Vatican Museums' New Director

Great article, Laurel, and thank you for that!

Here in Minneapolis, we were excited when Eike Schmidt, the Director of our own Minneapolis Institute of Art (a terrific museum, for those of you who haven't visited, and free entry for all but special exhibits) was named Director of the Uffizi in 2015. Maybe not as big a deal as a woman heading the Vatican Museums but we were plenty proud. Sad to lose him, though.

I did see that news last year, Kathy. As I recall, many Italian museums now have new directors and many non-Italians for the first time.

I do wish the Vatican would limit the number of people coming in at a time and go the way of the Borghese with mandatory timed entry. They could easily raise ticket prices and extend hours simultaneous with such a change.

Agree 100%, Laurel. The Vatican Museum overcrowding situation (in the most popular rooms, anyway) is awful; we skipped it entirely last time. You wonder why they haven't adopted some sort of Borghese-like control? Granted, you do have to pick a time slot for advance tickets, and I'd guess they manage the amount of tour groups entering the place at any given time but that's obviously not enough?

Editing to add: call me crazy but just as I've a hunch that a significant amount of visitors to the Accademia in Florence are only interested in a look at "David", the same applies to the Sistine? I've wondered if they couldn't come up with some sort of controlled, separate ticket/entry/exit more directly to/from the chapel for those who aren't all that interested in (or don't have time to explore) the rest of the collection?

You've probably seen this but I hadn't:

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/24/arts/design/vatican-museums-jatta.html

Interesting bit about a 2nd entrance to the museums, although tourists will make a beeline for the usual stuff, I predict. But I also ran across some claims that she HAS "pitched a second route to the Sistine Chapel" with extended hours, although I can't find anything mentioned on websites I am familiar with. Just one of those bits:

https://www.travelpulse.com/news/destinations/vatican-to-combat-crowds-with-second-entrance.html.

That could cut down traffic to the rest of the museums if it's ticketed JUST for the Sistine? Hmmm. Wait and see what develops, I guess?

I did not know about the proposed second entrance, Kathy. Good idea, I guess, but I still think it would be better to raise prices and go with Borghese-style timed entry with limits on the total allowed at one time.

Hmmm. Maybe the Louvre could consider a special ticket that leads only to one line going directly to the Mona Lisa, with an official souvenir t-shirt that says "I (heart) (picture of Mona)"

I still think it would be better to raise prices and go with
Borghese-style timed entry with limits on the total allowed at one
time.

That gets my vote too. I don't think a 2nd entry will reduce the amount of warm bodies overrunning the place.

Maybe the Louvre could consider a special ticket that leads only to
one line going directly to the Mona Lisa, with an official souvenir
t-shirt that says "I (heart) (picture of Mona)"

LOL, Laura! You could be on to something there! I wonder how many tourists realize that Mona is a pretty small painting, and that they're not going to get within 10 feet (or more) of the thing? Lots of more interesting things to see at the Louvre, IMHO.