The National Museum of Archaeology is housed in one of Valletta’s most stylish Baroque buildings: the Auberge de Provence in Republic Street. The building was inaugurated as the National Museum in 1958, then housing the archaeological as well as the Fine Arts collections.

In 1995, Heritage Malta, the agency responsible for the museum, launched the Permanent Exhibition Project, aimed at the upgrading and renovating of the museum. This ongoing project focuses on the refurbishing of the auberge as well as on presenting the artefacts in their own right and revitalising the museum presentations via modern concepts and technology.

The first phase of the project accounts for the permanent display of artefacts on the ground floor. This floor exhibits artefacts from Malta’s unique prehistoric periods, which commences with the Ghar Dalam phase ca 5200BC and ends with the Tarxien phase ca 2500BC. The halls are laid out chronologically and one starts by visiting the first room which gives an explanation of Malta’s first settlers.

The whole room is dedicated to the early Neolithic period and gives an overview of the various types of pottery, equipment and decorative artefacts probably used as personal ornaments. The highlights in this room are the Red Skorba figurines, which are our earliest human representations, and the replica of a rock-cut tomb.

In the corridor that leads to the second room one can see photographic representations and explanations of both the Hal Saflieni Hypogeum and the Xaghra stone circle. In the second room visitors are presented with an explanation of the methods of the temple builders since the first section is dedicated to temple architecture. This room also has a section which shows animal representations in a variety of media: stone, clay and even bone and alabaster.

The third room is home to a great variety of statues and statuettes representing the human form. Of imposing stance is the Tarxien Colossal Statue, which originally stood in a very prominent position at the Tarxien Temples. This statue would originally have stood at nearly three metres in height. In the same room one can see, among others, the Hagar Qim seated and standing figures which are synonymous with the Temple period. The “Venus of Malta”, a masterpiece, is also displayed in this room and is proof of the excellent craftsmanship of the Neolithic people.

The fourth room has four showcases, one of which is packed with tools that were used by the Neolithic people to produce all the artefacts that can be seen on display. These tools consisted mainly of flint, chert or obsidian blades, and bone points. The other showcases show a variety of pottery from the Temple period, personal decorations and a showcase full of miscellanies.

The next room is the most sought after since it houses the famous “Sleeping Lady” which was originally found at the Hal Saflieni Hypogeum. This artefact is unique in its representation of a lady sleeping sideways on a couch. Its interpretation varies, with many suggesting it represents eternal sleep.

After visiting these rooms one can then enter a large hall adorned with huge stone blocks. These are the original stone altar blocks which were brought in from the Tarxien temples due to conservation reasons. The decorations on them are mainly spirals but a closer look will show that no two spirals are the same and that each one is unique in its design.

Heritage Malta is currently working on the Auberge’s topmost floor, referred to as the piano nobile. New exhibition displays are planned for some of the halls on this floor. These will be focusing on and explaining the Bronze Age, Phoenician, Punic and Roman periods. The agency is presently selecting the artefacts which will be displayed and also conducting thorough research and digitisation processes. The chosen artefacts will then undergo conservation. Interpretation panels and possibly visual aids might be used to make these new displays more interactive and informative.

The Auberge de Provence

A building originally built for the Provencal Knights of the Order of St. John in 1571, when compared to other auberges the Auberge de Provence has the most advanced design, representing some of the finest Baroque architecture in Malta and reflecting the style used throughout Europe at that time. The facade is imprinted with Mannerist characteristics usually associated with the famous local architect Gerolamo Cassar. Since all auberges and important buildings in Valletta were assigned to be built under his direction, we can therefore assume that the Auberge de Provence is also his in design.

The finest room in this building is undoubtedly the Grand Salon. Located on the upper floor, it was used for the knights’ business discussions. It was also used as a refectory and banqueting hall where the knights dined seated at long tables according to seniority. This room is one of the noblest rooms in Malta. Its size and richly painted walls add to the individuality of its wooden beam roof with coffered panels between the beams.

Various tenants inhabited this building between 1798, when the Order was expelled from Malta, and 1826, when parts and later on all of the Auberge was given to the Malta Union Club on lease. This lease, which should have expired in 2002, was terminated on 12 August 1955 when the Auberge de Provence was assigned to house Malta’s National Museum. The Auberge de Provence was officially inaugurated in January 1958. Under the direction of Capt. Charles G. Zammit (Sir Temistocles Zammit’s son), the museum consisted of the Fine Arts collection on the first floor and the Archaeology section on the ground floor. However, in 1974, it was deemed necessary to separate the two collections to allow growth and development, and the Fine Arts section was moved to the Admiralty House in South Street, Valletta. Malta’s National Museum was then renamed The National Museum of Archaeology.

Since 1958, many changes have been made to improve the way the exhibits are displayed. The display showcases are climate-controlled and in line with current conservation standards. This measure, among others, ensures a safe environment for the collection.

The National Museum of Archaeology is usually open Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm, last admission being at 4.30pm. During the month of June, the museum will remain open until 7pm. For further information visit www.heritage malta.org

This article was provided by Heritage Malta