World Art Utopia

Popeye Village

Crooked, brightly painted wooden houses of the Sweethaven film set from Popeye crowd the rocky shore of Anchor Bay in Malta above turquoise water.
Artwork FileMellieħa, Malta

Popeye Village

Seen2026

Built for Popeye (1980) · Anchor Bay, Mellieħa, Malta

Photo: Felix König / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0), as published on Street Art Utopia (The Movie Ended, the Set Stayed (10 Photos), 31 October 2026).

Popeye Village is the timber waterfront set built at Anchor Bay, near Mellieħa, for Robert Altman’s 1980 film Popeye, starring Robin Williams and Shelley Duvall. It was never torn down and still operates as a visitor attraction on the original set. Source Source Source Checked

Seen 2026 — The newest dated evidence is the operator’s own 2026 season page, which describes the original 1980 film set as open daily at Anchor Bay (a report, not a photo). The newest camera-dated photograph we checked is from 1 June 2009. Source Source Reported

💡 4 things to know

  1. Nineteen wooden buildingsA construction crew of 165 worked for four months from June 1979 to build the village’s 19 wooden buildings. Source Source Checked
  2. Imported timber and nailsAccording to Wikipedia, planks came from the Netherlands, roof shingles from Canada, and eight tons of nails and 7,600 litres of paint were used. Source Reported
  3. A breakwater for the bayA 60–75 m breakwater was built across the mouth of Anchor Bay to protect the set from high seas during filming. Source Source Checked
  4. Hit by Cyclone HeliosOn 9 February 2023 a boulder broke loose from the cliff above and damaged part of the set. The attraction reopened on 3 June 2023. Source Source Source Checked

📍 Where it is

On the shore of Anchor Bay (Prajjet Bay), about 3 km from the village core of Mellieħa. Open to the public seven days a week. Source Source Checked

Open in Maps

🗓️ Sightings

  1. 1979

    June construction photo resurfaces

  2. 198023 Jan

    Filming begins

  3. 20091 Jun

    Village photographed from above the bay

  4. 20239 Feb

    Boulder from cliff damages set

  5. 20233 Jun

    Reopens after repairs

  6. 2026

    Operator lists 2026 opening hours

Green stamps mark dated photographs; amber stamps mark records or reports; red stamps mark loss. Publication dates are not camera dates.

🗞️ In the sources

Corriere di Malta10 February 2023

“Registrati danni anche al celebre Popeye Village”

Damage was also recorded at the famous Popeye Village

Read the source →

GuideMeMalta27 June 2024

“A construction crew of 165 worked for four months to build the village, which consists of nineteen wooden buildings.”

Read the source →

✅ The facts

Built for
Popeye (1980), directed by Robert Altman Source Source Checked
Construction began
June 1979 Source Source Checked
Build time
Four months by a crew of 165 (GuideMeMalta, Wikipedia); Wikipedia also says the set was completed in seven months. We lean to four months for the main build. Source Source Conflicting
Buildings
19 wooden buildings Source Source Checked
Filming
23 January to 19 June 1980 Source Reported
Storm damage
Cyclone Helios, 9 February 2023; reopened 3 June 2023 Source Source Source Checked
Today
Ticketed attraction on the original film set, open daily; 2026 hours 9:30 a.m. to 5:00–6:00 p.m. depending on the season Source Reported

🔗 Related

All sources & image credits

Last checked: 31 October 2026. How we verify art