‘Malta doesn’t appreciate its own treasures,’ says camera collector Paul Vella
Collector Paul Vella has spoken candidly about what he describes as a persistent lack of local appreciation for cultural passion projects like his, despite dedicating more than six decades to building and preserving Malta’s only camera museum.
Inside his home, more than 3,000 vintage cameras fill a room, full of shelves and display cases, each carefully restored by hand. Yet Vella says that while foreign visitors regularly express amazement, Maltese interest remains limited. “People travel abroad and admire museums there,” he said in an interview with The Malta Independent on Sunday. “But they don’t realise we have something just as special here.”
The museum is not a public institution but the result of a lifetime of personal commitment that began when Vella was a young boy. His fascination with photography dates back more than 60 years, when he would watch relatives develop photographs in a darkroom. He did not fully understand the process at the time, but he remembers being captivated by the transformation of blank negatives into visible images.
That curiosity soon became determination when, at around 10 years old, he heard of a promotion offering cameras in exchange for detergent packaging. He went door to door among relatives collecting tokens until he had enough, travelling alone by bus to claim the prize. The moment he received that first camera remains vivid in his memory. “My heart was racing,” he recalled. “I still have it today, and it still works.” That acquisition marked the beginning of what would eventually grow into one of the largest private camera collections in Europe.
Although he never formally trained as a technician, Vella’s early career as a mechanic proved unexpectedly useful. His understanding of gears and mechanical systems allowed him to dismantle and repair complex devices. Over time, he taught himself restoration techniques through books, experimentation and advice from fellow enthusiasts. He often fabricates missing components himself or salvages parts from damaged cameras, a painstaking process that can take months or even years. For him, restoration is essential. He refuses to display any camera unless it is fully functional and in good condition. “Each one deserves to be brought back to life properly,” he said.
The collection grew gradually through a mixture of persistence, circumstance and generosity. During his younger years, while working at his dad’s petrol station, he frequently received unwanted cameras from foreign military personnel, including RAF staff stationed in Malta. Later, friends and acquaintances continued to donate equipment. His collection grew rapidly post 2014 when his son-in-law Chris started helping him by taking him abroad to different flea markets in France and Belgium.
A turning point came when his wife suggested converting their garage into display space, effectively transforming a private hobby into a museum-like environment. Today the collection spans the entire history of photography, including rare glass-plate negatives and equipment dating back to the early 20th century.
Among the most historically significant items are cameras once owned by prominent figures and early Maltese photographers, including equipment linked to Emanuele Sciortino, believed to have been one of the first photographers in Ħamrun. Vella spends extensive time researching each item, documenting its origin and historical context. He sees himself not merely as a collector but as a custodian of cultural memory. “Every camera here tells a story,” he said. “I’m keeping the history of photography alive.”
Interestingly, Vella eventually stepped away from active photography itself. With rising costs, he realised he could no longer afford to pursue both photography and camera restoration. Faced with that choice, he followed his passion for preservation. He describes the emotional satisfaction of completing a restoration as profound, even imagining the camera “thanking” him for giving it a second life. That sense of purpose drives a demanding daily routine. Even in retirement, he often rises before dawn to work on repairs and continues late into the evening. Maintaining thousands of ageing devices requires constant cleaning, monitoring and delicate handling.
The practical challenges of sustaining such a collection have grown significantly over time. Acquiring cameras from abroad has become increasingly difficult due to shipping costs, VAT and customs charges, which sometimes exceed the value of the items themselves. Locally, he occasionally finds pieces at flea markets, though he notes that prices have risen sharply compared with past decades. To fund his passion, he once sold other collections and occasionally resold items, while remaining committed to a strict rule: no duplicates. Each camera must be unique, even if only by colour or variation.
Despite these obstacles, Vella says the greatest difficulty is not financial but cultural. He believes Malta lacks sufficient recognition for locally-driven heritage initiatives. According to him, foreign visitors frequently express astonishment at the scale and uniqueness of his museum, while local attendance remains relatively low. “I’m not complaining,” he said, “but there is a clear difference. Foreigners really appreciate the work and dedication involved.”
Looking ahead, Vella hopes his life’s work will continue beyond his lifetime. His daughter, who lives overseas, has expressed plans to preserve the collection and potentially transform the property into a fully accessible public museum. That vision keeps him motivated to continue restoring and expanding the archive for as long as his health allows. He also hopes to inspire younger generations to learn restoration skills and protect historical artefacts, though he admits few locals have taken up his offers of mentorship.
For Vella, the collection represents far more than objects. He sees it as a living record of technological progress, social history and artistic evolution – “three thousand stories under one roof”, as he describes it. His mission, he says, is to ensure that those stories are never lost. “As long as I have the strength, I will keep working,” he said. “This is part of who I am, and part of the heritage of Malta.”
For more information visit paulscameracollection.com
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