Heritage Malta manages museums, conservation, collections, archaeological sites, monuments and underwater heritage sites, with more than 90 museums and related locations. The Superintendence of Cultural Heritage is Malta's regulator under the Cultural Heritage Act, Chapter 445. It handles the National Inventory, scheduling, archaeological monitoring and research, underwater heritage and controls on the movement of cultural objects. Excavation, intervention, underwater recovery and some cultural-property movements can require approval or monitoring. The University of Malta participates in documented research and excavation projects. Heritage Malta sites are usually ticketed, and opening hours, restoration work and appointment requirements should be checked for the specific site. For example, the published adult admission for St Paul's Catacombs is €6, while Fort St Elmo and the National War Museum list an adult admission of €10; concessions, age bands and prices can change.
History in Malta
Malta's history spans prehistoric temple societies, Phoenician and Roman rule, medieval Islamic and European periods, the Order of St John, British rule and the independent republic. Archaeological sites, archives, buildings, objects and oral accounts document these changes, while some periods remain contested because written evidence is limited. Malta's history also includes Gozo, wartime survival, political change and continuing debates about heritage and collective memory.
Tip
Choose your route through Malta's history according to your goal: visit a Heritage Malta site for direct evidence, use the National Archives of Malta for original records, or begin with the eMuseum for digital collection access. Check site access, opening conditions, appointments and prices before committing time or money. Treat religious memory, political narratives and later interpretations separately from evidence that directly documents an event.