The act of posting and receiving letters is one of those things we don’t put much thought into – and who can blame us? The process has been so streamlined over the past decades that we don’t really need to wonder about the networks that are in place to ensure that a letter makes it from sender to receiver. Nevertheless, this isn’t just something that magically happens. Instead, it is the result of a process that dates back centuries, and it’s all explored at Malta Postal Museum & Arts Hub.
Located at 135, Archbishop Street in Valletta, this museum holds hundreds of objects related to Malta’s postal service, starting from the time of the Knights of St John in the 16th century all the way to the present. These include vehicles used to transport mail, post boxes, important documents, every stamp ever issued by MaltaPost, merchandise released over the years, uniforms, and much more.
A paradise for philatelists and culture vultures alike, the Malta Postal Museum is spread across four floors and there’s something to pique anyone’s interest. In fact, as the name suggests, this isn’t just a museum but also an arts hub which regularly hosts art and photography exhibitions – there’s currently an exhibition of rare, 1920s photos taken by Richard Ellis running until December 30.
The museum is open weekdays from 10am to 4pm, and Saturdays 10am to 2pm, with tickets costing €7 for adults, €6 for pensioners, and €3 for children, or €10, €8, and €4, respectively, if you’d like to make it to a guided tour.
Meanwhile, for those of us who love a good museum shop, MaltaPost has delivered with plenty of merchandise that feature its official mascot, Peppi, as well as postcards, notebooks, pins, and more!
