PCI-DSS compliant providers. We do not store full card numbers on our servers.
8. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The current version is always available on this page. Material changes will be communicated via a notice on our homepage. Continued use of our website after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.
9. Contact
For any questions about this Privacy Policy or your personal data:
- Email: [email protected]
- Post: Vatican Museums, Viale Vaticano, 00165 Rome, Italy
- Phone: +39 06 69883145 (Mon–Sat 09:00–17:00)