How ticket booking works

The time slot isn’t a detail, it’s the rule

The museum limits entries: each day there is a limited number of places for each time slot, and you book the date and time online before arriving. Those who turn up at Via Francesco De Sanctis hoping to buy a ticket for the same day normally don’t get in: slots fill up quickly, especially at weekends, on public holidays, at Easter, in August and in December. Opening hours are from nine to nineteen, every day except Tuesday, with last entry at eighteen thirty, half an hour before closing. If you want to know which slots are less crowded, the page on when to visit explains which times and months to avoid.

Entry ticket only or ticket with guide?

This is a second decision, independent of the first. The entry-only ticket lets you in at the time slot you booked and that’s all: you walk around the nave on your own, with or without hiring the audio guide inside the museum. The six tours on this site instead include a live guide, who accompanies the group and answers questions while you’re inside. It costs more than entry only because it also includes a person who speaks, not just the ticket. The difference between the two approaches — and between a live guide and an audio guide — is explained point by point in audio guide or live guide, while the full cost breakdown is in how much the Sansevero Chapel costs.

What happens if you arrive late

The time slot is not flexible: arriving late risks losing your turn, as the next group is already waiting behind you. The last stretch to get there is on foot anyway — Via Francesco De Sanctis is a narrow alley in a limited-traffic zone, so don’t rely on your car — and the ancient paving slows down those without comfortable shoes. If you book one of the guided tours, the meeting point is almost always a few minutes before the scheduled time inside the Chapel: arriving with some leeway avoids having to rush to catch up with the group.

What you should know before booking, not after

Booking is required for everyone, including those who don’t pay: children up to nine years old enter free, but they still count towards the number of places in the time slot, so include them when you book, not at the last minute. And if someone in your group uses a wheelchair, it’s best to know beforehand: the nave with the Veiled Christ and the sacristy with the bookshop are accessible, but the underground Cavea with the anatomical machines is not, as the only access is via a narrow spiral staircase. The detail is in accessibility and wheelchair use, so check it before choosing your time slot, not after arriving in Via Francesco De Sanctis.

For a full comparison of all six visits, see all Sansevero Chapel tours; for those looking for a live guide inside the Chapel only, there are the guided tours.

Frequently asked questions