The Old Prison

About the museum

The Old Prison stands in the Ċittadella of Victoria next to the Courts of Justice, to which it was originally connected. It was used from the mid-16th century until the beginning of the 20th century. Soon after arriving in Malta the Knights of St John locked up unruly members of their own order here; the best known is Fra Jean Parisot de La Valette, later Grand Master, who spent four months in the prison in 1538 after attacking a man. From the mid-19th century the old prison held people awaiting trial, while a second building on the other side of the Ċittadella served as the new prison and remained in use until 1962.

The complex has been altered several times. It now consists of an entrance hall, which served as a common cell in the 19th century, and a separate block with six individual cells. The entrance hall shows casts of graffiti, a 16th-century carrack graffito, objects connected with imprisonment, including part of a wooden stocks, and a small shop.

The graffiti are the main attraction. Inmates scratched them into the walls with bone points, cutlery or sharp stones. Most show sailing vessels from different periods, but visitors also see palm prints, crosses, names, dates, games and human figures, and some prisoners recorded how long they had been held. It is the largest known collection of historical graffiti in one place on the Maltese Islands.

Highlights

• Largest known collection of historical graffiti on the Maltese Islands
• Sixteenth-century carrack graffito and casts of graffiti
• Six individual cells and the former common cell
• Part of a wooden stocks and other prison objects

Permanent exhibition

• Prison graffiti – Casts and original graffiti scratched by inmates, mainly ships, with palm prints, crosses, names and games, in the entrance hall and the six cells.

Operated by

Heritage Malta

Admission & discounts

Admission is sold as the Ċittadella combo ticket, which is also listed for the Gran Castello Historic House. Infants aged 1–5 enter free of charge, as do Heritage Malta members and Heritage Malta Passport holders.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

Some areas cannot be fully reached by visitors with reduced mobility. An access statement is available on the Heritage Malta website.

Kids & families

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Getting there & parking

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop

Gift shop.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit