You walk through the home of one collector here, a medieval house in Mdina where Captain Olof Gollcher lived among the objects now on show.
What makes it special
Palazzo Falson is a two-storey medieval house, fashioned on Sicilian examples of its period and built around an internal courtyard. The rooms at the back of the courtyard are its oldest part. It began with one storey, and the twin-light, arabesque pillared windows came with the second.
Olof Gollcher made the house his home, and his collection now fills it: over 3,500 objects spread across 17 rooms. The pieces come from European and Mediterranean countries and date from the 15th to the 20th centuries.
Expect arms and armour, paintings, silver, glass, furniture, jewellery, coins, fans, timepieces and Oriental rugs. The house library holds over 4,500 books, along with a set of manuscripts.
Visiting
At reception, put your personal bags in a free locker and collect your audio guide. Bags are not allowed inside the museum, and a locker takes nothing larger than 40 by 25 cm.
The guide explains the exhibits in each room in good detail, and you go round at your own pace. The ground floor takes in the Courtyard, Refectory, Armoury, Kitchen and Studio. The floor above holds the original living quarters.
Gustav Café is up among the rooftops, beside the museum's Pollinator Haven, with a panoramic view. It serves traditional Maltese sweets and snacks, including vegan, lactose-free and gluten-free options. Restrooms are on the ground floor and at the café.
Tips
Children aged 6 to 12 visit free with an adult, who must stay with them at all times. One travel guide puts the audio guide at about 45 minutes and says visitors often spend hours going from room to room.
The rooftop café closes at the same hour as the museum's last entry, so a last-minute arrival misses it.
Drivers can use the parking areas outside the Main Gate, outside Greeks' Gate or near the Roman Domus, since parking inside Mdina is prohibited. St Paul's Cathedral stands on Cathedral Square, which you cross on the walk from the Main Gate, so the two pair easily.
Know before you goAs of November 2026, children under 6 are not admitted to the museum or the café. Large bags, suitcases, prams and pushchairs cannot be accommodated, and there is no cloakroom.Wheelchair access is by a ramp at the side door on Triq is-Salvatur, and it reaches only the ground floor rooms and an accessible restroom. There is no lift to the upper floors or the café.
