The Sistine Chapel is getting an update of sorts, adding a new lighting and air-conditioning system to better display and protect the incredible frescos it's famous for. However, the Vatican Museums are also trying to limit the number of tourists that enter the chapel each day.
The $2.3 billion makeover included installing 7000 LED lamps to illuminate the walls and ceiling of the chapel, while also saving 90% of their previous electricity usage. The air-conditioning system had to be updated due to the pollutants that tourists were bringing in that damaged the artwork. The system involves two cameras mounted on the walls of the chapel that count how many people are in the room and adjust the temperature and humidity accordingly.
Over 6 million people a year travel to the Sistine Chapel to gaze up at Michelangelo's magnificent ceiling, and that number keeps growing. But in order to further protect the frescos, the Vatican Museums hope to set a limit of 20,000 visitors a day. This gives tourists less time to look at these masterpieces. The Museums are also planning on offering "intelligent glasses" to visitors in 2015. Similar to Google Glass, they would let the wearer view the Sistine Chapel in 3D. That sounds cool, but it doesn't compare to seeing the real thing in person without a time limit.
It's a shame that the Museums want to impose a time limit on visitors. The Sistine Chapel is not something you rush through; people should be able to take their time to truly appreciate the art. You know when you wait hours for a rollercoaster and then the ride is over in 5 minutes? This would be like that, except with one of the greatest works of art in the world. It's truly an experience that can't be replaced by 3D glasses.
