What’s a holiday without a car museum?

First of all there is no truth in the rumour being spread by my wife that our holiday destination was selected due to the fact that there was a car museum in close proximity to our hotel. This was merely an added bonus but was clearly not a factor in terms of our choice of resort – honestly!!

Anyway as luck would have it the Malta Classic Car museum was well worth a visit – it is a privately owned collection and the range and quality of cars was pretty impressive for an individual collector. Carol Galea, an avid and self-confessed car enthusiast  first began customising and building his own cars for local hill climb races but his hobby evolved into a full blown passion for classic cars.

Apparently he owned the hotel and apartment block in which the museum in now housed but when the building was being refurbished it was re-designed with the museum in mind  and the basement of the building was configured to accommodate his car collection which he proudly wanted to let others see and enjoy.

The cars on display have all been lovingly preserved or carefully restored, some looking like they have just rolled off the production line. As you stroll around the car museum it feels as if you are walking back through time and revisiting the golden eras of motoring and to really take you back in time they have also decked out the museum with a collection of antiques and memorabilia from the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s. Gramophones, antique television sets, jukeboxes and even the fashions of yesteryear all frame the collection and help put it in context. There are even cabinets of model cars that the owner has collected over the years and  I enjoyed looking at some of the Matchbox models and other vehicles that I owned as a child.

It is hard to say which of the real cars on display was my favourite – evidently though the Galea family has good taste as there was an impressive line up of  Italian cars and half a dozen Alfa Romeos. British sports cars were also in abundance with E-type Jaguars, Lotus Europa, Triumph Spitfire, Frogeye Sprite and Austin Healey all present not to mention Minis and a Hillman Imp!  It truly was an eclectic mix of vehicles which shows the Galea family’s broad appreciation and love of motors.  I was asked for my feedback when leaving the museum which was very positive and interestingly although feedback from other visitors is largely the same one negative comment that they receive on occasions is that there are too many Alfas on display and it is a tragedy that there isn’t a VW Beetle in the collection.  I am comfortable with that and told them not to take any heed!!

So, all in all a pleasant way to spend an hour or two if you are ever in Malta – and the Northern Ireland connection was not lost on me. Just take a look at the registration plate on the Bugatti outside the museum!!

Tim Logan

Club Chairman