Museums by Candlelight Valletta

Heritage Malta is thrilled to announce another edition of Museums by Candlelight, and this time it’s more magical than ever. For the very first time, the event will take place in Valletta, transforming the capital into a glowing stage of history, art, and culture on Saturday, 21st June.

For a donation of just €5, you will gain access to five historical sites, all open from 7:00 pm to midnight, bathed in the soft, flickering glow of candlelight and enlivened with music, live performances, and a truly unforgettable atmosphere.

The National Museum of Archaeology takes you on a journey through Malta’s earliest history, with artefacts from the Neolithic to the Phoenician era. Set in the elegant Auberge de Provence, highlights include The Sleeping Lady, Venus of Malta, and the impressive Gran Salon. The baroque Gran Salon – with its richly painted frescoes, exquisite arabesque cycles and wooden beamed ceiling, will be filled with soothing notes from a talented instrumental trio.

Step inside the newly restored Grand Master’s Palace, Valletta’s architectural jewel and a symbol of national power for over 450 years. Don’t miss the opportunity to visit the historical state carriage, now on display following its recent restoration thanks to Eden Leisure Foundation. Visitors will now also be able to experience nine new halls of the Palace – which formed part of the Grand Master’s summer apartment, restored and opened just in time. The Dominic Galea Jazz Quartet will be entertaining the visiting public at the Palace.

At MUŻA – The National Community Art Museum, explore artworks from the 15th to the 21st century. Housed in the Auberge d’Italie, MUŻA offers a varied collection of paintings, sculptures, furniture, silver pieces, works on paper and objets d’art which trace artistic developments in Malta impacted by the island’s Mediterranean context as well as cultural influences. Violinist Mario Ciantar will delight visitors, offering a different than usual museum experience.

Experience St John’s Co-Cathedral like never before – illuminated by candlelight. Built in 1572 by the Knights of St John, this Baroque masterpiece dazzles with ornate marble floors, vaulted ceilings by Mattia Preti, and Caravaggio’s iconic The Beheading of St John the Baptist – the only painting he ever signed.

For the very first time, the Church of St Catherine of Italy, set to become part of the MUŻA visitor experience, will open its doors to the public. Designed by Girolamo Cassar for the Italian Knights, this historical gem is the only surviving example of a Hospitaller church annexed to its original auberge, in this case the Auberge d’Italie.

Colourful Inguardia re-enactors will depart from Fort St Elmo and roam Valletta’s streets from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm, station at the Grand Master’s Palace from 8:30 till 10:00pm, and then march out again in Valletta.

General admission tickets – combining entry in all five sites for just €5, can be purchased online HERE or at any Heritage Malta museum and site. During the event, tickets will also be available at the door of the National Museum of Archaeology, the Grand Master’s Palace and MUŻA.

Tickets are not refundable.

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