National Museum of Archaeology

The National Museum of Archaeology occupies the Auberge de Provence on Republic Street in Valletta, Malta, a Baroque palace built in 1571 for the Knights of the langue of Provence. The building later served as a gentlemen's club and then, from 1958, as the national archaeology museum, and it is managed by Heritage Malta. The collection covers Maltese prehistory from the first settlers around 5900 BCE through the Temple Period of about 3600 to 2500 BCE and into the Bronze Age and Phoenician periods. The galleries are arranged chronologically over two floors, with objects from the temple sites of Hagar Qim, Mnajdra, Tarxien and the Ggantija on Gozo, and from the Hal Saflieni Hypogeum. Among the best known pieces are the Sleeping Lady, a small clay figure of a reclining woman from the Hypogeum, the Venus of Malta, and the Tarxien spiral reliefs and altars. Visitors can also see tools, pottery, carved stone, animal figurines and the well known Bugibba and Ghar Dalam material. The architecture combines a ground floor Baroque hall with an inner courtyard and vaulted gallery spaces suitable for display of fragile pieces. Conservation has been carried out by Heritage Malta, with galleries reorganised and display cases updated. The museum is a good introduction to Maltese prehistory before visiting the temples, since many originals were moved here from sites that are now exposed to weather. Explanatory labels give context for each period and the layout leads naturally from one phase to the next. The collection is compact, and a visit can be completed in a short time.