This site is particularly appropriate for 13, 14 and 15 year old students, usually following history courses in the upper forms in secondary schools. ‘Malta under the Order’ is one of the topics in the SEC O Level Syllabus and the student activities at Wignacourt Museum give an opportunity to practice two of the key SEC objectives in the History syllabus, that is, ‘The development of historical knowledge and understanding’ and ‘The evaluation and interpretation of evidence’. Form 3 students who have not chosen History as their special option still have history lessons as part of the history general lessons, and in this syllabus one of the topics is ‘The Heritage left for us by the Order of St. John’ and once again the students’ activities at Wignacourt Museum meet the objectives of this topic.

The Wignacourt Museum is housed in a baroque palace just outside the old Roman city of Melite incorporating Mdina and parts of Rabat, where St.Paul’s Grotto is located, together with the crypt and the Parish church both dedicated to St.Paul. This site presents a wealth of historical material and as the curator of this museum , Mgr. John Azzopardi says, in the front cover of his booklet on the museum, one finds “a Picture Gallery, Archaeology, Sculpture, Coins, Furniture, Embroided Vestments, Old Maps, Rare Books, Drawings and Prints, Baroque Chapel, Underground War Shelter with Catacombs” all under one roof.

If you are interested in visiting the site with your class and for your students to participate in the activities, it is very important that you first read this booklet. The activities in the well equipped students room at Wignacourt Museum , in Rabat offer a unique opportunity for a history teacher to conduct an interactive history lesson outside the classroom. I hope that you and your class will visit soon and that you will enjoy the activities at Wignacourt Museum.

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