Mdina - Natural History Museum

Magisterial Palace or The Natural History Museum

The Magisterial Palace, erected by Vilhena in about 1730, now converted to a Museum of Natural History, in St. Publius Square, replaces the Town Hall or Municipium of the local Government (the Universita') which had been constructed c. 1454. Following the earthquake of 1693 Grand Master Vilhena took the opportunity not only to embellish the entrance but also to construct in the area his Magisterial Palace.

Palazzo Vilhena is entered through a screen wall with a heraldic gateway introducing an impsing open courtyard whose wings have a series of balconies on two floors. the real entrance is through a sculptured doorway with banded columns and with the effigy and coat-of-arms, on white marble, of the Grand Master.

Built to the design of architect De Mondion, the Palaces epitomizes French Baroque architecture as introduced in Malta at the beginning of the 18th century.

One Hall of the Palace, decorated with six escutchons of holders of the office of Captain of the Rod from the time of Gregoria Bonnici Platamore, was retained as supreme court of the Town Council. Since the Middle Ages Malta enjoyed a popular Council, known as the Universita; controlling the island's internal affairs, appointing judges and imposing taxes. In 1365 a royal statue instituted a body of officials on the lines of the principal self-governing communities of Sicily. Its head was the Capitano della Verga because a rod was the symbol of his office. His official residence was the Magisterial Palace; he was also granted a personal body guard and a group of officers quarted in the palace. He presided over a body of locally erected giurati. When Grand Master Vilhena erected his palace, their seat of council was moved to a newly erected fine baroque palace in Villegaignon Street at the corner of Cathedral Square. The posts of Captain of the Rod and Jurats functioned until 1819 when they were abolished by Governor Sir Thomas Maitland.

In 1908 Palazzo Vilhena, transformed into a hospital, was formally inaugurated by King Edward VII and named Connaught Hospital after the King's brother, the Duke of Connaught. the hospital closed in 1956. On 22 June 1973 the building was reopened as the National Musuem of Naturlal History.

The Musuem comprises nine sections, three of which are located in the first floor and display collections of Insects, Birds and Shells. The Halls in the Ground gloor contain the sections of Skeletal Anatomy, Fish, Geology, Fossils, Minerals and Animals. On the roof is a Cactus Garden and on the right of the courtyard entrance is an acquarium. The greater part of the exhibits are items of local origin. The display is highly instructive and detailed especially in the sections of geology and mineralogy.