To spot MUŻA, look for a grand ochre stone building with an ornately carved portal topped by a dramatic Baroque crest, turquoise shutters, and iron-grilled windows-it stands out just ahead with banners advertising its art treasures.
Welcome to MUŻA! As you stand before this beautiful sunlit building, take a moment to soak in the warm honey-colored stone-the hallmark of Valletta’s streets. Here at Auberge d’Italie, history echoes in every carved detail above the entrance, and you might just catch your reflection in the windowpanes as artists and grand masters once did centuries ago. But don’t worry, you don’t need a frilly collar or a powdered wig to get inside!
This place has stories to tell from pretty much every century Valletta has seen. Long before Maltese schoolchildren dreaded art class, the very collection now inside was born from a wild dream. Back in the 1920s, the curator Vincenzo Bonello was on a mission-a bit like Indiana Jones, but with paintings instead of ancient skulls. He traveled all over Europe, bartering, haggling, and bringing back masterpieces to Malta when prices were still just a few coins and maybe a smile. Over the decades, what started as a little collection soon blossomed into Malta’s most dazzling array of art.
For years, this national treasure lived nearby in a palace called Admiralty House-a real estate shuffle that would make any Monopoly player proud. That building, with its own tales of knights, naval commanders, and no doubt some spectacular dinner parties, was built for Fra Jean de Soubiran dit Arafat, and then redesigned in the 18th century for a Portuguese knight who clearly loved a bit of drama. From there, Admiralty House rolled out the red carpet for the Commander-in-Chief of the British Mediterranean Fleet-a.k.a. “the guy in the fanciest hat”-for almost a century and a half.
But collections, like people, sometimes need a fresh start. In 2016, the old museum shut its doors for good. Cue a dramatic move-pardon the pun-back to Auberge d’Italie, this very building you’re standing in front of. In 2018, as Valletta proudly wore the crown of European Capital of Culture, the museum was reborn as MUŻA. And what does “MUŻA” mean? It’s not just short for “museum”-in Maltese, it’s music to any artist’s ear: the acronym for Mużew Nazzjonali tal-Arti (National Museum of Art).
Now, close your eyes and imagine the Maltese knights bustling into this palazzo, carrying gossip, secrets, and maybe a loaf of crusty bread from the market. Smell the paint and turpentine-yes, real masterpieces hung here, some straight from the hands of Mattia Preti, the Baroque genius knight who made even the walls of St. John’s Co-Cathedral blush with color. There are treasures here by Guido Reni, by British and Dutch artists who peeked at Malta with foreign eyes, and by Maltese sculptors like Melchiorre Gafà, who could coax the soul from a block of stone.
But it wasn’t all grand oil paintings and dramatic busts! Inside, you’ll discover antique maps-imagine navigating Malta’s winding harbors before Google Maps, armed with nothing but ink and guesswork. There’s a watercolour of Grand Harbour by Joseph Mallord William Turner, no less, and jars from the Sacra Infermeria, where the Order’s knights patched up wounded soldiers-hopefully with more success than my attempts at putting together IKEA furniture.
There’s an emotional side too. Bequests from generous locals gave Malta pieces even the cleverest curator could never buy-a chalice from 15th-century Paris, delicate silverware, and landscapes where the island practically breathes beneath the brushstrokes.
That’s not all-MUŻA is alive with temporary exhibitions! Here, postage stamps become masterpieces, ukiyo-e prints conjure floating worlds from Japan, and bequests of local paintings tell heartfelt stories of Maltese families. Every visit promises a twist-a new artist, a rediscovered canvas, the kind of surprise that makes you want to shout, “Mamma mia!” in the best possible way.
So, while you’re standing here, surrounded by the scents, sounds, and sunlight of Valletta, remember: MUŻA isn’t just a museum. It’s Malta’s beating, creative heart-a place where old palazzos and new ideas mingle, and everyone, from knights to curious wanderers like you, is part of the story. Ready for another masterpiece? Follow me! The tour is just beginning.
