Celebrating the Lives and Deaths of the Popes

Celebrating the Lives and Deaths of the Popes includes a full-scale replica of Pope John Paul II's crypt, an exact reproduction of the coffin used in the funerals of three previous Popes as well as replicas of other Papal vestments by the tailor shop that has made the vestments of the last seven Popes.

Visitors to the exhibit will also be able to view two authentic uniforms worn by members of The Swiss Guard (responsible for the Pope's personal security and protection of the Vatican) as well as the actual Popemobile used by Pope John Paul II during his visit to the United Kingdom in 1982.

Rounding out the exhibit are photographs of the funerals of different Pontiffs supplied by the Vatican, along with exact recreations of items placed in their coffins.

A true sense of attending a Pope's funeral

Spanning 5,000 sq. ft., Celebrating the Lives and Deaths of the Popes features premium sound and lighting, three-dimensional scenes and audio and visual multi-media presentations to provide visitors with a true sense of attending a Pope's funeral. The exhibit allows visitors to walk through its various sections, experiencing the many stages of preparation for the final services and burial of a Pope.

Celebrating the Lives and Deaths of the Popes is a product of three years of intense collaboration between the Vatican and the National Museum of Funeral History. The museum also completed a 10,500 sq. ft. expansion to its existing building to accommodate the exhibit.