There isn’t much that the Vatican in Rome and the the Oculus at the Westfield World Trade Center in New York have in common—the Vatican was built in starting in A.D. 300 and the Oculus opened in 2016, the Vatican gets about 25,000 visitors a day while the Oculus gets an estimated 250,000, the Vatican is a temple of God while the Oculus is a temple of consumerism.
But starting June 23, they will both be destinations for some of the world’s most famous pieces of art—Michelangelo’s frescoes.
In a monthlong exhibit titled Up Close: Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel, there will be 34 prints of Michelangelo’s paintings from the Sistine Chapel ceiling.
The large photographs will be reproduced almost life-sized on cloth, and will give viewers a much closer look at works like the “Creation of Adam” and “The Last Judgement” than they ever would in Rome. And unlike Rome, visitors will be allowed, even encouraged, to take pictures.
This isn’t the last place the exhibit will be shown. It will stop next in Paramus, New Jersey; Los Angeles, Sacramento, Annapolis, and San Diego in California; Seattle, Washington; and Chicago, Illinois.
General admission is $15 for children (12-18), those 65 and over, and military service members. Children under 12 are free. For those who want to skip the line, VIP tickets are $25. Audio guides are another $2–$3 depending on the ticket, and all can be purchased at westfield.com/upclose
The exhibit started June 23 and will run through July 23. It will be open Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
VIP tickets are can be used on any day, but regular tickets are date-specific.
