The term museum derives from Latin and in turn from the Greek museion, which refers to a place sacred to the Muses, the patrons of the arts. The first museum is considered to be that established by Ptolemy in Alexandria in 280 BC. Museums care and collect items of importance and put them on display for the public. Malta boasts a number of museums covering a variety of subjects. The following museums are all privately owned or off the beaten track.

BIR MULA MUSEUM, COSPICUA

John Vella, an avid book collector needed a house to store his books. On entering number 79, St Margerita Street, Cospicua he heard his footsteps echoing and noticed that the house must have an unused, covered cellar. On impulse, he bought the house, and the rest is quite literally history! Today, with lots of love and by digging deep into his pocket, John Vella has transformed the building into a heritage house incorporating a museum, an art gallery and a cafeteria specialising in Maltese food and a hall, which can be used for smaller conferences and various other activities.

On purchasing number 79, John Vella’s first priority was to make the house safe. The house was in bad shape and five years of conservation and restoration were needed to make Bir Mula structurally sound. In addition, to prevent the roof from collapsing, the beams of the upper rooms were changed. John Vella believes that Bir Mula has a very important place when it comes to attracting tourists to the Cottonera and promotion of the museum is necessary. Vittoriosa has been heavily restructured, however Cospicua, from where one enters the three cities, still needs a lot of improvement. The house is unique as its historical span covers so many centuries. Bir Mula has already been featured in publications about the three cities and in Malta Underground 360°. Obviously, one of the main problems is funding. John Vella makes it clear that even small amounts of funding can save Bir Mula; for example a mere Lm1,000 would restore the balcony.

Studies show that Bir Mula has its roots in prehistory. Various Neolithic artefacts were found in the cellar including the two legs of a huge statue, the shape of which as yet remains unknown. Graffiti on the walls shows that the site was in perpetual use. An ancient phallic drawing, physical geography symbols are inscribed on the walls, as are Punic letters and the image of what seems to be the Roman messenger god Mercury. The Templar Cross has also been scratched into the stone.

Between the 10th and 12th century there was a lot of activity on the site. A unique fuklar and baking oven can be found in the cellar. Studies show that the building was a farmhouse. As was common, the rooms for the animals were close to the ones, which were used by their owners. Near the kitchen area there is a uniquely constructed window, which ensures that the first beams of the morning sun will light up the room. An olive mill made from lava was also found on the premises.

The Turks also used the house during the Great Siege and a drawing of a Turk in full armour can be found scratched onto the wall. This drawing is found in the newer part of the house, which shows that the stones were recycled. The remains of fire also show that during this period a lot of activity took place in the house. The house was known as the “House of Conspiracies” as a result of the secret meetings the Turks had with the Order and as meetings were also held in the house about the election of Grand Masters.

Eventually an Italian merchant came into possession of the house. He remodelled the house, building a second floor and arranged the rooms in a way which provided more privacy for his mercantile affairs. He also built secret compartments that enabled communication with another house, across the garden, some 200 metres away. Graffiti of 17th century Dutch galleys are from this period. The merchant also built a chapel and had frescoes painted onto the walls. A French family with anti-Napoleonic sentiments came to own the house and during the French era the house was ransacked and once again burnt.

Bir Mula also houses a collection of artefacts found in the house such as glass pieces from Roman times. A collection of curiosities ranging from First Aid boxes manufactured by Frank’s, today noted for their fine perfumes, to an Ice Box and the first Primus imported to Malta is also on permanent exhibit.

Opening hours: Bir Mula is open daily by appointment and on Saturday and Sunday from 10am -12pm. Telephone Numbers: 2182-6910/2182-6427/ 2166-1000

MALTA AVIATION

MUSEUM, TA’ QALI

Malta has a very rich aviation history and so it is apt that the island has an Aviation Museum. The museum is situated on the site of Malta’s first civilian aerodrome. Between 1940 and 1945 Ta’ Qali became a fighter field and in fact it was the most bombed airfield in the world. The Aviation Museum is run by the Malta Aviation Museum, a voluntary, non-profit organisation that was set up in 1994. The foundation brought together various associations all with the same objective of creating a display of unique exhibits related to Malta’s aviation history. The museum’s exhibits are housed in two, 200-foot long Romney Huts and a larger hangar dedicated to the Air Battle of Malta. Currently the museum is undergoing an ambitious expansion project featuring the construction of a third hangar and a two-storey multi purpose museum block.

The museum opened in 1996 and it averages around 17,000 visitors per year. The collection is of very high calibre. The English Spitfire and Hurricane, the Dutch DC3 and the Italian FIAT aircrafts are all very rare. Most of the aircraft on display are glorified static, which means that some, albeit not all, of the features are in working order.

Most of the aircraft have colourful backgrounds. For example, the aforementioned Spitfire, which was first flown on 28 November 1942, participated in both Operation TORCH and Operation HUSKY. It was also used for meteorological flights. After it was moved from Luqa to Floriana to Gharghur, it found its way to Targa Gap and eventually to the National War Museum in Valletta. The restoration proved to be beyond the capabilities of the restoration team and the aircraft was left to die in a scrap heap.

In 1992, Ray Polidano the Aviation Museum’s Director, retrieved what was left of the aircraft and commenced restoration work on the Spitfire. The reconstruction of the Spitfire was completed with the assistance of a number of volunteers, in time for Malta’s celebrations of the 50th Anniversary of Victory In Europe Day. The aircraft is named Mary Rose in honour of Ray’s wife and carries the code R:B in memory of the highest ranking officer who flew in her - Wing Commander Ronald Berry D.F.C. whose uniform is incidentally also on exhibit at the museum. It is important to note that the Museum also houses more modern aeroplanes including the first military fixed wing aeroplane to fly under the Maltese flag.

The museum also houses a number of uniforms and flying kits, aircraft engines, aircraft instruments, aircraft armaments, airfield equipment and vehicles, propellers, badges and plaques. A very important exhibit is the Link trainer, which is a prototype of the first flight simulation machines. A permanent model exhibition of history in scale is also housed at the Museum.

Especially for ex-servicemen posted in Malta, the museum provides a trip down memory lane. Indeed, many of the uniforms on display were donated by the pilots or by their families. A much-cherished uniform is that belonging to the hero of the Air Battle of Malta, Commanding Officer Lucas. His widow Mrs Jill Lucas donated his uniform.

Ray Polidano, the director of the Malta Aviation Museum emphasises that the museum is run on fundraising events and private donations. The donations vary from the money to actual aircraft. Ray Polidano adds that overseas millions are spent on aviation museums. In Filton, Bristol, UK there are plans for a GBP12 million visitors centre to accommodate the Concorde G-BOAF. The Malta Aviation Museum attracts repeat visitors and is an asset to tourism in Malta. Aficionados are willing to pay thousands to visit sites associated with aviation and with more funding the Museum would be able to offer more enactment and more exhibits that are in working order.

Opening Hours: The Museum is open daily from 9am to 5pm.

THE TOY MUSEUM,

VALLETTA

Vincent Brown has been collecting toys for around 30 years. In the beginning, he kept everything in the basement of his house but on visiting a Toy Museum in the United Kingdom, he decided to open one in Malta, albeit on a smaller scale. He opened the museum in 1998 and the collection has all sorts of toys; some of them made from wood and others from tin plate, dolls, trains, cars and automated toys.

Mr Brown feels that for the older person a toy provides a link to the past and memories of childhood adventures. He thinks that an art gallery with its beautiful objets d’art cannot invoke as much sentiments as a collection of toys. In the past, children only received toys on special occasions and therefore each toy would represent a particular milestone.

He usually purchases the toys from auctions or other collectors. The star of his collection is not one of high monetary value; instead it is the toy, which belonged to his son who has sadly passed away.

Opening hours: The Museum is open from Monday to Friday, 10am to 3pm

THE MALTA CLASSIC CAR MUSEUM

The Malta Classic Car Museum started out as a personal collection circa 35 years ago. The aim of Carol Galea, the museum’s director and owner, is to restore classic cars and put them on display. The museum, which was specially built, was inaugurated in 2004. Since then several distinguished guests, like His Highness Shaikh Nasser Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, Prime Minister of the State Of Kuwait and His Excellency Abdulal S.O. Al-Qenaei, Ambassador of the State Of Kuwait and Lucio Dalla have visited the complex.

The museum features a large selection of automobiles, which are all in working condition. The current collection spans over 50 manufacturing years. The cars range from classics such as Alfa Romeo, Austin, Jaguar, Fiat, Ford, MG, Mini, Sunbeam, Triumph to the latest BMW’s, Jaguar and Ferrari. There are also classic motorbikes such as BSA, Lambretta and Vespa. One of the stars of the collection is a Thunderbird previously owned by the actor Dick Van Dyke. Various items of memorabilia are also on display at the Museum such as jukeboxes, street racing photographs and cameras. In addition the Museum has a state of the art cinema and a 1,200 square-metre area that can be used for car launches, conferences and receptions, amidst the car collection.

The cars on display need continuous maintenance and the museum’s climate is controlled in order that corrosion does not occur. Carol Galea says that his collection is very popular with tourists especially ones from Scandinavia.

Opening Hours: Monday to Friday 9.30am-6.30pm and on Saturday from 9.30am-3.30pm.

THE MOUNT CARMEL MUSEUM OF PSYCHIATRY

The Mount Carmel Museum of Psychiatry was inaugurated on 13th October 2004. The museum is a result of the collaboration between Edward Borg who provided the funds and resources and Rayfonz Borg who was in charge of the restoration of the items on display.

It is interesting to note that the whole of Mount Carmel Hospital can be considered a museum, as the building was built specifically to be a hospital. The architect who designed the plans was ironically a fraud who had bought his architecture degree. One of the original glass rotundas is still in place while the other rotunda was destroyed during the World War II air raids. Mount Carmel Hospital has its own wartime shelters, however these are currently not open to the public. The patients were transferred from Villa Franconi in Floriana to the new hospital, originally named a Lunatic Asylum, in the dead of the night, in July 1861.

The museum is housed in an old ward and the instruments, clothes, bath, laboratory equipment on display in the museum were all used in the hospital. Rather than having them destroyed, Edward Borg and Rayfonz Borg have preserved everything for posterity. The museum shows a contrast between the treatment of patients in the past and their treatment today. It also helps to reduce the stigma associated with mental disease. However, the museum shows that although times have changed some of the treatments remain the same.

As early as 1851, occupational therapy was already part of the treatment offered at Mount Carmel. Weaving appliances, a printing press and kitchen appliances are all on display at the museum. The hospital also had a cinema projector to provide entertainment for the patients. Various art pieces, some dating from the very beginning of the museum, are also on display including an interesting statue of Nun with a skull as face. This ghost nun was said to wander around the very ward in which the museum is today housed.

The museum will hopefully enter a second phase. Relatives of patients often made vows to Our Lady of Mount Carmel, to whom the hospital chapel is dedicated. These items will eventually also be put on display.

Opening hours: Daily. Telephone number: 2330-4000