A vacuum evaporator according to the present invention comprises a vacuum chamber, a rod-like evaporation source provided to be liftable into and out of the vacuum chamber, and a work support means for supporting, relative to the evaporation source lowered into the vacuum chamber, works W arranged to surround the evaporation source. The vacuum chamber is formed of a fixed chamber part and a movable chamber part provided connectably to and disconnectably from the fixed chamber part and mounted with the work support means. Either one movable chamber part is horizontally moved and connected to the fixed chamber part in the state where the evaporation source is raised and retreated out of the vacuum chamber to perform vacuum evaporation treatment. According to such a structure, the maintenance of the vacuum evaporator can be performed without raising or lowering the lower plate or taking out the work support means from the vacuum chamber.