Nelson and the British takeover

An extensive exhibition marking the 200th anniversary of the death of British naval hero Horatio Nelson at the Battle of Trafalgar is being held at the Maritime Museum in Vittoriosa until January 8.

The exhibition, organised by Heritage Malta, is divided into 10 different epochs and three sections with 189 artefacts, four power point presentations and three films.

Joanna Farrugia Ciantar, a senior clerk at the Maritime Museum, said that the exhibits include the bed used by Lord Nelson and Lady Emma Hamilton.

Other exhibits include a boat figurehead of Nelson (pulena) which had been very popular after his death, a copy of the Treaty of Amiens (the only exhibit that is not an original), a lot of silver which used to be found in Maltese churches, portraits, swords and a hat dating back to the time of Napoleon.

The exhibition traces the events leading to the British takeover of Malta two centuries ago. It begins with a background of European political affairs. Malta, then ruled by the Order of St John was considered as one of the major European military powers, mainly since its small naval forces stood up to the Barbary Corsairs and other Muslim naval powers.

However the political and influential status of the Order of St. John was fast declining mainly because of the French Revolution of 1789...

The exhibits come from, among others, the Maritime Museum, private collections, the Presidential Palace and the National Library.

Ms Farrugia Ciantar said the exhibition had proven to be very popular with both Maltese and tourists although the Maltese were reluctant to pay the museum's entrance fee. There is no additional charge for the exhibition but the museum entrance fee has to be paid since the exhibition leads to the museum itself.

The fee is Lm2 for those aged between 18 and 15, Lm1 for those between 12 and 17, ISIC, Euro26 and ICOM cardholders, 50c for those aged six to 11 and free for infants.

The last time an exhibition of this type was held in the museum was in 1998. Smaller individual exhibitions are held there regularly.