National Museum of Archaeology

2467 Reviews

Star Travel Rating

5/5

Review type

Things to do

Location

Date of travel

2012

Product name

Product country

Product city

Travelled with

Husband

Reasons for trip

The Museum of Archaeology is in the 16thC Auberge de Provence on Triq ir-Republika.

Entry is €5 but free with a Malta Heritage pass.

This is a splendid building with a painted ceiling in the entrance hall. This was originally painted by same artist who had painted the Painted Gallery in the Grand Master’s Palace, but has been repainted several times.

There is a good shop off the entrance hall selling a range of books and also small gifts including statues of the fat ladies, a popular memento of Malta.

The ground floor has exhibits from the temples, information on prehistory and exhibits taken from excavations. This includes carved stones from Tarxien and Hagar Qim, fat lady statues, tools, pottery…

There are also photographs of the inside of the Hal Saflieni Hypogeum, As photographs are not allowed in the Hypogeum, photographs of these are your only chance of a record of a visit.

Displays have small labels in English. Information boards are in both Maltese and English.

Upstairs is information on the Bronze age with examples of pottery, tools and small bronze figurines. There is a model of the cart tracks including junctions. There is a short video of Dr Donald Trump (who excavated many of the sites and was Curator of Archaeology) talking about them, their formation and trying to explain why in one place one rut is about 50cm below the other…

There was special exhibition showing the collection of Spanish and Moorish metalwork from the 18/19thC. We weren’t particularly interested in this but it did give us chance to see into the Grand Salon, which was used by the Knights to negotiate business and as a banqueting Hall. It is beautifully carved with a painted wooden ceiling and large decorative painted panels on the walls. Unfortunately we could only just see the tops above the displays. This is only open when there is a special exhibition – a pity as it looks a really interesting room.

This is a fascinating museum with just enough information to whet the appetite but not go into overload. It complements visits to the Hal Saflieni Hypogeum and the temples.

www.heritagemalta.org/museums/archaeologymalta/archaeologymaltacoll.html

Silver Travel Advisor

Join the club

Become a member to receive exclusive benefits

Our community is the heart of Silver Travel Advisor, we love nothing more than sharing ideas, inspiration, hints and tips between us.

Come feel the love on a Princess cruise. You’ll enjoy the MedallionClass experience others simply can’t, and it’s exclusively for everyone. Visit incredible destinations and be involved in the best experiences around each one of them.

Experience more with Princess and connect effortlessly with the world around you, spend time away with loved ones, take a moment for yourself, and fall in love with your holiday of a lifetime, every time.

With over 20 years of experience, Wendy Wu Tours has mastered the art of creating exceptional, fully inclusive tours which showcase the very best of each destination.

Each tour is led by a world-class guide, who will highlight the very best of their homeland, and includes authentic cultural experiences so you are not just seeing the sights, but truly immersing yourself in local life.

Say hello to ease at sea. Ambassador’s purpose is simple: they want to inspire every guest to experience authentic cruising, effortlessly and sustainably. Passionate about protecting our oceans and destinations, their ships comply with the highest industry emission standards and there is no single-use plastic on board.

On your voyage, you will receive the warmest of welcomes from the Ambassador community as you sail upon the friendliest ships afloat.

This is a global co-operative co-owned by local partners using real local experts and guides, which supports local communities, environments and wildlife. It offers travellers quirky places to stay, activity holidays and learning experiences. Not In The Guidebooks gets travellers off the beaten track into local culture with day experiences and longer, immersive adventures.

From wild wellness breaks in Wales to painting in Portugal, sustainable adventures in Mauritius to food safaris in Brazil, this is immersive, exciting travel.

Seabourn’s five intimate ships carry guests to the heart of great cities, exclusive yacht harbours and secluded coves around the world, while two new purpose-built expedition ships will combine exhilarating adventures in remote destinations with the sophisticated amenities of the world’s finest resorts at sea.

From the luxury of all suite accommodations to complimentary fine wines and spirits, and a no tipping policy, Seabourn exemplifies the definition of travelling well.