The Malta Experience is a useful first stop if you have just arrived in Valletta and want a quick frame for the island's history. The 45-minute audiovisual show runs through the major events that shaped Malta, from early settlement and the Knights of St John to siege, empire, and independence.
It is not a substitute for the city's museums and fortifications, but it helps make sense of them. Go early in a Malta trip rather than after you have already read deeply or toured the main historic sites.