The 10 best museums in Malta where time travel feels real
We recently rewatched Night at the Museum and started wondering what it’s like to walk among ancient relics as they quietly tell their stories.
That same sense of wonder is why we’re excited to explore Malta’s museums, where history comes alive, no magic needed.
From galleries in centuries-old palaces to underground sanctuaries, every corner holds a surprise. There are prehistoric statues, Baroque art, and dramatic Caravaggios.
And if you’re also wondering what the top museums in Malta are, this is your chance! This guide will take you through the most fascinating spots and what not to miss.
1. Saint John’s Co Cathedral Museum
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Website: https://www.stjohnscocathedral.com/
Address: St John Street, Valletta VLT 1156
Contact: +356 2122 0536
Hours: Monday-Saturday: 9:00 AM – 4:45 PM | Sunday: Closed
Pricing: €€
St John’s Co Cathedral Museum sits at the heart of Valletta, Malta’s fortified capital. We love that this 1573 church now doubles as a museum filled with Baroque masterpieces. Visitors can now admire art and historic artefacts under one roof.
We like that the museum houses not just one but two original Caravaggio masterpieces. Alongside the dramatic “The Beheading of Saint John the Baptist,” visitors can also admire “Saint Jerome Writing,” an intimate portrayal of the scholar deep in contemplation.
The museum’s nave is lined with 29 Rubens-inspired wool and silk tapestries, which tell biblical stories. Underfoot, marble tombstones honour knights and nobles with vivid symbols.
Most of all, we appreciate that their Co Cathedral Foundation runs an active research program. They spearhead long-term restoration projects, which ensure that every wool and silk masterpiece remains vibrant for future generations.
Pro Tip:
Download the Co Cathedral mobile app before arrival to unlock self-guided audio tours and maps. Book an evening tour for a magical candlelit experience.
2. Fort St Elmo & National War Museum
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Website: https://heritagemalta.mt/explore/fort-st-elmo-national-war-museum/
Address: Mediterranean Street, Valletta
Contact: +356 2123 3088
Hours: Monday-Sunday: 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Pricing: €
Fort St Elmo crowns the tip of Valletta’s peninsula with its iconic star-shaped bastions. We love that visitors can stroll the ramparts for sweeping views over the Grand Harbour. This 16th-century fortress now merges with the National War Museum under one roof.
Inside, they offer seven themed galleries that trace Malta’s military saga from the Bronze Age to EU membership. Visitors can also see the WWII highlights, like the lone Gloster Sea Gladiator fuselage and Eisenhower’s Willys Jeep artefacts.
We love that the fort’s ramparts lead directly into the museum’s galleries, creating a nice journey from defence to display. The winding walls guide visitors from outdoor battlements into interactive exhibits without ever feeling disjointed.
Pro Tip:
Book the combined Fort St Elmo and National War Museum ticket online. Then, time your visit for Sunday’s “In-Guardia” performance at 11 AM to see history in action.
3. MUŻA – Malta’s National Art Museum
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Website: https://muza.mt/
Address: Auberge D’Italie, Merchants St, Valletta
Contact: +356 2395 4500
Hours: Monday-Sunday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Pricing: €€
Of all the museums on this list, MUZA is one of our favourites. It is housed in the 16th-century Auberge d’Italie, a Baroque gem in Valletta’s historic centre. We love that its heritage facade frames modern galleries inside.
MUZA’s name also means “inspiration” and stands for Mużew Nazzjonali tal-Arti. Plus, it truly highlights its collection through four immersive narratives: Mediterranean, Europe, Empire, and The Artist.
We also like the fact that this museum holds the largest public collection of Mattia Preti paintings outside Italy. The gallery also features works by Caravaggisti, antique maps, and Maltese silverware that trace global connections.
To keep experiences fresh, MUZA curates a dynamic program of temporary exhibitions that spotlight contemporary themes and innovative mediums. The recent “3D Blueprint Network” installation showcased digital art responding to Malta’s architectural heritage.
Pro Tip:
- Book your stay on a weekend to join MUZA’s free guided tours and hands-on workshops.
- Check their website for the latest schedule and plan as early as possible, as these popular events tend to fill up quickly.
4. The Inquisitor’s Palace
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Website: https://heritagemalta.mt/explore/the-inquisitors-palace/
Address: Triq il-Mina l-Kbira, Birgu Triq il-Mina, l-Kbira, Birgu BRG 1023
Contact: +356 2182 7006
Hours: Tuesday-Sunday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM | Monday: Closed
Pricing: €
The Inquisitor’s Palace serves as both a historic house museum and Malta’s National Museum of Ethnography. It allows visitors to step into the former seat of the Inquisition, which operated from 1574 to 1798. This sets the stage for exploration.
Originally built in the 1530s as the Castellania courthouse, the palace later became the headquarters of the Inquisition. And we love that it’s one of the few such buildings open to the public.
Inside, visitors can explore the Inquisitorial Tribunal room, featuring imposing benches and carved wood panels. Equally striking are the original prison cells, dark and austere, where detainees awaited judgment.
Pro Tip:
You may opt to book your visit online to enjoy free entry for Heritage Malta members. We also recommend joining the guided storytelling tour through the palace’s secretive chambers.
5. Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum
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Website: https://heritagemalta.mt/explore/hal-saflieni-hypogeum/
Address: Triq Ic Cimiterju, Raħal Ġdid PLA 1116
Contact: +356 2180 5019
Hours: Monday-Sunday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Pricing: €€€
Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum is a Neolithic sanctuary carved from soft limestone. It spans three underground levels with interlinked chambers and passages.
Their red-ochre motifs decorate walls and ceilings in the “Holy of Holies,” creating a play of light and shadow. Also, the winter solstice sun aligns with the main chamber through an original opening above.
The museum’s excavations have also uncovered over 7,000 human remains and artefacts, including pottery, beads, and the famed Sleeping Lady figurine. We admire how this tiny clay figure symbolises ancient beliefs.
And of course, it’s also important to note that they follow a strict microclimate system. This means that the museum now completely protects the site and implements a daily limit of up to 80 visitors.
Pro Tip:
When booking your Hypogeum ticket, consider choosing the first morning slot, as it is when humidity is lowest and light filters in best.
6. Grand Master’s Palace
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Website: https://heritagemalta.mt/explore/grand-masters-palace/
Address: 58 Republic St, Valletta
Contact: +356 2122 0485
Hours: Tuesday-Sunday: 10:00 AM – 6:30 PM | Monday: Closed
Pricing: €
This museum has been a seat of power for over 450 years, serving as the home of knights, British governors, and Malta’s first parliament in 1921. We appreciate that visitors can roam around, even as it continues to function as the Office of the President today.
Following their extensive restoration, the rediscovered Uccelliera aviary has been added to the opulent State Rooms—Throne Room, Pages’ Room, and Ambassadors’ Room—every corridor gleams with renewed splendour.
Inside the State Rooms, Matteo Perez d’Aleccio’s Great Siege of 1565 paintings span entire walls. This brings visitors to one of Malta’s defining moments.
Plus, The Armoury, which was reinstated in the former Parliament Chamber, stands as one of the world’s finest collections. Even better? The museum offers multilingual panels, and both guided and self-guided tours ensure an engaging visit for all ages.
Pro Tip:
If time permits, plot your visit before 11 AM. This is when the morning light makes the courtyard glow. It’s truly an Instagrammable spot.
7. Casa Rocca Piccola
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Website: https://www.casaroccapiccola.com/
Address: 74 Republic St, Valletta, Malta
Contact: +356 2122 1499
Hours: Monday-Saturday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM | Sunday: Closed
Pricing: €€
Casa Rocca Piccola is a 16th-century palace still owned by the de Piro family and remains the only aristocratic residence in Valletta open to the public. We love that this living museum lets us step directly into centuries of private history.
Inside, over fifty richly furnished rooms await exploration. We like the Piano Nobile’s drawing rooms, two libraries, and a private chapel. Together, they showcase original furniture, silverware, and family portraits that bring aristocratic life to vivid reality.
Below ground, the expansive World War II air-raid shelters carved into limestone create a contrast to the palace above. Visitors can observe Malta’s wartime resilience and how elegantly the tour weaves between past comforts and wartime urgency.
We were also delighted by the Archivium de Piro. It truly grants scholars access to centuries-old documents while on-site conservators preserve artworks and furnishings.
Pro Tip:
Don’t miss the de Piro family’s hidden anecdotes. These intimate stories unlock secret rooms and reveal the personal dramas that shaped the palace. These stories are the key to experiencing Casa Rocca Piccola’s true heart and soul.
8. The Roman Villa (Domvs Romana)
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Website: https://heritagemalta.mt/explore/domvs-romana/
Address: Wesgha tal-Musew Rabat, RBT 1202
Contact: +356 2145 4125
Hours: Tuesday-Sunday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM | Monday: Closed
Pricing: €
The Roman Villa exposes the private world of a 1st-century BC Roman elite. We love how this townhouse was immediately protected under the first purpose-built museum structure right after its 1881 discovery.
The villa’s intricate mosaic ranks among the Mediterranean’s finest. Every time we’re here, we enjoy tracing the intricate peristyle patterns that frame mythological figures and theatre masks. These vibrant artworks reveal the wealth and tastes of the original inhabitants.
Nearby, marble statues of Emperor Claudius and his daughter Claudia Antonia stand as silent guardians. But what definitely awes us are the over 1,000 artefacts, from coins to glass perfume vessels and weaving tools that fill display cases.
Pro Tip:
Ask for a guided look at the coin workshop to try the minting press yourself. Through this, you can obtain a replica souvenir that directly connects you to Malta’s ancient past.
9. The Wignacourt Museum & St Paul’s Grotto
Website: https://www.wignacourtmuseum.com/
Address: 2 College Street, Rabat
Contact: +356 2749 4905
Hours: Monday-Sunday: 9:30 AM – 5:00 PM
Pricing: €
The Wignacourt Museum & St Paul’s Grotto occupies an 18th-century Baroque chaplain’s residence built by Grand Master Alof de Wignacourt.
We appreciate how this site directly links to the cave where St. Paul stayed in AD 60, founding Malta’s first Christian community. It’s a museum and a sacred space that invites exploration of faith and heritage.
Beneath the museum, a three-level network of Punic, Roman, and Early Christian hypogea unfolds. Visitors can explore the ancient passages and see how they were converted into WWII air-raid shelters that accommodated over 350 people.
On the first floor, rich art and relic collections by Mattia Preti, Antoine Favray, and Francesco Zahra await. Most visitors mentioned that they enjoy admiring the rare 17th-century reliquary bust of St. Matthew and examining coins, maps, and other religious artefacts.
Pro Tip:
Reserve the expert-led guided tour when you book online to gain in-depth historical context you won’t get from signs alone.
10. National Museum of Archaeology
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Website: https://heritagemalta.mt/explore/national-museum-of-archaeology/
Address: Auberge de Provence, Republic St, Valletta 1216
Contact: +356 2122 1623
Hours: Monday-Sunday: 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Pricing: €
Situated in Valletta’s historic Auberge de Provence, the National Museum of Archaeology showcases Malta’s prehistoric roots in a beautifully restored 16th-century building. Its Baroque architecture and the millennia-old artefacts contrast with each other.
Inside, galleries trace Maltese history from the Ghar Dalam phase through the Ggantija temples and into the early Phoenician era. The museum also features the iconic Sleeping Lady and Venus of Malta statuettes, which symbolise the island’s temple-building culture.
On the ground floor, the decorated pottery, stone tools, and figurines from Skorba and Tarxien reveal life in Neolithic communities. The rock-cut tomb reconstructions are also a highlight as they showcase ancient burial customs that bring the earliest inhabitants to life.
Upstairs, the national numismatic collection, comprising over 16,000 coins, medals, and dies, charts Malta’s rulers from Punic and Roman times through the Order of St. John to British colonial issues.
Pro Tip:
Download the museum’s digital collection guide from the Heritage Malta website before you arrive. It pinpoints artefact locations so you can efficiently navigate to highlights like the Sleeping Lady and rare St John coin specimens.