The proceeds from the sale of the first 40 replicas of Napoleon’s letter were presented by Heritage Malta to His Excellency the President of Malta, to be donated to the Malta Community Chest Fund.

The historic document was acquire by Heritage Malta in summer 2020 and in November, they came up with the idea to offer the public a unique opportunity to keep a part of our history in their homes whilst contributing to a just cause. A limited amount of replicas were put on sale – each individually numbered. The profits have now been donated to the Malta Community Chest Fund.

The original letter, which was exhibited free of charge at the National Museum of Archaeology in Valletta till the end of November, documents the order given by Napoleon to his General Desaix to spearhead the invasion of Malta in 1798. As stated by Heritage Malta’s CEO Mr Noel Zammit, this initiative proved to be very successful in harnessing both the local and foreign public’s unrelenting interest in our islands’ rich history, and making good use of it.

Liam Gauci, Principal Curator at the Malta Maritime Museum, showed the President some of Heritage Malta’s recent additions to its collection – ten other contemporary letters documenting key exchanges between British Fleet Admiral Sir John Orde and the Admiralty, which further consolidate the storyline and enrich the value of the letter in question.

The letter shall take its place as the centrepiece in the French period section at the Malta Maritime Museum in Birgu, once the extensive ongoing works are completed.

Want one? A limited number of replicas of Napoleon’s letter are still available for purchase online on https://heritagemalta.org/shop/ and also at the National Museum of Archaeology in Valletta. For more information visit heritagemalta.org.