Sistine Chapel Under Extraordinary Maintenance, But Still Open to Visitors

The Vatican Museums have begun a three-month extraordinary maintenance project on Michelangelo’s Last Judgment fresco in the Sistine Chapel. Scaffolding has been installed along the altar wall, and conservators are carefully cleaning surface deposits to restore the original vibrancy of the colors — work made necessary about 30 years after the last major conservation effort.

Importantly for travelers: the Sistine Chapel remains open to worshippers and visitors throughout the restoration, with a high-definition printed screen covering the scaffolding so people can still appreciate the image of The Last Judgment. The project is expected to continue through Holy Week / Easter 2026, and all phases of the intervention are being documented by the Museums’ photographic laboratory.