The Museum is located in Lower St. Elmo, on that part of the ramparts facing Marsamxett Harbour. St. Elmo is the right place to host this museum, considering that the historical fort played outstanding roles throughout its long existence, particularly during the epic siege of 1565 and the longer one during the last World War.

The War Museum was inaugurated in 1975 as a complimentary branch of the Palace Armoury which caters for collections of military items from the period of the Knights.

The premises of this museum consist of a large vaulted hall, three smaller rooms and two long annexes, one on each side of the hall .

This limited accommodation has on display a range of exhibits comprising charts and photographs, small arms collections, uniforms, gas masks, regimental crests and badges, and hundreds of minor objects and relics of World War ll. These exhibits bear witness to the difficult days and the hardships suffered by the Maltese people during the siege .

Four items displayed in the main hall are of notable interest:

A Gladiator biplane, 'Faith' - the only survivor of four such airplanes, which formed the aerial defence of Malta in June 1940. A 75mm Field-Gun - the first captured on the Sicilian beachhead after the landings in July 1943. A Jeep used by President Roosevelt during his visit to Malta, December 1943. The George Cross Medal awarded to Malta in 1942.

Remains of German dive-bombers, machine-guns, aircraft instruments and other relics of Hitler's air-force, are on show in the room at the back of the main hall.

Numerous photographs and charts give an idea of the devastation from aerial bombardments. Statistical data record the number of raids and other wartime events.

The long annex on the right-hand side of the hall is devoted to the French period in Malta (1798 - 1800).