What to do and see in Island of Malta, Malta: The Best Museums

Fort Rinella in Kalkara,was built in 1878. This fort is not only a unique remnant of Malta's recent British colonial past, but it is also the world's first mechanical fort which enabled its small garrison to fire a monstrous 100-ton gun every six minutes. To be able to do this, the fort was equipped with a novel steam-driven hydraulic set-up that enabled the gun to traverse and depress and its ammunition to be hoisted and loaded mechanically. On visiting this fort in 1889, the great French writer Jules Verne described it as a marvel of the industrial age which would render Malta safe for ever. Some say that this is the place from where he got the idea of writing his famous novel a 'Voyage to the Moon', where a man is stuffed into a large projectile and fired from a large gun onto the moon!Originally, the 100-ton gun was built by Sir William George Armstrong of Newcastle in 1878, to equip a new class of Italian battleships - the Duilio class. This caused a serious stir between Britain and Italy which led to the former to obtain examples of the same gun to secure Malta and Gibraltar against a potential Italian seaborne attack.The Armstrong 100-ton gun has a calibre of 17.72-Inches (45cm). It is 35 feet long and has an overall weight of 156 tons making it the world's largest muzzle-loading cannon ever built. It used a quarter of a ton of gun powder to propel its monster shells up to a maximum range of eight miles. At that range it could pierce anything up to 21-inches of ship armour! The gun at Fort Rinella and another at Napier of Magdala Battery in Gibraltar are the sole surving examples today. The fort has recently undergone extensive restoration and improvement. A new 20-minute audio-visual outlining the history of the fort and its gun has also been added and is included in all guided tours.RE-Live History at Fort Rinella - Every afternoon from Monday to Saturday!Throughout the year, from Monday to Saturday at 14.00Hrs sharp, Fort Rinella is brought back to life complete with late 19th century Victorian soldiers who will take visitors on an animated tour around the fort. This tour combines excellent guiding with live and colourful historical re-enacting including military signalling, firing of rifles, bayonet practice, military cooking and more. Much use of original period equipment and weapons is made throughout this tour. All this goes to provide an enjoyable and long lasting experience to visitors.

This parish museum in the village of Zabbar was inaugurated on 5th September 1954. It was the dream of Mons. Giuseppe Zarb to build a place where he could conserve items and show the devotion to the Madonna of Graces trough the times. The Museum was renovated in 2003 by parish priest Fr. Anton Cassar. The museum is run by a team of volunteers and is open every day between 9.00am and 12.00pm. Groups are advised to contact us beforehand as we can even organise a guided tour. Discount for groups of over 25 adult persons apply.

A private social history museum situated in a mediaeval house. The house is witness to the development of Maltese houses, which from an Arab era farmhouse developed into a 17th century palazzino. The exhibits include various curios from the daily life of past generations and artefacts found on site. The museum holds various indoor, outdoor, cultural and edutainment activities including Ghost Walks of Birgu and/or Bormla.

This state of the art building is spread over four floors and is not your typical Postal Museum. It offers a run through of Maltese history from the 15th century. The Museum also boasts of two temporary gallery spaces, a large audio-visual room and merchandising store. The temporary gallery spaces currently offer a collection of photographic prints by Richard Ellis, and what is arguably the finest collection of works by Emvin Cremona, regarded by many as one of the best Maltese artists of the 20th century.

Esplora is Malta's only interactive science centre, suited to visitors of all ages and is located in the historical buildings of Villa Bighi, Kalkara enjoying the breathtaking views of Malta’s majestic Grand Harbour. Esplora features 200+ indoor and outdoor interactive science exhibits, a Planetarium theatre hands-on workshops and engaging science shows in a safe and friendly environment enjoying climate controlled conditions. Esplora boasts of a dedicated team of staff who seek to foster curiosity, interest and understanding of science among people of all ages. Visitors are encouraged to explore, think and imagine as they immerse themselves in a positive and exciting interactive experience. • An iconic 4k colorspace Planetarium theatre! • A Historical Exhibition showcasing Life at Bighi • Delicious meals and snacks in our Esplora cafe • A gadget shop • Wheelchair accessible • Resources available for Autism • A minimum of 3 hours is recommended

If you fancy seeing something a little bit different when visiting Valletta go to Casa Rocca Piccola. Often described as a ‘living museum’ it is the only privately owned palace open to the public in the city. Built over 400 years ago for a Knight of Malta, Don Pietro La Rocca it is now the ancestral home of a Maltese Noble family. On your tour the guides will point out interesting things to see such as an 18th Century golden Sedan Chair. There are literally hundreds of magnificent objects to see including modern paintings interspersed with the ancestral portraits of the Marquises de Piro and the Barons of Budach. You will also see a network of tunnels cut out from the rock under Casa Rocca Piccola which were used as Bomb Shelters in World War 2. Over 100 people sheltered here from the Nazi bombs that poured on Valletta. To finish your tour in the cellars of the house there is a delightful Sicilian restaurant called La Giara.

Visitors at Fort St Elmo can experience the impressive grounds of the fort, including the splendid architecture of the two chapels dedicated to St Anne. Among the most notable artefacts inside the museum one finds the military armour of the Order of St John and the Ottoman Turks, the Gloster Sea Gladiator N5520 FAITH, Roosevelt’s Jeep ‘Husky’, and Malta’s award for gallantry, the George Cross.

At Christine X Art (Artitude) Gallery, we offer you a choice of some of Malta's best contemporary art pieces. From cityscapes to figural paintings to abstracts.

The Classic Car Collection was the brainchild of obsessive petrol-head Mr. Carol Galea, an avid and self-confessed car enthusiast. He first began customizing and building his own cars for local hill climbing races but his hobby evolved into a full-blown passion for classic cars. This is his personal tribute to the automobile industry – or as he puts it – it’s a ‘living and growing collection that spans more than 50 years of motor manufacturing’ The museum has approximately 100 Vehicles on display ranging from a Jaguars C-Type & E-Type, Alfa Romeos, Fiats, MGs, Mercedes, Chevrolette, Ferrari, Bentley etc. They have all been carefully restored and lovingly preserved. In 2018 the latest very interesting addition was the 'Live Workshop' where one can see real classic cars being restored. There are also a 2 Cinemas and a Motoring Library on site that one can explore.