MUŻA — The National Community Art Museum

CC BY-SA 4.0 / Derbrauni

The National Museum of Fine Arts was once Malta's foremost art institution, proudly housed in the elegant Admiralty House in Valletta from 1974 until 2016. The museum occupied an 18th-century palace that had originally served as a naval officers' residence during the British period, its graceful halls providing a fitting backdrop for Malta's growing collection of artistic treasures. With its baroque architecture, grand staircases, and high-ceilinged galleries, the Admiralty House offered a serene and dignified setting for exploring the nation's visual heritage.

The museum's collection traced centuries of Maltese and European art, beginning as early as 1572 and spanning the Renaissance, Baroque, Romantic, and Modern periods. Among its most notable works were paintings by Mattia Preti, whose dramatic style helped shape Maltese Baroque art, and Antoine de Favray, known for his elegant portraits of the Knights of St. John. The museum also showcased the talent of local masters such as Giuseppe Calì, Edward Caruana Dingli, and Anton Inglott, whose works captured the evolving cultural identity of Malta through light, color, and character.

Beyond its exhibitions, the National Museum of Fine Arts served as a cultural anchor for the island. It organized educational programs, hosted cultural events, and became a place where Maltese art was not just preserved but celebrated. In the years before its closure, the museum also took pioneering steps toward digitizing its collections, allowing broader access and ensuring that Malta's artistic heritage could reach audiences beyond the archipelago's shores.

In 2018, the collection found a new home in MUŻA — The National Community Art Museum, located in the beautifully restored Auberge D'Italie in Valletta. This move marked a new chapter for Maltese art, blending innovation with tradition. MUŻA carries forward the museum's legacy with modern curatorial approaches and community engagement while remaining deeply rooted in the story of the Knights and the artistic spirit of the Maltese islands. The National Museum of Fine Arts may have closed its Admiralty House doors, but its soul — and its masterpieces — live on vibrantly within MUŻA's luminous halls.

The MUŻA — The National Community Art Museum appears in our Complete Guide to Visiting Valletta!

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