Palazzo Falson Historic House Museum, Mdina, Malta

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Palazzo Falson in Mdina, Malta’s old Capital, was the former home of Captain Olof Frederick Gollcher (1889-1962), the son of a prosperous shipping merchant of Swedish descent. Gollcher was an art-lover and scholar, so his home became a museum over the years, amalgamating into an impressive collection.

Palazzo Falson is a typical two-storey medieval palace, based on contemporary examples of the period, as seen in Sicily and Spain. The palazzo is built around a central, internal courtyard leading to other rooms. An overlying piano-nobile above was the original living quarters. It was originally a one-storey high courtyard house, with the set of rooms at the back of the courtyard forming the oldest part of the building, and dating back to the 13th century. The ground floor, which was used as a store or stables, underwent other modifications in the early modern period.

Palazzo Falson also contains architectural features from different historical periods and styles. To date, this small palace houses forty-five extraordinary collections of paintings, furniture and jewelry, rugs from the Middle East and armory, as well as a remarkable library containing over 4,500 books, and some rare manuscripts. Walls are hung with an impressive array or weapons or are lined with artworks ranging from biblical to mythological scenes. Most distinguished of these paintings are attributed to prolific artists such as Mattia Preti, Nicolas Poussin, Bartolomé Esteban Murillo, Sir Anthony Van Dyck and David Teniers the Younger.

Know Before You Go

Accessibility:

The Museum has limited special-needs access, and does not have a lift.

The ground floor level of the Museum is reached by means of a ramp which is permanently fixed to the backdoor of the Museum in Our Saviour Street, corner with Villegaignon Street. Portable ramps are available to be attached to the different doorsteps in the ground floor of the Museum, enabling full accessibility to wheelchair users.

A special needs toilet is available at ground floor level.

The first floor of the Palazzo is not wheelchair accessible and is reached by a flight of 25 steps.

The café on the roof of the Palazzo is reached by a further flight of 20 steps.

The average tour of the Museum covers an area of approximately 85 meters long. There is seating in the entrance hall and courtyard at ground floor level as well as at the roof top café.

Tours for the blind and visually impaired are organised regularly, subject to pre-booking. These tours contain a tactile element. Due to the uneven nature of the floors it is advisable to be accompanied by a sighted person particularly if visiting in a large group.