Commemorating the 450th anniversary since the laying of the first stone of the city of Valletta, Valletta 1566 – Melita Renascens is Heritage Malta’s current ongoing major exhibition spread over two locations in the capital.

Generating a significant amount of interest from both locals and tourists, the exhibition offers a glimpse into the history of Valletta during these past 450 years.

During this nearly half a millennium, Valletta was the main gateway to Maltese society. Nowadays the smallest capital city of the European Union, it remains a major commercial and financial centre for the islands, and every day welcomes thousands of tourists to its historical sites.

A Unesco world-heritage site, Valletta’s 320 monuments, all within an area of half a square kilometre, make it one of the most concentrated historic areas in the world.

The city’s history keeps being written by its inhabitants and it will carry the title of European Capital of Culture in 2018.

The exhibition, similarly to Valletta, was planned with the grid system in mind and explores different themes pertaining to different eras, from the city’s foundations and construction, to the social, political, administrative and cultural aspects.

The innovative set-up of Valletta 1566 – Melita Renascens split between two venues, namely the National Library and the site of the former National War Museum at Lower Fort St Elmo, makes it a first of its kind, too. The two exhibitions are not complementary stand-alone exhibitions but one storyline split between two venues.

■ The exhibition will remain open until July. Fort St Elmo is open daily from 9am to 5pm and a visit here can also be combined with a visit to the National War Museum. The National Library is currently open from 8.15am to 5pm from Monday to Friday and until 1pm on Saturdays. Valletta 1566 – Melita Renascens is a Heritage Malta exhibition held in collaboration with Malta Libraries.