If we made an effort to just list the names of the many galleries and museums that make up the complex of buildings called the Vatican Museums, that would fill many pages. And if we took the next step - to list all of the artists and great art works held in those buildings - that would fill books. In fact, the Vatican itself has filled volumes with such information at the Vatican library.

It was Pope Julius II who in 1506 started the Vatican’s collection of great art with his purchase of the sculpture Laocoon and his sons as they battle a mighty sea creature. From there, the Vatican collection has grown to dozens of galleries and museums and to literally thousands of works of fine art.

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