The collection began when popes and leaders of Vatican City started collecting ancient Greek and Roman sculptures more than 500 years ago. Over the centuries, the collection grew to include paintings, tapestries, maps, ancient artefacts, and much more. Today there are 54 different galleries and halls, each with a different theme.
One of the most famous rooms is the Gallery of Maps, a long corridor where the walls are covered in detailed painted maps of Italy made in the 1580s. Looking at them is like looking at a satellite picture from 400 years ago - except instead of a camera, a whole team of painters created it by hand, brushstroke by brushstroke.
At the very end of the museums, visitors walk into the Sistine Chapel, where Michelangelo's famous ceiling waits overhead. Getting there means passing through rooms full of ancient Egyptian objects, Greek statues, Renaissance tapestries, and golden decorated ceilings - each room more surprising than the last.