Manoel Theatre Museum

The Manoel Theatre Museum displays a collection of memorabilia that describes the fascinating history of theatre in Malta

The Manoel Theatre Museum is located in the beautiful capital of Malta, Valletta, within The Manoel Theatre. The theatre was built in 1731, and is actually one of the oldest theatres in Europe where acting and music are still performed on stage.

The theatre has been fully restored to its earlier glory and is beautiful to look at; it is a wonderful setting in its own right. The Manoel museum was set up by the Fondazzjoni Patrimonju Malti as a tribute to three centuries of Theatrical History in Malta, exhibiting a range of memorabilia that has been put together from a wide range of sources, both public and private.

A considerable part of the display was contributed to by generous private collectors. Even if the museum is not a big in size, the exhibition portrays a powerful background of the fascinating history of the Manoel Theatre and the Royal Opera House that was destroyed during the Second World War.

There are guided tours of the auditorium, back stage and the theatre museum. Several pieces from the collection have been donated by private collectors and the rest were gathered from several public and private places.