As a relatively small island nation, Malta may not necessarily seem like the type of place to find an automobile museum, yet one has been established in the resort town of Buġibba. This museum was the brainchild of car enthusiast Carol Galea, who first started customizing and building cars for local hill-climbing races but who later decided to delve completely into collecting and restoring vintage cars.
The collection today has about 90 vintage cars, many of which are sports cars or compact cars from the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s. Quite a few different manufacturers are represented in the museum, although many of the models tend to be European. The founder himself reportedly had a fondness for Alfa Romeos in particular, which are well-represented in the museum.
Aside from the automobiles, the museum contains a few other vehicles, including motorcycles and a speedboat; various toy cars and model cars; old automobile maintenance books; other automobile-related memorabilia and paraphernalia; an eclectic mix of antiques unrelated to automobiles, such as jukeboxes and gramaphones; and multiple life-sized statues, including some representing famous people from pop culture. Do not be surprised to see the Blues Brothers, Elvis, or Hulk Hogan while viewing the Italian sports cars. In addition to all of these displays, a small cinema and several televisions throughout the museum play various vintage car-related TV programs and movies throughout the day.
While it is best known as a museum, the Malta Classic Car Collection also performs automotive maintenance and car restoration works. Glass windows on the bottom floor allow visitors to see the garage where work is taking place, and some of the restored vehicles may be displayed within the museum.
Even though the museum’s founder passed away in 2021, the museum has continued to work to preserve and display classic cars for the residents of Malta and for visitors to Buġibba. The Malta Classic Cars Collection may not be the type of tourist attraction most people would associate with Malta, but it is still recognized as one of the islands’ quirkier museums.
Know Before You Go
The Malta Classic Car Collection is located at the intersection of Tourist Street and Qarnit in Buġibba. Parking is available on the street just outside. Additionally, bus routes from many different locations across the island of Malta travel to the nearby Buġibba Bus Terminal.
The museum is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm and on Saturday, Sunday, and public holidays from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm. An admission fee is charged to all visitors. Wheelchair-friendly ramps and elevators are available if needed.
