National Museum of Natural History, Mdina MALTA

16/10/2026

🌿 Help Us Grow Our National Collection! 🌿

Did you know that every single specimen added to our museum collection helps build a richer picture of our island’s unique story? Our museum truly comes alive through your contributions! Donations carry immense value, both natural and historic.

✨ Why donate?

Research & Discovery: Your items help scientists and researchers better understand our natural world.

Education: Future generations learn about nature through real, tangible history.

A Lasting Legacy: all accepted donations will be formally acknowledged in Heritage Malta’s Annual Report for posterity.

📩 If you have anything in your possession that might belong in the National Collection, we would love to hear from you! Send us a direct message here or email us at [email protected] with details and photos of your item.

Together, let's preserve Malta's natural heritage for generations to come! 🏛️💚



🌿 Għinna Nkabbru l-Kollezzjoni Nazzjonali Tagħna! 🌿

Kont taf li kull kampjun miżjud mal-kollezzjoni tal-mużew jgħin biex tinbena stampa aktar rikka tal-istorja unika tal-gżira tagħna? Il-mużew tagħna verament jieħu l-ħajja permezz tal-kontribuzzjonijiet tiegħek! Id-donazzjonijiet iġorru valur immens, kemm naturali kif ukoll storiku.

✨ Għaliex tagħti donazzjoni?

Riċerka u Skoperta: L-oġġetti tiegħek jgħinu lix-xjenzati u lir-riċerkaturi jifhmu aħjar id-dinja naturali tagħna.

Edukazzjoni: Il-ġenerazzjonijiet futuri jitgħallmu dwar in-natura permezz ta’ storja reali u tanġibbli.

Wirt Dejjiemi: id-donazzjonijiet kollha aċċettati jiġu rikonoxxuti formalment fir-Rapport Annwali ta' Heritage Malta.

📩 Jekk għandek xi ħaġa fil-pussess tiegħek li tista’ tappartjeni għall-Kollezzjoni Nazzjonali, nixtiequ nisimgħu mingħandek! Ibgħatilna messaġġ dirett hawn jew ibgħatilna email fuq [email protected] bid-dettalji u r-ritratti tal-oġġett tiegħek.

Flimkien, ejjew nippreservaw il-wirt naturali ta’ Malta għall-ġenerazzjonijiet li ġejjin! 🏛️💚

15/10/2026

🇬🇧 Today marks 100 years since the death of Count Alfredo Caruana Gatto (1868–1926), one of Malta’s most important naturalists. He studied at the University of Malta, qualified as a lawyer in 1892, and specialised in criminal law. He later served as Minister of Justice (1921–1922).

His true passion, however, was nature:

🌿 With Italian botanist Stefano Sommier, he co-authored Flora Melitensis Nova (1915), a landmark study of the plants of the Maltese Islands
🦋 Between 1891 and 1925, he published studies on Maltese butterflies and moths, recording around 130 species.
🐦 He also had a strong interest in ornithology
🐌 He described one of the rarest land snails in Europe - Lampedusa melitensis, endemic to the cliffs of southern Malta
🌍 He was a member of the Linnean Society of London and leading botanical societies in Italy and France

A century later, his work remains a key reference for anyone studying Malta’s natural heritage.

🇲🇹 Illum jaħbat il-mitt anniversarju mill-mewt tal-Konti Alfredo Caruana Gatto (1868–1926), wieħed mill-aktar naturalisti importanti fl-istorja ta’ Malta. Studja fl-Università ta’ Malta, sar avukat fl-1892 u speċjalizza fil-liġi kriminali. Aktar t**d serva wkoll bħala Ministru tal-Ġustizzja (1921–1922).

Iżda l-passjoni ta’ ħajtu kienet in-natura:

🌿 Flimkien mal-botaniku Taljan Stefano Sommier, kiteb Flora Melitensis Nova (1915), xogħol ewlieni dwar il-pjanti tal-gżejjer Maltin
🦋 Bejn l-1891 u l-1925 ippubblika studji dwar il-friefet u l-baħrijiet ta’ Malta, fejn irreġistra madwar 130 speċi.
🐦 Kellu interess kbir ukoll fl-għasafar
🐌 Iddeskriva wieħed mill-aktar bebbux tal-art rari fl-Ewropa - Lampedusa melitensis, speċi endemika għall-irdumijiet tan-nofsinhar ta' Malta
🌍 Kien membru tal-Linnean Society ta’ Londra u ta’ soċjetajiet botaniċi ewlenin fl-Italja u fi Franza

Wara mitt sena, ix-xogħol tiegħu għadu referenza importanti għal kull min jistudja l-wirt naturali ta’ Malta.

12/10/2026

Save the date! 🦇

Dan il-Halloween, iċċelebra b’mod differenti! 🎃

Ingħaqad magħna għal lejl divertenti fil-Mużew Nazzjonali tal-Istorja Naturali, l-Imdina. Tgħallem aktar dwar l-ispeċi affaxxinanti ta’ friefet il-lejl li nsibu f’Malta u r-rwol importanti tagħhom fl-ambjent naturali tagħna permezz ta’ diversi attivitajiet interattivi għal kull età.

📅 Is-Sibt, 31 ta’ Ottubru
🕡 18:30 - 22:00
📍 Mużew Nazzjonali tal-Istorja Naturali, l-Imdina
🎟️ Dħul b’xejn

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🦇 Bat Night 2026

This Halloween, celebrate differently! 🎃

Join us for a fun evening at the National Museum of Natural History in Mdina. Learn more about Malta’s fascinating bat species and the important role they play in our natural environment through a range of interactive activities for all ages.

📅 Saturday, 31 October
🕡 18:30 - 22:00
📍 National Museum of Natural History, Mdina
🎟️ Free entry

Bat Night 🦇

09/10/2026

🐾 Meet one of Gozo’s smallest and oldest residents: the Sicilian shrew!
Its Maltese name, il-ġurdien geddumu twil ta’ Għawdex, means “Gozo’s long-snouted mouse.” Shrews belong to a separate group of insect-eating mammals, with pointed snouts and tiny eyes and ears.
⏳The shrew lived on Gozo long before the first humans reached the Maltese Islands, which makes it one of our oldest endemic mammals. Researchers consider it a likely survivor of the Ice Age island fauna, which once included dwarf elephants and hippos.
🌍 This species is found only on Sicily and a few nearby islands.
🌙 It is active mainly at night in the garigue, scrubland, and fields, finding prey by smell and whiskers rather than relying on sight.
🔍 Mouse or shrew? Learn the difference. Shrews are often mistaken for mice and harmed or killed as a result.
1. Size: a shrew is tiny, just 10–12 cm including the tail and only 4–9 grams.
2. Snout: a long, pointed, twitching nose, much longer than a mouse’s.
3. Eyes and ears: very small and almost hidden in the fur, while a mouse has large ears and eyes.
🛡️ This species is protected under Maltese and EU law, but pesticides and domestic cats are dangerous threats to it. Keeping your cats indoors and cutting back on pesticides would help the species grow in numbers.

🐾 Iltaqgħu ma’ wieħed mill-iżgħar u l-eqdem residenti ta’ Għawdex: il-ġurdien geddumu twil ta’ Għawdex
Ismu bil-Malti jirreferi għalih bħala ġurdien iżda dan l-annimal jagħmel parti minn grupp differenti ta’ mammiferi li jieklu l-insetti, b’geddumhom bil-ponta u b’għajnejn u widnejn żgħar ħafna.
⏳ Dan l-annimal kien jgħix f’Għawdex ħafna qabel ma waslu l-ewwel bnedmin fil-gżejjer Maltin, u għalhekk huwa wieħed mill-eqdem mammiferi endemiċi tagħna. Ix-xjentisti jqisuh bħala animal li ilu jgħix f’ Malta minn żmien is-Silġ, li darba kienet tinkludi l-iljunfanti u l-ippopotami nani.
🌍 Dan l-ispeċi jinstab jgħix biss fi Sqallija u f’xi gżejjer qrib tagħha.
🌙 Huwa attiv l-aktar bil-lejl fix-xagħri, fil-makkja u fl-għelieqi, u jsib l-ikel billi juża x-xamm u il-mustaċċi sensittivi tiegħu.
🔍 Ġurdien jew ġurdien geddumu twil? Kun għaf id-differenza. Ta’ spiss jiġi żbaljat bħala ġurdien, u minħabba f’hekk ġieli jiġi mweġġa’ jew maqtul.
1. Daqs: ċkejken ħafna, 10–12 ċm biss, inkluż id-denb, u jiżen bejn 4 u 9 grammi.
2. Geddum: twil, bil-ponta u dejjem jiċċaqlaq, ħafna itwal minn ta’ ġurdien.
3. Għajnejn u widnejn: żgħar ħafna u kważi moħbija fil-pil, filwaqt li l-ġurdien għandu widnejn u għajnejn kbar.
🛡️ Dan l-ispeċi hija protetta taħt il-liġi Maltija u dik tal-UE, iżda l-pestiċidi u l-qtates domestiċi huma theddida perikoluża għalih. Jekk iżżomm il-qtates tiegħek ġewwa u tuża inqas pestiċidi, tgħin biex dan l-ispeċi jiżdied fin-numru.

17/09/2026

🏛️ Ibda minn dar Rumana. Imbagħad inżel taħt l-art 🕯️ Agħlaq il-lejla f’palazz 🏰

📅 Is-Sibt, 19 ta’ Settembru, mis-7pm sa nofsillejl, Museums by Candlelight jieħdok mir-Rabat sal-Imdina f’mixja mhux tas-soltu matul il-lejl, b’kant u mużika live.

🎟️ Il-biljetti bi prezz speċjali jistgħu jinxtraw minn hawn: https://bit.ly/45GKb8T

🏛️ Start in a Roman home. Then go underground 🕯️ Finish in a palace 🏰

📅 On Saturday, 19 September, from 7pm to midnight, Museums by Candlelight takes you across Rabat and Mdina on an unusual night-time trail, with live music and performances along the way.

🎟️ Special-price tickets can be purchased here: https://bit.ly/45GKb8T

17/09/2026

30/08/2026

🪶 Kienu jintlibsu għall-ġmiel. Imfittxija għar-rarità tagħhom 👑 Mixtieqa bħala simboli tal-lussu. Illum jirrakkontaw storja differenti ħafna 🌿

🏛️ Skopri l-wirja ‘Il-Moda u l-Bidu tal-Konservazzjoni tan-Natura’ fil-Mużew Nazzjonali tal-Istorja Naturali fl-Imdina, li ser tibqa’ għaddejja sal-aħħar ta’ Settembru 2026.

🪶 They were worn for beauty. Desired for their rarity 👑 Coveted as status symbols. Now they tell a very different story🌿

🏛️ Discover the exhibition ‘Fashion and the Birth of Nature Conservation’ at the National Museum of Natural History in Mdina, running until the end of September 2026.

21/08/2026

️🕯️Għad-dawl tax-xemgħa, kollox jieħu bixra differenti.

Il-mużajk Ruman jikseb lewn ieħor, il-katakombi jsiru aktar misterjużi, u l-kollezzjonijiet iqanqlu kurżità ġdida. Fid-19 ta’ Settembru, mis-7pm sa nofsillejl, ara kif jinbidlu d-Domvs Romana u l-Katakombi ta’ San Pawl fir-Rabat, flimkien mal-Mużew Nazzjonali tal-Istorja Naturali fl-Imdina. Kant u mużika live jagħtu dimensjoni oħra lil din il-lejla.

🎟️ Il-biljetti bi prezz speċjali jistgħu jinxtraw minn hawn: https://heritagemalta.mt/store/c460/

🕯️ Candlelight plays tricks with the familiar.

Roman mosaics grow warmer, catacombs look stranger, and curious collections get more intriguing. On 19th September, from 7pm to midnight, see what it does to the Domvs Romana and St Paul’s Catacombs in Rabat, and to the National Museum of Natural History in Mdina. Live music and performances will add another dimension to the evening.

🎟️ Special-price tickets can be purchased here: https://heritagemalta.mt/store/c460/

08/08/2026

Opening today - do not miss! 👒 🪭

🇲🇹 Wasal il-ħin biex niftħu r-rix-tellu!

👗 Minn ilbies preistoriku għal rakkonti dwar fer preġjat mill-Mongolja u rapport kurjuż mal-pulizija Maltija fl-1920 dwar rixa mitlufa ta' nagħma, il-wirja l-ġdida tagħna fil-Mużew Nazzjonali tal-Istorja Naturali fl-Imdina turi kif il-moda u n-natura ilhom marbutin ma' xulxin tul is-sekli – u kif nistgħu nieħdu ħsieb lit-tnejn li huma. Tiftaħ is-Sibt li ġej, 8 ta' Awwissu 🌿🏛️

🔗 Komplu segwuna hawn għal aktar dettalji dalwaqt: https://heritagemalta.mt/whats-on/fashion-and-the-birth-of-nature-conservation/

🇬🇧 We can hide it no more (pun intended)!

👗 From prehistoric garments to accounts of luxurious Mongolian fur and a curious 1920 local police report about a lost ostrich plume, our new exhibition at the National Museum of Natural History in Mdina reveals how fashion and nature have long intertwined – and how we can protect both. Open from this Saturday, 8th August 🌿🏛️

🔗 Follow here for more details soon: https://heritagemalta.mt/whats-on/fashion-and-the-birth-of-nature-conservation/

24/06/2026

📢 Estiża sal-Ħadd 19 ta’ Lulju! 😍

B’talba popolari, il-wirja ‘In-Natura fil-Folklor Malti’ se tkompli għaddejja għal ftit aktar fil-Mużew Nazzjonali tal-Istorja Naturali, l-Imdina. Skopri kif in-natura ssir ġrajja – minn leġġendi u twemmin sa tifsiriet moħbija ta’ pjanti u annimali ta’ kuljum.

✨ Ejja u esperjenzaha qabel tagħlaq!
🔗 Aktar dettalji hawn: heritagemalta.mt/whats-on/nature-in-maltese-folklore/

📢 Extended until Sunday 19th July! 😍

Due to popular demand, the exhibition ‘Nature in Maltese Folklore’ will run a little longer at the National Museum of Natural History, Mdina. Discover how nature becomes story – from legends and beliefs to the hidden meanings behind everyday plants and animals.

✨ Come and experience it before it closes!
🔗 More details here: heritagemalta.mt/whats-on/nature-in-maltese-folklore/

National Museum of Natural History, Mdina MALTA