If you have ever wondered how Victorian soldiers trained in Malta, where they lived, what they ate and drank and what weapons they used you can find your answers at Fort Rinella.

Soldiers of the Queen, a permanent museum exhibition focusing on the British Victorian army, is located in the soldiers’ defensible barrack rooms that run along the full-length of the fort’s gorge.

Spanning nine different rooms it charts the rapid evolution of what was initially a hugely inefficient and fossilised army into a first-rate army forerunner of Kitchener’s New Army which faced the full might of Germany’s Imperial Army along the French in World War I.

The display features hundreds of original and rare objects from the reign of Queen Victoria such as uniforms, weapons, equipment, regalia, documents, paintings and photographs. It also includes a section dedicated to the British Army in Malta and to the Maltese regiments forming part of it.

Soldiers of the Queen , which focuses on Queen Victoria’s army from 1837 up to 1901, features 3,000 period objects  including many rare items.  

Soldiers of the Queen is at Fort Rinella, St Rocco Road, Kalkara. Its opening times are Monday to Saturday from 10am to 7pm (last admission 4.30). Fondazzjoni Wirt Artna members are given free entrance. Tickets may be obtained online at wirtartna.org.