Vatican museums reopen with no crowds

The Vatican Museums reopened its majestic doors on June 1, ending a three-month closure.

Joe Davies reports.

The Vatican Museums reopened its majestic doors on Monday (June 1), ending a three-month closure.

There was always a long line of tourists waiting to get in.

But with borders still closed and movement around Italy banned, on Monday it was only locals taking the chance to go inside.

Temperature checks, face masks, and use of hand sanitizer have now been introduced.

On the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, God and Adam are close to touching hands in Michelangelo's iconic "Creation of Adam." Down below, the few visitors inside were social distancing.

Barbara Jatta is the director of the Vatican Museums. "And so it is a day of joy, we are opening with all security accomodations and preventions for our visitors who are arriving, but in the mean time we are opening with the will of sharing, and to keep going with our mission of sharing our incredible and universal heritage of history, of art, but also of faith, and so it is important." From Wednesday (June 3), free movement is allowed across Italy and borders will reopen to European countries.

The Vatican Museums received some 7 million visitors in 2019.

They generate an estimated $100 million in revenue every year.

This year, ticket and souvenir sales are expected to be much lower.