The mid-18th century building that now houses the Cathedral Museum was originally a seminary. From 1858 onwards, the seminary was gradually phased out, and the building took on a
number of different functions, until finally an exhibition of Marian Art held at the premises in 1949 inspired the ecclesiastical authorities to transform it into the Cathedral Museum. On January 4, 1969 the Museum was officially opened by Sir Maurice Dorman and Archbishop Michael Gonzi. All the paintings, silver, ecclesiastical textiles and other artifacts, which were formerly exhibited in the restricted space around the nearby Aula Capitularis inside the Mdina Cathedral, were moved out of the Cathedral to be accommodated in the new museum. This transformation established the Cathedral Museum as one of the leading Maltese cultural institutions. The year 2004 saw the start of an active refurbishment programme. New designs are currently being considered to upgrade the Pinacoteca, while some structural modifications are also being completed, which do not detract from the architectural character of this magnificent building.

The drawing depicting the floor plan of the Cathedral Museum can be seen by following this link.

 

 

 


Mdina Biennale Venues