Malta at War Museum

Malta at War Museum

Couvre Porte Counterguard
Location	Birgu, Malta
Coordinates	35°53′7.5″N 14°31′21.6″E / 35.885417°N 14.522667°E
Type	War museum
Owner	Fondazzjoni Wirt Artna
Website	www.maltaatwarmuseum.com

The Malta at War Museum is a museum in Birgu, Malta, which is dedicated to Malta's role in World War II. The museum is housed within a barrack block and a rock-hewn air-raid shelter within Couvre Porte Counterguard.

Location

The museum is housed within the Couvre Porte, a 17th-century counterguard forming part of the fortifications of Birgu.^[1] In the 18th century, casemates were built within the counterguard, and these were later converted into the barracks. During the Second World War, the barracks were used as a police headquarters, and later as a civil defence centre. At this point, air-raid shelters for the population of Birgu were dug in the rocks beneath the counterguard. Today, the barracks and shelters all form part of the museum.^[2]

Collections

The Malta at War Museum's collection consists of memorabilia such as weapons, uniforms, medals, documents and other items. It also features original film footage of the war, such as the 1943 propaganda film Malta G.C.^[3]

The museum was renovated and enlarged between September 2011 and April 2012.^[4][5]

References

1. "Couvre Porte Counterguard - Birgu" (PDF). National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands. 28 June 2013. Retrieved 2 November 2015.
2. "Malta at War Museum". maltain360.com. Retrieved 2 November 2015.
3. "The Malta at War Museum". mydestination.com. Retrieved 2 November 2015.
4. "Malta at War Museum renovation works launched". Times of Malta. 9 September 2011. Retrieved 2 November 2015.
5. "Renovated Malta at War Museum to open in April". Times of Malta. 18 January 2012. Retrieved 2 November 2015.