Hats Off! New Exhibition And Extended Hours For Birgufest

Press Release│ 10 October 2025

Heritage Malta invites the public to experience Fort St Angelo and the Inquisitor’s Palace in Birgu after dark, during extended evening hours, as part of Birgufest, and to uncover the rich art and history of hats in Malta and Europe through a new exhibition running until February 2026.

On Saturday 11th October, both the mighty Fort St Angelo and the majestic Inquisitor’s Palace, housing the National Museum of Ethnography, will close at 4:00pm, reopening from 6:00pm until midnight, with last admission at 11:30pm. Visitors at Fort St Angelo can enjoy the rare sight of the fortress illuminated by traditional fjakkoli, creating a striking night-time spectacle over the Grand Harbour.

At the Inquisitor’s Palace, the newly opened exhibition, ‘Hats Off! Hats at the Turn of the 20th Century’, explores how this simple yet expressive accessory has shaped European fashion, culture, and social identity for centuries, focusing on the dramatic transformations at the dawn of modern age.

Once considered essential daily wear, hats reflected far more than style – they signalled social class, gender, and occupation. In Malta, headwear mirrored the island’s unique blend of local customs, Catholic devotion, and British colonial influence, preserving traditional tendencies well into the 20th century.

The exhibition presents a selection of remarkable pieces from the national ethnographic collection – from men’s elegant late-19th-century top hats and early-20th-century boaters and panamas to later practical fedoras and trilbies, alongside women’s cloche, pillbox, percher, and crescent designs. Hatpins and hatboxes further enrich the display.

A special combined ticket of €3 will grant access to both historical sites during the evening. ‘Hats Off!’ remains open until the end of February 2026, welcoming visitors from Tuesday to Sunday, from 09:00 to 17:00 till the end of October, with the last admission at 16:30. For later opening hours, visit https://heritagemalta.mt/opening-hours/. Persons with impaired mobility may find access to the exhibition area challenging because of stairs.