One of Rome's biggest attractions, the Vatican Museums, is considering capping the number of daily visitors in the face of safety fears and complaints about long, hot waits.
The 54 galleries of religious and secular treasures accumulated over the centuries by generations of Popes currently have no set limits, routinely pass the 30,000 visitor mark in summer—a time when temperatures reach 40°C (104°F) in the un-airconditioned galleries. Visits can involve hours of standing nearly still in hallways; only the Sistine Chapel, near the end of the route, has cooling.
Guides who work there estimate that at least 10 people pass out each day in those conditions, and have reported panic attacks and other issues; some have feared what could happen if a stampede were set off. The licensed guides, who number 3,000, pay €250 a year in license fees.
Vatican officials have increased staffing and are moving to add cooling to other galleries, and taken other measures. Barbara Jatta, appointed director of the Museums in 2016, said that she is considering opening a second entrance, extending hours, and spreading visitors over more parts of the complex. The Museums are an important source of income for the Vatican, bringing in about €100 million a year in revenues.
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