The National Museum of Archaeology

The National Museum of Archaeology or Auberge de Provence is a Maltese museum in Valletta that has artifacts dating back to prehistoric periods, as well as a significant numismatic collection.

In 1958, Agatha Barbara, the Minister of Education at the time, declared the Auberge de Provence a National Museum. Captain Charles G. Zammit was the museum's initial superintendent, and it had an archaeological collection on the ground floor and fine art on the upper floor. The art collection was relocated to the newly built National Museum of Fine Arts in the Admiralty House building on South Street in Valletta in 1974, and the Auberge de Provence was renamed the National Archaeological Museum. In 1998, the museum was renovated and updated. The relics are housed in climate-controlled exhibitions that adhere to current conservation standards.

The museum houses a diverse collection of items dating from Malta's Neolithic (5000 BC) to the Phenicia periods (400 BC). The first instruments used by pre-humans to aid their everyday labor and to portray animals and people were on exhibit; these elements not only show off the island's great artistic talents but also provide insight into their daily existence. 'The Woman Sleeping in the Forest' from al Saflieni Hypogeum, 'The goddess of Malta' from Hagar Qim, bronze daggers from Tarxien Temple's Bronze Age courses, Horus and Anubis necklaces, and human coffins from the Phenicia Period are among the highlights.

The National Archaeological Museum also acts as a springboard for other archaeological sites in Malta, providing tourists with an excellent introduction to the island's prehistoric and early history. Another Punic hall, as well as other halls related to the Roman and Byzantine periods, are now under construction in Malta.

The National Archaeological Museum is open Monday through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. from January to September, with the last admittance at 4:30 p.m. During the months of October, November, and December, the museum is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., with the last admittance at 5:30 p.m. Good Friday, Christmas Eve and Day, and New Year's Eve and Day are all closed.