Key Points:
- Located within Crystals mid-Strip, adult tickets to Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel start at $34.
- Inside are backlit recreations of the 34 frescoes on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, along with background info for each.
- There are some interesting tidbits, but the atmosphere is like a funeral home, and the visuals are underwhelming for the price.
Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel is the newest attraction occupying the former Immersive Van Gogh and Disney space in the Shops at Crystals, mid-Strip in Las Vegas.
I was excited to check it out, as I’ve been to the real deal in Vatican City, and the press release imagery looked pretty compelling.
Plus, there was a weirdo at the Rome version yelling “No PHOTO!” over and over again. The chance to snap some forbidden pics excited me.
I walked in off the street, bought a ticket from an unenthusiastic kid, and made my way toward the entrance beneath The Van Gogh “Starry Night” neon decor, which is still mounted on the ceiling.
He let me know there’s an audio guide available in the Google Play & Apple app stores. You can download it in advance, or scan the QR code at the venue.
On either side of the entryway is content detailing aspects of Michelangelo’s life and works. Kind of a cool introduction to the attraction, although the room is massive, and it was barely filled by this and a small gift shop. Felt empty.
The first impression of the attraction itself after stepping through the green archway was solid. The backlit paintings popped, especially the ones mounted along the ceiling.
The room def felt a bit large for the content, however.
There were a handful of couches and benches available to sit as you viewed the art, read the placard, or listened to the audio guide for that image.
You begin your experience reading a series of illuminated placards that introduce you to the Sistine Chapel’s history, how Michelangelo reluctantly accepted the job (he saw himself as a sculptor), the stories from the Book of Genesis depicted in the paintings, and modern restoration work.
Around the room are the individual frescoes that make up the chapel ceiling, along with descriptions of the story they depict.
I’ve been to the real Sistine Chapel, and perhaps I’m simply uncultured, but I didn’t realize they were biblical stories.
Here are some more close-ups.
In addition to the frescoes, three recreations of Michelangelo’s sculptures were scattered about the room.
The last stop at Michelangelo was “The Last Judgment”, which, according to the placard, was created about 25 years after the Sistine Chapel’s ceiling and can be found on the western wall behind the altar in the chapel.
In front of the painting are pews for folks to sit and take it all in. Which is cool; it’s a sincerely interesting & intricate piece which depicts 390 individual figures ascending to Heaven, or… on the right side of the image… being dragged to Hell.
That’s basically the gist of the attraction. Walk from fresco to fresco, reading about which story they depict and how Michelangelo wanted to portray it.
There were certainly some interesting tidbits. I learned stuff. But it was boring. There was no movement. No excitement. The room felt too big for the attraction.
And it may be unfair, but I couldn’t help but compare it to Immersive Van Gogh, which called this space home before shutting down.
I know nothing about Van Gogh (aside from his most famous works) and am far from a superfan, but the way they brought his paintings to life, choreographed to music with video projection technology, was far more engaging.
Ultimately, I see this attraction appealing to 3 types of people:
- Fans of Michelangelo.
- Fans of the Sistine Chapel.
- Fans of Biblical art (is that a thing?).
Perhaps I’m dense, but that seems out of alignment with your average visitor to Las Vegas.
I’m a former software salesman turned Vegas aficionado. While the craps table is my preferred habitat, I pull myself away to explore new attractions, shows, restaurants, and outdoor activities around Las Vegas with the intent of sharing my experiences.
Ultimately, I just want to help folks plan a better trip and save a few bucks in the process.