Inquisitor's Palace - National Museum of Ethnography, Malta

Inquisitor's Palace - National Museum of Ethnography, Malta One of Heritage Malta's museums dealing with the history of the Roman Inquisition in Malta.

The Inquisitor’s Palace, sited in the heart of Vittoriosa, is one of the very few surviving examples of a style of palace that would have been found all over Europe and South America in the early modern period. Mgr Pietro Dusina arrived in Malta in 1574 as the first general inquisitor and apostolic delegate of the Maltese Islands. The Grand Master offered him the unused palace as an official resid

ence. Almost all successive inquisitors sought to transform the palace into a decent mansion. They all shared the same cultural values of clerical baroque Roman society, and by the mid-18th century they had managed successfully to transform the building into a typical Roman palace. It is now one of Heritage Malta's museums and is the flagship of the Ethnography section of the same Heritage Malta. Timeline

The following table contains some of the most important dates in the Palace’s history:

1530s-1571


The palace was erected as the civil law courts of the Order of St John

1571-1574


Remained vacant

1574


Official residence of Mgr. Pietro Dusina the first general Inquisitor and apostolic delegate of the Maltese islands

1634-1639


Inquisitor Fabio Chigi constructed the garden

1639-1645


Inquisitor Gio. Battista Gori Pannellini built a section of the prisons and the Inquisitor’s private quarters

1658-1663


Inquisitor Gerolamo Casanate altered the façade to what it is today and isolated the palace from all adjoining buildings.

1694-1698


Inquisitor Tommaso Ruffo built the apartments and the chapel

1698-1703


Inquisitor Giacinto Ferrero di Masserano constructed the other section of the prisons and rehabilitated the Piano Nobile

1731-1735


Inquisitor Gio. Franceso Stoppani built the new majestic entrance and the main staircase

French Occupation


The palace was used as the residence of the commander of the Cottonera district

British period


First used the building as a military hospital and later as a mess-house for army officers

1926


Passed into the hands of the Museums Department to form part of the Fine Arts Section

1926-1936


Curator Vincenzo Bonello gave back to the palace much of its lost dignity and respect

1942-1954


The palace was occupied by the Dominican friars since their convent and church in Vittoriosa were both destroyed by enemy bombing during WWII

1966


Back to the Museum’s Department, the palace was opened to the general public after a period of restoration in the 1960s

1981


The upper floors were transformed into a folklore museum

The Present


Now part of Heritage Malta, the Inquisitor’s Palace is the flagship of the Ethnography Section.

Grazzi lil kull min ingħaqad magħna għal Fattartha fejn flimkien tkellimna dwar il-ftira, rikonoxxuta fil-lista tal-wirt...
28/05/2026

Grazzi lil kull min ingħaqad magħna għal Fattartha fejn flimkien tkellimna dwar il-ftira, rikonoxxuta fil-lista tal-wirt intanġibbli tal-Unesco, bħala parti mill-identita' tagħna

FEW SPACES LEFT! 👇👇
27/05/2026

FEW SPACES LEFT! 👇👇

😋 Attività tqarmeċ!

Il-Ħamis 28 ta’ Mejju, bejn is-7:00pm u l-10:00pm, Heritage Malta qed tistiednek tiskopri aktar dwar il-ftira – ħobża umli u bnina li tiġbor fiha t-togħma tas-sjuf Maltin imqattgħin ħdejn il-baħar u fil-festi – f’lejla speċjali fil-Palazz tal-Inkwiżitur fil-Birgu.

📢 Din l-attività se ssir bil-Malti.

🎟️ Aktar tagħrif u biljetti: https://heritagemalta.mt/store/e2004/

😋 A crunchy activity!

On Thursday 28th May, between 7:00pm and 10:00pm, Heritage Malta invites you to discover more about the ftira – the humble and wholesome bread that captures the flavour of Maltese summers spent by the sea and at festas – during a unique evening at the Inquisitor’s Palace in Birgu.

📢 This event is in Maltese.

🎟️ Full information and tickets: https://heritagemalta.mt/store/e2004/

😋 Attività tqarmeċ!Il-Ħamis 28 ta’ Mejju, bejn is-7:00pm u l-10:00pm, Heritage Malta qed tistiednek tiskopri aktar dwar ...
19/05/2026

😋 Attività tqarmeċ!

Il-Ħamis 28 ta’ Mejju, bejn is-7:00pm u l-10:00pm, Heritage Malta qed tistiednek tiskopri aktar dwar il-ftira – ħobża umli u bnina li tiġbor fiha t-togħma tas-sjuf Maltin imqattgħin ħdejn il-baħar u fil-festi – f’lejla speċjali fil-Palazz tal-Inkwiżitur fil-Birgu.

📢 Din l-attività se ssir bil-Malti.

🎟️ Aktar tagħrif u biljetti: https://heritagemalta.mt/store/e2004/

😋 A crunchy activity!

On Thursday 28th May, between 7:00pm and 10:00pm, Heritage Malta invites you to discover more about the ftira – the humble and wholesome bread that captures the flavour of Maltese summers spent by the sea and at festas – during a unique evening at the Inquisitor’s Palace in Birgu.

📢 This event is in Maltese.

🎟️ Full information and tickets: https://heritagemalta.mt/store/e2004/

Heritage Malta qed tistiednek għal taħdita minn Anthony Camenzuli, storiku, għalliem u librar Malti li r-riċerka tiegħu ...
18/05/2026

Heritage Malta qed tistiednek għal taħdita minn Anthony Camenzuli, storiku, għalliem u librar Malti li r-riċerka tiegħu tiffoka fuq id-dimensjonijiet soċjali u kulturali ta’ Malta fis-seklu tmintax, b’mod partikolari fir-rigward tal-Inkwiżizzjoni Rumana. It-taħdita se ssir nhar il-Ħamis 18 ta’ Ġunju, fis-7:00pm, fil-Palazz tal-Inkwiżitur, il-Birgu.

Din it-taħdita se turi kif wara n-numri u l-istatistika tal-Inkwiżizzjoni hemm stejjer umani reali. Permezz ta’ aktar minn 1,200 każ u eluf ta’ akkużi, naraw x’kienu jemmnu n-nies, minn xiex kienu jibżgħu, u kif kienu jirreaġixxu għall-awtorità reliġjuża. Il-maġġoranza tal-każijiet kienu jinvolvu maġija u superstizzjoni, filwaqt li l-pieni ħafna drabi kienu ħfief jew saħansitra ineżistenti. Dan juri Inkwiżizzjoni li kienet qed titlef il-qawwa tagħha, imma li xorta baqgħet riflessjoni ċara tas-soċjetà Maltija.

Se naraw ukoll min kienu n-nies li spiċċaw quddiem l-Inkwiżitur. Din it-taħdita tesplora l-oriġini tagħhom, il-livell ta’ edukazzjoni, u r-reati li wassluhom quddiem it-Tribunal. Minn Maltin tal-Belt sa skjavi barranin, naraw soċjetà diversa u mimlija tensjonijiet reliġjużi u kulturali. Fl-istess ħin nifhmu kif l-Inkwiżizzjoni kienet qed issir aktar tolleranti minn qabel.

Il-postijiet huma limitati – erfa’ postok b’donazzjoni ta’ €5 minn hawn jew minn kwalunkwe sit jew mużew ta’ Heritage Malta.

Please note: This presentation will be delivered in Maltese.

Heritage Malta qed tistiednek għal taħdita minn Anthony Camenzuli, storiku, għalliem u … Continued

📚 L-ewwel taħdita mit-tielet serje bdiet issa... 'Ittri Minn Malta - Mons. Dusina u l-Inkwiżizzjoni Rumana 1574-1575' 🙏🏻...
14/05/2026

📚 L-ewwel taħdita mit-tielet serje bdiet issa... 'Ittri Minn Malta - Mons. Dusina u l-Inkwiżizzjoni Rumana 1574-1575' 🙏🏻 Nirringrazzjaw lil Prof. Carmel Cassar u lil min ingħaqad magħna llejla...

Il-lejla!!👇fadal biss ftit postijiet! ✨
14/05/2026

Il-lejla!!👇fadal biss ftit postijiet! ✨

Nhar il-Ħamis se niftħu s-sensiela ta’ taħditiet 🗣️ fuq l-Inkwiżizzjoni. L-ewwel kelliem se jkun il-Prof. Carmel Cassar 👨‍🏫 Għad fadal biss l-aħħar biljetti! 🎟️⏳ Narawkom! 😊

https://heritagemalta.mt/store/e1963/

Nhar il-Ħamis se niftħu s-sensiela ta’ taħditiet 🗣️ fuq l-Inkwiżizzjoni. L-ewwel kelliem se jkun il-Prof. Carmel Cassar ...
11/05/2026

Nhar il-Ħamis se niftħu s-sensiela ta’ taħditiet 🗣️ fuq l-Inkwiżizzjoni. L-ewwel kelliem se jkun il-Prof. Carmel Cassar 👨‍🏫 Għad fadal biss l-aħħar biljetti! 🎟️⏳ Narawkom! 😊

https://heritagemalta.mt/store/e1963/

Din il-ġimgħa, ġewwa Il-Palazz tal-Inkwiżitur 🏛️ u l-Mużew Nazzjonali tal-Etnografija, għal sena oħra tellajna l-program...
09/05/2026

Din il-ġimgħa, ġewwa Il-Palazz tal-Inkwiżitur 🏛️ u l-Mużew Nazzjonali tal-Etnografija, għal sena oħra tellajna l-programm edukattiv bl-isem Ġmiel il-Ħrafa✨ bl-għajnuna tad-Drama Unit 🎭. Dan il-programm jinkludi l-qari ta’ ħrejjef Maltin 📖 għall-istudenti 👧🧒 biex ikunu jistgħu jagħrfu li pajjiżna għandu l-ħrejjef tiegħu 🇲🇹, filwaqt li qed jisimgħu 👂 u jitgħallmu kliem ġdid bil-Malti 🗣️.

🤔 Looking for a weekend plan that balances cultural enrichment with an educational experience? 🏛️📜The Inquisitor's Palac...
08/05/2026

🤔 Looking for a weekend plan that balances cultural enrichment with an educational experience? 🏛️📜

The Inquisitor's Palace and the National Museum of Ethnography in Birgu stand as among the most significant historic sites in Malta. As the only Inquisitor's Palace in the world currently open to the public, it offers a rare and profound look into the religious and social history of the Mediterranean.

🕒 Visitor Information:

Location: Main Gate Street, Birgu (Vittoriosa).

Opening Hours: 09:00 to 17:00 (Last entry at 16:30).

Tickets: Available at the door or via the Heritage Malta website.

🤔 X’kellu xi jgħid il-Viżitatur Appostoliku Pietro Dusina dwar il-Maltin u l-Knisja lokali matul iż-żjara tiegħu f’pajji...
29/04/2026

🤔 X’kellu xi jgħid il-Viżitatur Appostoliku Pietro Dusina dwar il-Maltin u l-Knisja lokali matul iż-żjara tiegħu f’pajjiżna fis-snin 1574-75?

Skopri dan il-Ħamis 14 ta’ Mejju, fis-7.00pm fil-Palazz tal-Inkwiżitur, il-Birgu, fit-taħdita li jmiss mis-sensiela dwar l-Inkwiżizzjoni, ippreżentata mill-Professur Carmel Cassar.

🎟️ Għall-biljetti u għal aktar tagħrif idħol hawn: heritagemalta.mt/whats-on/ittri-minn-malta-mons-dusina-u-l-inkwizizzjoni-rumana-1574-75-2/

⚠️ Kindly note that this event will be held in Maltese only.

Heritage Malta tistiednek għat-taħdita li jmiss fis-sensiela dwar l-Inkwiżizzjoni, ippreżentata mill-Professur Carmel … Continued

Address

Main Gate Street
Vittoriosa
BRG1023

Opening Hours

Monday 09:00 - 17:00
Tuesday 09:00 - 17:00
Wednesday 09:00 - 17:00
Thursday 09:00 - 17:00
Friday 09:00 - 17:00
Saturday 09:00 - 17:00
Sunday 09:00 - 17:00

Telephone

+35621827006

Website

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