Citadella Visitor Centre and Museums

Citadella Visitor Centre & Museums Includes Gozo Museum of Archaeology, Gran Castello Historic House, Gozo Nature Museum, Old Prison and the Citadel Visitor Centre.The GOZO MUSEUM OF ARCHAEOLOGY illustrates the cultural history of Gozo from prehistoric times to the early modern period. The museum is located immediately behind the original gateway to the Citadel and is housed in a 17th century townhouse. In May 1960 it was inaugurated as the first public museum of Gozo, hosting artefacts of an archaeological and ethnographic nature and it came to house the archaeological collection in 1986. The museum’s permanent display is, at present, divided into three main sections: Prehistory, the Classical Period, and the Medieval and Early Modern periods.  GRAN CASTELLO HOSTORIC HOUSE The museum is housed in a cluster of interconnected houses in Bernardo de Opuo Street within the Cittadel and hosts a wide range of exhibits illustrating the local domestic, rural and traditional ways of life. The architectural features display Sicilian and Catalan influences. The Historic House is now also offering an additional experience to the visitor through an audio-visual presentation about the late Mediaeval set-up of the same house within its contemporary urban context. THE GOZO NATURE MUSEUM is situated behind the Courts of Justice within the Citadel walls and is housed within a cluster of three interconnected domestic buildings dating back to the 1600s with several authentic architectural features. The museum focuses on Gozo’s natural resources and on their use by the island’s inhabitants. A small garden at the back of the museum is dedicated to garigue flora where visitors can observe examples of typical indigenous plants, including the Maltese Rock Centaury, being the national plant. THE OLD PRISON - The oldest surviving prison in Gozo still reverberates with the memories of its numerous inmates who left their mark on the aged walls of its cells and corridors. Presenting the largest known collection of historical graffiti in one single place on the Maltese Islands, this site provides a glimpse of the conditions in which inmates were kept at the time. It is situated within the Citadel standing adjacent to the Courts of Justice, to which it was originally connected. Soon after their arrival in Malta, the Knights of St John used this prison to intern their rowdy and disruptive members. The list of notorious inmates includes Fra Jean Parisot de La Valette (later, Grand Master of Malta) who, in 1538, spent four months in this prison after attacking a man. The graffiti are certainly the highlight of this site, they include mainly sea vessels and date to different periods.

Note:

Entrance Fee for students (12 - 17 years) requires ID or Student Card

Operating Dates: All Year except on 24, 25 & 31 December, 1 January & Good Friday

Opening Times: Monday to Sunday: 09.00–17.00hrs (last admission at 16.30hrs)