Salina Salt Museum opens its doors: ‘A symbol of sustainability from the past’

The Salina Salt Museum has opened its doors and will serve as a reminder of how our forefathers extracted a natural mineral like salt with respect to nature.

This was said by BirdLife Malta CEO Mark Sultana at the official opening of the museum in the presence of Environment Minister Miriam Dalli.

Sultana said the museum showcases how sustainability was an important principle and is a type of tradition “we should be proud of”.

The Salina salt pans are administered by BirdLife and the museum was a collaboration between the Environment and Resources Authority, Ambjent Malta, and Birdlife Malta with the financial support of the Gal Majjistral Foundation.

The minister said the museum marks Malta’s history of salt production. “It represents the commitment to preserving Malta's culture, history, and natural beauty. By protecting our unique heritage, we help people appreciate the natural world,” she said.

The project cost €100,000 and funds were obtained from the Gal Majjistral Foundation under the LEADER program. The museum continues to transform Salina Nature Reserve into a unique site that offers visitors a blend of culture, history, and environmental biodiversity coexisting in harmony.

The site’s main aim is to keep alive the tradition and culture related to salt production and harvesting in the Maltese islands. The Knights of St John constructed the saltpans in Salina in the 16th century. The entire complex also includes several wooden huts that were reconstructed in the 18th century by the British in the same style as the original structures.

These structures had different purposes related to salt production. Today, one of these huts has been transformed into a visitor centre, while the new museum is housed in another of these structures.

Salina was rehabilitated through a €7 million project partially financed with EU funds under the Agricultural Fund for Rural Development 2007–2013 and the site is protected as part of the Natura 2000 network and is also a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) because of the endemic

flora and fauna which can be found in the area.

To mark the occasion, an open weekend, Salt Fest 2024, is being organised on Saturday 27 July and Sunday 28 July between 4pm and 8pm. This family-friendly event and will feature a variety of activities for all ages.