Malta’s new Corsair and Piracy Museum at Marsaskala’s restored St Thomas Tower invites visitors to explore a turbulent chapter of Mediterranean history. The 17th-century bastioned watchtower, which is one of six built by Grand Master Alof de Wignacourt, has been transformed into Malta’s first museum dedicated entirely to piracy and corsairing. The €3.39 million largely EU-funded restoration, completed this year, equips the museum with interactive displays, projection mapping and multi-sensory installations to engage visitors with Malta´s turbulent history. Tourism officials stress that this investment not only preserves a national landmark but also cements Marsaskala’s role as a growing hub for cultural tourism.
Between the 15th and 18th centuries, Malta was on the frontline of Mediterranean corsair warfare, both defending against Ottoman pirates and sending its own privateers to capture Ottoman merchant ships. Thus, Malta’s story is heavily entwined with the “golden age” of corsairing. Pirates and corsairs operating under nominal Ottoman suzerainty regularly struck at Maltese coasts. Indeed, in 1551, famed corsair Turgut Reis enslaved the entire population of Gozo (5,000–6,000 people) and shipped them to Ottoman Tripolitania.
Against this backdrop, the Knights of St John, who ruled Malta from 1530 to 1798, became Mediterranean privateers. The Order issued letters of marque so that its galleys and knight-owned ships could legally attack Muslim and Ottoman shipping. It is worth noting that at the time, the Knights styled themselves “corsairs” or privateers rather than mere pirates, with attacks justified as part of Christendom’s perpetual war with Islam.
Corsairing formed a pivotal part of the Maltese Islands’ economy during this time. Each year, the Knights dispatched two large caravans of galleys to hunt down Ottoman merchantmen, targeting the convoys between Alexandria and Istanbul, which was the superhighway of Eastern Mediterranean trade. Contemporary records show that between 1654 and 1694, Maltese corsairs captured 338 prize ships (about eight per year on average) laden with grain, textiles, spices and other goods. The Knights of Malta are said to have had a near 100% success rate, and according to one historian, were the only force on the high seas that Muslim ships feared. Over centuries, the spoils of these raids swelled the Order’s wealth and staffed its galleys with galley slaves. In fact, by the early 17th century, thousands of slaves were kept in Malta to power the oars.
To guard against enemy raids, the Knights built a chain of six watchtowers along Malta’s shores. St Thomas Tower in Marsaskala, completed in 1614, is the largest of the six bastioned towers. The tower had a clear view of St Thomas Bay and Marsascala Creek, which were known landing spots for corsairs. For hundreds of years, Maltese fishing hamlets and farmhouses, including inland settlements like Żejtun, lived in fear of sudden Ottoman landings, so these defences were vital.
Today, Malta is leveraging its dramatic past for cultural tourism. Malta’s first dedicated pirate and corsair museum, housed in the restored St Thomas Tower, tells the stories of Malta´s turbulent history via interactive exhibits, immersive displays and rare artefacts. The tower’s role itself is also on display, including the retaking of the tower by the Maltese Militia during the French blockade of 1798. Since its inauguration in August, modern visitors can see how this monument, long derelict and once even a pizzeria, has been given new life through EU funds and clever reuse.
Seen from a broader perspective, the transformation of St Thomas Tower into an immersive museum demonstrates how Malta is turning its history into an asset. The project is part of a broader strategy to diversify the island’s tourism beyond the traditional “sun-and-sea” model, positioning cultural heritage at the centre of long-term sustainability. By restoring the 17th-century fort into a high-quality attraction, the government is not only preserving history but also creating new economic opportunities for the local community. The state-of-the-art museum is the result of an extensive conservation effort, which included accessibility upgrades and eco-friendly installations such as rainwater harvesting reservoirs, LED lighting, and smart climate control systems, showing that heritage preservation and environmental responsibility can go hand in hand. As Tourism Minister Ian Borg stressed, the tower’s revival provides “another unique year-round experience… supporting local economic development, as well as the continued diversification of our tourism product… towards long-term resilience.”
In summary, the clash of pirates and corsairs is no longer just a chapter in history books for Malta but a live exhibit in Marsaskala. By celebrating this legacy through the new museum, Malta both honours its past and boosts its tourist appeal. In blending heritage with hospitality, Malta demonstrates not only an ability to preserve its unique identity but also a talent for turning challenges into opportunities. Just as the island once stood firm against relentless raids from the Mediterranean, it now navigates the currents of global tourism with the same spirit of adaptability and resilience.
Dr Lina Klesper is International Legal Assistant at PKF Malta
