​FNAM
Friends of the National Archives of Malta
THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES OF MALTA
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The National Archives of Malta (NAM) is a government organization dedicated to preserving and maintaining a vast collection of records related to Malta's history. It also provides public access to these records for research purposes. These archival materials exist in various media, formats, and sizes, including paper documents, letters, handwritten bound volumes, press clippings, printed materials, photographs, maps, architectural plans, oral history recordings, microfilm, floppy disks, CDs, videos, and DVDs.
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The operations of the National Archives of Malta is regulated by the National Archives Act of 2005 (Cap 477). The Friends of the National Archives have no official influence on the policies of the National Archives but can discuss issues and ideas. The FNAM brings people with various backgrounds inside the National Archives so that further viewpoints can be compared and discussed.
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The National Archives of Malta has four offices which are open for researchers: the Central Archive in Rabat, the Courts and Tribunals Archive in Mdina, the Notarial Registers Archive in Valletta, and the Gozo Archive in Victoria, Gozo.
The National Archives' Repositories
The National Archives Head Office
The headquarters of the National Archives of Malta is located in the old hospital building known as Santo Spirito in Rabat. This is also the base of the FNAM and meetings are usually held here.

The reading room at the main office is open to the general public and specialized researchers. This building holds records from the British period and post-independence, which include information of interest to those tracing their Family tree. Emigration and immigration records are available, as are all sorts of public records that are no longer used for administrative purposes.
The reading room at the National Archives Main office is open to the public for perusal of documents as follows:
Mon/Tue/Wed/Fri - 8.00 am – 2.00 pm
Thursday - 10.00 am – 2.00 pm & 3.00 pm – 7.30 pm
Saturday - 8.15 am – 12.45 pm
Courts and Tribunals Archives
The Banca Giuratale in Mdina houses the legal records from various tribunal court cases of the periods from 1542 to 1899.
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These records were previously kept at the Grand Master’s Palace at Valletta while the nineteenth-century legal documents were transferred from the Law Courts All other court cases for the past 1900 period are still in the custody of the Law Courts in Valletta.
The reading room at the Banca Giuratale is open to the public for the perusal of documents as follows:
Monday 8.00 a.m. – 2.00 p.m. / 3.00 p.m. – 7.30 p.m.
Tuesday/Wednesday/Friday 8.00 a.m. – 2.00 p.m.
Thursday 10.00 a.m. – 2.00 p.m.
Gozo Archives
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The National Archives’ Gozo Archive was officially inaugurated on 24 November 1989. This archive was conceived as the public record office for the documentation produced and received by past and present Government departments and establishments of the islands of Gozo and Comino.
The earliest extant record dates to 1560 and forms part of the collection of documents related to the Universitas Gaudisii, the regional government of Gozo during the time of the Knights of St. John.
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Monday to Friday - 7.30 am – 1.30 pm
Wednesday - 7.30 am – 5.30 pm
Saturday - 7.30 am – 1.00 pm (October – May)
Notarial Registers' Archives
The Notarial Archives were first established in 1640 by Grand Master Giovanni Paolo Lascaris Castellar. The archive moved locations frequently until in 1945 it was moved, to St Christopher Street. In the 1960s, the collection split between two buildings. In 2004, the Notarial Archives Foundation (NAF) was formed to preserve the collection. In 2020, the archives were transferred to the Ministry of National Heritage and placed under the National Archives of Malta, becoming the Notarial Registers Archive (NRA).
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Monday – Friday: 7.30 am - 3.00 pm
Saturday – Sunday: Closed
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Other Repositories
The National Archives of Malta is always busy working on bringing new acquisitions from governmental departments as well as donations from tertiary parties.
Unfortunately, the space in the Head Office, Banca Giuritale and Gozo Archives is very limited and new donations must be stored in other repositories.
Currently, these repositories are close to being filled to the brim with acquisitions, putting into danger records which are waiting to be safeguarded by the National Archives of Malta
The Departments at the National Archives of Malta
Records Management Unit (RMU)
The Records Management Unit (RMU) is a division of the National Archives that serves as the link between the National Archives and various government bodies, including Ministries, Departments, and Public Entities, on matters related to records management.
Operating under the National Archives Act (CAP 477), the RMU ensures that all records management practices within public institutions comply with legal requirements. To achieve this, RMU's Records Inspectors conduct visits and inspections of records repositories across public entities, departments, and ministries.
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In addition to its work with public entities, the Records Management Unit is also actively involved in the evaluation and accessioning of private records. Over the years, the National Archives has earned the trust of many by serving as the custodian of important collections, including the private papers of Sir Anthony Mamo and Dom Mintoff, the extensive photographic collection of May Agius, and the Tony Terribile collection.
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Contact: rmu.archives@gov.mt
Archival Processing Unit (APU)
The Archival Processing Unit (APU) plays a critical role in the organization, preservation, and accessibility of archival materials. This unit organises the archival materials into a logical and coherent structure based on the original order or function of the records to maintain context.
This APU created finding aids, especially be updating the online catalogue on AtoM, for better accessibility for onsite and online researchers. Digitization: Converting physical materials into digital formats to improve accessibility, enable preservation, and enhance the reach of archival collections. Here, the APU also develops metadata to enhance searchability and discoverability of records. Such processing is done according to legal, ethical and institutional standards. ​
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Conservation Laboratory
The Conservation Laboratory at NAM is equipped with the necessary expertise and tools to perform a wide range of preservation and conservation-restoration interventions on its collections.
To meet its objectives, the Conservators conduct routine monitoring to assess the environmental conditions of the repositories along with condition surveys of both existing holdings and new acquisitions.
This analytical process forms the basis for any conservation actions. Conservation treatments are carried out using targeted methods and high-quality archival materials that meet industry standards. Detailed documentation is maintained before, during, and after each intervention. All treatments are reversible and follow the International Code of Ethics.
MEMORJA: Oral, Sound and Visual Archive
MEMORJA’s mission is to engage communities through a bottom-up approach to preserve the life stories of underrepresented groups in history.
Using advanced methods in oral history, ethnography, and archival techniques, MEMORJA collects, records, transcribes, and preserves individual and collective histories passed down through oral, visual, and audio mediums.
These private collections are enriched with photographs and films, offering insights into the changing physical and social landscapes of the Maltese Islands, including daily life, personal milestones, community events, and national gatherings.
By capturing marginalized memories, MEMORJA highlights forgotten community experiences, indigenous knowledge, and shared historical events. This heritage is made accessible through its online platforms.
Website: www.memorja.com
Public Services Unit
The National Archives of Malta is committed to serving the public with respect, courtesy, and dedicated assistance. The Reading Rooms are open to all, allowing anyone interested in research to schedule an appointment.
Educational and cultural visits are key to outreach efforts, helping to raise awareness of the National Archives and its valuable collections.
Additionally, their Unpaid Internship Programmes provide local and international students from diverse academic backgrounds with hands-on experience in the archival sector while offering insight into Malta's cultural heritage.
National Audio-Visual Institute (NAVI)
The National Audio-Visual Institute (NAVI)'s mission is collecting, preserving, and managing audiovisual media to improve access to the national audiovisual heritage of Malta and Gozo.
Currently, NAVI houses approximately 354,000 items, including a diverse range of media such as photographic slides, film reels, audio tapes, CDs, cassettes, and more. To ensure the longevity of these materials, NAVI employs advanced technology to digitize and preserve outdated formats, migrating content to contemporary digital formats for ongoing preservation. The Friends of the National Archives recently gave new digitisation equipment for this insitute.