Lascaris War Rooms, Valletta

Museum in Valletta

CC BY-SA 4.0 / Amanda Tonna

Lascaris War Rooms in Valletta is an underground military museum set below the area of the Upper Barrakka Gardens. The complex was developed during the Second World War as a command headquarters, using and expanding older tunnel spaces beneath the city's fortifications.

Inside, visitors see restored operations rooms with maps, telephones, plotting tables, and communications equipment arranged much as they would have been during wartime service. The site matters because Malta’s air and sea defenses were coordinated here, and Allied planning for the 1943 invasion of Sicily also took place in these rooms. It suits visitors who prefer detailed military history, strategy, and atmospheric historic interiors over a quick photo stop.

History and Significance
Things to See and Do
Practical Tips
How to Get There
Is Lascaris War Rooms Worth Visiting?

History and Significance

The Lascaris War Rooms were built during World War II to serve as Britain's underground headquarters in Malta. From here, Allied commanders-including General Dwight D. Eisenhower-directed the 1943 invasion of Sicily, codenamed Operation Husky. Each branch of the military had its own operations room: the RAF Fighter Control monitored all air and sea movements, while naval and army officers coordinated Malta's defenses during relentless Axis bombing raids.

After the war, the War Rooms remained a center of military strategy, becoming the headquarters of the Royal Navy’s Mediterranean Fleet. They were reactivated during the 1956 Suez Crisis and later put on alert during the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, underscoring Malta’s ongoing strategic importance well into the Cold War.

Things to See and Do

Visitors can tour the full network of tunnels, including map rooms, communication hubs, and officers’ sleeping quarters. The museum’s exhibits feature authentic wartime objects, detailed models, and audio-visual presentations that immerse you in the daily pressures of command. Highlights include the RAF plotting room-where air raids were tracked in real time-and the room where Eisenhower planned the invasion of Sicily. The sense of authenticity is remarkable; everything feels as though the commanders have only just stepped out.

Practical Tips

Best time to visit: Morning to avoid crowds and to pair with a visit to Upper Barrakka Gardens
Entrance fee in Euros: Around €14 for adults
Opening hours: Daily 10 am-5 pm
Official website: warroomsmalta.com
How long to spend: 1-1.5 hours
Accessibility: Partial access; tunnels may be narrow or uneven
Facilities: Gift shop, restrooms, and guided tours
Photography tip: Low light-bring a camera with good ISO capabilities
Guided tours: Available hourly with knowledgeable guides who bring the history to life
Nearby food options: Cafés and restaurants near Castille Square and the Upper Barrakka Gardens

How to Get There

The Lascaris War Rooms are located directly beneath the Upper Barrakka Gardens. From Valletta's main entrance or City Gate, it's a 10-minute walk down Triq Sant' Orsla. Visitors arriving via ferry from the Three Cities can take the Barrakka Lift up from the Valletta Waterfront, which conveniently drops you right next to the gardens and the War Rooms entrance.

Is Lascaris War Rooms Worth Visiting?

Absolutely. For history enthusiasts, this is one of the Must-see places in Valletta. The Lascaris War Rooms bring to life the immense bravery, intelligence, and endurance of Malta's wartime story. It's a rare opportunity to step into the actual command center where Allied forces shaped the course of Mediterranean history.

What Other Travellers Say...

Reviews Summary

4.8 (6,973)

The Lascaris War Rooms, on Lascaris Ditch in Valletta, are an underground World War II–era museum preserving military artifacts and shelters; visitors praise the well-preserved rooms dressed with period items, extensive displays (including a new exhibit on the invasion of Sicily/Operation Husky), and informative guided tours that explain fighter control and operations rooms, while some recommend combining with the War HQ Tunnels tour to see additional sections used as Allied headquarters and later NATO facilities.

Karl Moles

a month ago

"Probably one of the best WW2 museums I've ever been to. So much information to take in. Great displays and original rooms still made up with the eraspecific items. Well worth a visit although was a little pricy at €20 each. Would definitely recommend...."

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175martinjf

a month ago

"One of the best war museums I have ever visited."

Richard Lee

2 months ago

"Absolutely fascinating museum that does a great job of telling the story of Malta during the second world war. They have done a great job ofpreserving the underground shelters and decorating them with a variety of period artifacts. The result is that you can get a good sense of how the place looked during the Malta blitz. However, it's well worth timing your visit to take advantage of the guided tour. We had Mike as our guide and his explanation of how the fighter control operated was very clear and comprehensive. There is also a new, very extensive display that covers with Operation Husky, the invasion of Sicily in July 1943 in great detail including from the Italian side and the perspective of the civilians...."

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X3415YPjohng

a month ago

"Great tour would highly recommend it. Our tour guide Luke was both knowledgeable and had a good sense of humour. Really enjoyed the tour"

Matthew Brooks

5 months ago

"Firstly thanks Luke 👍our tour guide he was very enthusiastic which has to be the best start your tour and to escape the the sunshine on a very hotday. Our tour was 75 minutes long great history lesson over the age's but mostly the second world war. You can only imagine all the other room's that you can see through little gaps and staircases we love exploring it's just like Gibraltar WW2 tu els. If you get the pass you you save quite a bit so get out there and explore!!..."

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Curiosity796186

a month ago

"We learned so much from Pierina, our guide. She was both informative and entertaining. Her presenting style was lively and kept our attention."

The Lascaris War Rooms appears in our Complete Guide to Visiting Valletta!

Moira & Andy

Hey! We're Moira & Andy. From hiking the Camino to trips around Europe in Bert our campervan — we've been traveling together since retirement in 2020!

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