National Museum of Natural History

What makes it special

Displays run from Maltese geology and palaeontology to shells, insects, birds and exotic mammals. A section on the waters around Malta covers marine fauna, squid among them, and another room deals with human evolution.

Minerals and rocks have their own collections, and the specimens come from the islands and well beyond them. Look for the marine giants among the fossils, beside creatures from across the Maltese Islands.

The setting is part of the visit. Palazzo Vilhena is built in the baroque style, and its architecture and details stay on show around the cases as you move from room to room.

Grand Master de Vilhena built it in the early 18th century as a palace of justice, and much of the panel text inside tells its story.

Visiting

Five minutes' walk from the bus stop outside the walls, the museum stands just through the gate. No buses enter Mdina itself, so every visit starts with that short stretch.

Heritage Malta runs the museum. Start on the ground floor and work up, so you pass every main gallery and highlight specimen in order.

Afterwards, carry on into the walled city. Because the building sits at the city's way in, it works as the first stop of a Mdina walk or the last one before you leave.

Tips

If you drive, there is free public parking just outside the gate, in the car park known locally as the ditch, and more near the Domvs Romana in Rabat. From either, walk back to the gate and go through it to reach the museum.