St John’s Co-Cathedral Museum Project Enters New Phase

The New Museum Project at St John’s Co-Cathedral has entered a transformative phase, with the past year marking significant progress in this landmark cultural initiative. The work completed so far reflects the collaborative efforts of a dedicated team, focused on striking a careful balance between innovation and the preservation of one of Malta’s most cherished heritage sites.

Becoming a permanent home for the Co-Cathedral’s world-renowned set of Baroque Flemish tapestries, the largest complete set of its kind in the world, this project will also showcase rare artefacts from the silver collection, ornate vestments, and 16th-century choral books. For the first time, one shall be able to access historic parts of the Co-Cathedral complex that have long been closed to the public, offering a richer, more immersive cultural experience.

A significant milestone is the practical completion of the civil works, including the construction of the tapestry chamber spanning over 45m between 2 streets, the construction of a dome over the area designated to showcase the Capella Ardente, as well as the complex construction of a helicoidal staircase, engineered using precast concrete elements, transported to and assembled on site. The latter unique architectural feature also includes a specialised, circular lift at its centre which will guide visitors seamlessly across all levels of the museum.
The facades on all four sides of the Tapestry Chamber are currently being constructed of local limestone. They are composed of over 2370 individually designed limestone stone blocks. All the stone is locally quarried, and following a rigid quality control process, boulders are formed into blocks that are engineered and carved into the individually shaped façade elements. using high-level technological robotic equipment. The façade integrates the museum visually with the historic streetscape of Valletta – a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Restoration and conservation works are synonymous with St John’s Co-Cathedral and take place continuously. As part of the new museum project, the timber balcony overlooking Merchant Street, the internal courtyard façades, and the Caravaggio Wing at the corner of Merchant Street and St John Street have all undergone restoration. Work is also underway on the historic staircase leading to the Bartolott Crypt, while the Crypt itself have been restored to display the Silver Collection.

The President of the St John’s Co-Cathedral Foundation Mgr. Professor Emmanuel Agius, and the Council Members, together with CEO Tonio Mallia, and Foundation’s Executive Staff, welcomed H. G. Archbishop Charles J. Scicluna, the Hon. Owen Bonnici, Minister for Culture, Lands and Local Government, and H. L. Mgr Joe Galea Curmi, Auxiliary Bishop, for an official site visit of the new museum complex led by the Museum Project Architects AP Valletta and project managers EM Architects.

These accomplishments underscore the Foundation’s steadfast commitment to delivering the highest standard of cultural stewardship. The Co-Cathedral is already Malta’s most visited site with audiences seeking experiences that last long after their visit. This shall be strengthened once the new museum project is completed, becoming a symbol, not only of Malta’s cultural past, but also an inspiration for future generations by encouraging a deeper engagement with history, art and spirituality.

This project is part-financed by the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) 2021–2027.