Intro.
WELCOME TO VALLETTA BLACK FRIARS MUSEUM
After 300 years, these sacred places are open to the public.
The Black Friars Experience provides at once both a spiritual and historical journey. Enter the building, which is one of the most remarkable attractions of Valletta, introducing you into the living traditions of the Dominican order and the history of the Black Friars and Valletta. Discover the secret chapels of closed confraternities, and delight in the beautiful and unique artworks that turn nature’s finest materials into the sacred. Find your inner peace under Giuseppe Calí’s deservedly famous frescos in the Basilica and see with your own eyes centuries of treasures in the Treasury Room.
Visit us and have an insight into the living traditions of Black Friars, which helped shape the history of Valletta as well as the present of the Valletta community.
Tickets are also available to purchase from the reception desk at the Black Friars Museum.
About Us.
Hidden Valletta Ltd. is a venture that brings together a team that is active in the fields of tourism, culture, event organisation and hospitality. What’s more, the management team were born and bred in Valletta – St Dominic’s monastery and Basilica was as fascinating to them as it was part of their lives. When you visit you will experience a labour of love: a strong commitment to share a living tradition, which has been shaping Valletta and its habitants’ lives for 450 years.
The Valletta Black Friars Experience
01. The Basilica of Our Lady of Porto Salvo & St Dominic – The souls’ haven for 450 years
Once a small chapel stood on the site of today’s impressive basilica. The church’s first stone was laid in 1571 and dedicated to Our Lady of Safe Haven, and since then it has served as a parish church.
The building was declared unsafe in 1780, a new one was built, and then blessed in 1815. One year later she received the Minor Basilica title and became consecrated in 1889. The Basilica is a functioning church that still serves the community, whether for weddings or funerals, daily masses and most famously, the St Dominic ‘festa’ (feast).
02. The Museum – Secret Chapels and Their Hidden History
The museum, accessible through the entrance to the Priory opens up the building’s hidden parts which were not only restricted for the wider audience but for the friars too. Both The Chapel of the Fraternity of the Rosary and The Blessed Sacrament are rich in fine artworks, and provide insight into the religious aspects of Maltese history. Visitors also can get a bigger historical picture, thanks to a short and informative video, and several information boards.
03. The St Dominic Priory – The Living Tradition of the Black Friars
The St Dominic Priory in Valletta was established in 1569. The current building still serves as a home to the members of the Dominican Order (Order of Preachers). The friars are called to the vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, but do not follow an ascetic lifestyle. Dedicating their lives to society through preaching, studying and teaching. The Black Friars in Valletta – who are called ‘Black’ after the black coat that they wear over their white habit – follow the lifestyle of their predecessors. They provide church services, help people in need and teach at the University of Malta – faithfully serving the broader community of Valletta.
Tickets are also available to purchase from the reception desk at the Monastery. Usually, there is no queue. Take advantage of our Multi Ticket which provides you with a discounted entrance price for both Valletta Black Friars and Mysterium Fidei Museum.
Opening Hours.
| Monday | 10:00 – 16:30 | (Last entry: 16:00) |
| Tuesday | 10:00 – 16:30 | (Last entry: 16:00) |
| Wednesday | 10:00 – 16:30 | (Last entry: 16:00) |
| Thursday | 10:00 – 16:30 | (Last entry: 16:00) |
| Friday | 10:00 – 16:30 | (Last entry: 16:00) |
| Saturday | 10:00 – 16:30 | (Last entry: 16:00) |
| Sunday | 12:00 – 16:30 | (Last entry: 16:00) |
| Public Holidays | 12:00 – 16:30 | (Last entry: 16:00) |
Tickets are also available to purchase from the reception desk at the Monastery. Usually, there is no queue. Take advantage of our Multi Ticket which provides you with a discounted entrance price for both Valletta Black Friars and Mysterium Fidei Museum.
Buy Tickets
You can buy tickets to Black Friars Museum online by clicking the link below. Tickets are also available to purchase from the reception desk at the Monastery. Usually there is no queue.
Take advantage of our Multi Ticket which provides you with a discounted entrance price for both Valletta Black Friars and Mysterium Fidei.
Ticket Prices
Adults: €8
Kids under 12: €4
Kids under 5: Free
Contact.
LET’S TALK.
Need to ask us anything? Want to organise a group booking? Contact us during office hours on:
+356 7746 7061 or +356 7708 3138
Alternatively, send us an email on [email protected] or contact us using the form below:
Visit Hidden Valletta’s other venue – The Mysterium Fidei Museum, located within the walls of St Catherine’s Monastery.