1 Calendar of Events
June
January -
2023
Who we are
Heritage Malta proudly manages over 90 museums, landmarks, national monuments and underwater sites. It seeks to provide its various audiences with an enhanced experience during visits to these museums and sites. From prehistoric caves to subterranean passageways, geology to ethnography, from the management of seven World Heritage Sites to industrial and underwater heritage, there is no interest that is not catered for.
The national agency is also committed to bringing culture closer to the people through facilitating interpretation and accessibility, both physical and intellectual, and curating museums and sites into spaces for the exchange of ideas and knowledge. With its professional team of highly respected curators and archaeologists, architects, digital and scientific experts, conservators and restorers, Heritage Malta welcomes you to be part of a spectacular past.
Calendar of Events
January - June 2023
Heritage Malta Calendar of Events
Jan-Jun 2023
Type of Event
HM Senior Passport Thematic Event
HM Student Passport Thematic Event
Lecture
Members’ Event
Performance
Re-enactment Seminar
Special Opening
Taste History
Thematic Event Workshop
Our heritage comprises everything that makes us Maltese
Heritage Malta was founded 20 years ago with the purpose of bringing a whole community together, a task allocated to few agencies or organisations. Heritage Malta has subsequently fulfilled its objective by constructing a new narrative that has the capacity to instil pride in the Maltese Islands and to generate new interest and curiosity in our rich cultural and natural past.
heritagemalta.mt/whats-on
Produced by
©2023 Heritage Malta Publishing
All rights reserved in all countries
The objective of this programme of events for the first half of 2023 is to provide a conceptual framework for the value of this asset, its protection, and some of the key concerns pertaining to identification and valorisation.
With the opening of this programme, which seeks to improve access to our cultural heritage among locals and tourists, Heritage Malta’s visitors are in for another treat.
Heritage Malta is to be commended for these projects through which the public gets the opportunity to learn about many aspects of Maltese history and culture while engaging in enjoyable hands-on activities.
This is the ideal illustration of how Heritage Malta places people of all ages at the centre of its focus to make our patrimony accessible to everyone, at all times and in every location. The initiative also exemplifies the agency’s ongoing efforts to provide its visitors with a more comprehensive and engaging experience via new and creative techniques supported by cuttingedge technology.
I firmly believe that the cultural inheritance passed down to us, both tangible and intangible, is our collective responsibility as a nation. We must all do our part to safeguard it and leave it to our successors in a better state than we found it.
Dr Owen Bonnici Minister for the National Heritage, the Arts and Local Government
Noel Zammit Chief Executive Officer
An exciting calendar of events
As the wise writer Publilius Syrus (85BC – 43BC) said, “The most delightful pleasures cloy without variety”. And variety is what we seek to offer our visitors in the exciting calendar of events we have prepared for 2023 – hopefully our first full year in a while without Covid-19 restrictions.
Heritage Malta’s jam-packed calendar for the first six months of this year will surely have people of all ages ticking their diaries so as not to miss a single event. From activities targeted for children and teenagers, to in-depth academic initiatives, to well-thought-out events for the general public to enjoy, we really do have it all.
Fun-filled, hands-on edutainment activities for kids, large-scale and smaller exhbitions, re-enactments, curatorial talks, thematic tours, public lectures, special openings of closed sites, harbour cruises, heritage trails, equinox events, and Taste History’s exclusive gastronomic delights are just some of the experiences lined up for the next six months.
As the guardian of over 8,000 years of history, Heritage Malta’s mission is to safeguard our cultural patrimony and make it accessible to all, both physically and virtually, thus contributing towards a better appreciation of Malta’s cultural identity. This is what we strive to do every day, to the best of our abilities. This is what this calendar of events is all about.
Please be our guest and partake in this programme designed to suit different tastes. Better still, become a Heritage Malta member and benefit from an even wider choice of events. We look forward to meeting and greeting you, and to making you feel Part of Us.
7
2023
Assemble & Paint: A model-making activity
28
The Melite Civitas Romana Project: Season 1 Update –Seminar
Online
06
Malta Maritime Museum, Birgu Buried History: St Paul’s Catacombs – An experience for children on the autism spectrum St Paul’s Catacombs, Rabat
08
Villa Frere gardens: Open Day
29 January
Castellamare at Fort St Angelo in collaboration with the Historical Re-enactment Group of Malta Fort St Angelo, Birgu
Villa Frere, Guardamangia, Pietà
8, 15 & 29
In Guardia!
Fort St Elmo and the National War Museum, Valletta
21
Members’ Event: Curatorial Talk –The Getty Paper Project MUŻA, Valletta
Heritage Malta reserves the right to amend dates and other details. Please consult Heritage Malta’s website and social media for the latest information.
04
heritagemalta.mt/whats-on
9
Domvs Romana
February 2023
heritagemalta.mt/whats-on
05
Villa Frere gardens: Open Day
Villa Frere, Guardamangia, Pietà
VIVA VIVA L-KARNIVAL! George Zahra donation activity
The Inquisitor’s Palace, Birgu
21
20 In Guardia!
Fort St Elmo and the National War Museum, Valletta
05, 12 & 26 10
San Pawl Milqi special opening
San Pawl Milqi, Burmarrad, San Pawl il-Baħar
Lecture: Akkademja tal-MaltiInternational Mother Language Day
The National Museum of Archaeology, Valletta
25
Members’ Event: VIVA VIVA
L-KARNIVAL – The George Zahra donation tour
The Inquisitor’s Palace, Birgu
Love, Magic and Taste History
The Inquisitor’s Palace & the Malta Maritime Museum, Birgu
14 20
Carnival Holidays activity
Gran Castello Historic House, Victoria
26 Special opening at Kordin III
Prehistoric Site
Kordin III Prehistoric Site, Paola
Heritage Malta reserves the right to amend dates and other details. Please consult Heritage Malta’s website and social media for the latest information.
The Inquisitor’s Palace
11
05
Villa Frere gardens: Open Day
Villa Frere, Guardamangia, Pietà
05, 12 & 26
In Guardia!
Fort St Elmo and the National War Museum, Valletta
18
VISA Student Passport Activity
The Grand Master’s Palace, Valletta
19
Heritage Trail with Mario Coleiro – Rabat village core
Rabat route
20
Spring Equinox
Ħaġar Qim & Mnajdra
Archaeological Complex, Qrendi
Spring Equinox: Breakfast
Ħaġar Qim & Mnajdra
Archaeological Complex, Qrendi
21 23
Lecture series: The Inquisition and the Inquisitor’s Palace
The Inquisitor’s Palace, Birgu
25
Members’ Event: Grand Master’s Palace Exclusive Tour
The Grand Master’s Palace, Valletta
26
Castellamare at Fort St Angelo in collaboration with the Historical Re-enactment Group of Malta
Fort St Angelo, Birgu
Heritage Malta reserves the right to amend dates and other details. Please consult Heritage Malta’s website and social media for the latest information.
heritagemalta.mt/whats-on
March 2023
13
Grand Master’s Palace
02
Villa Frere gardens:
Open Day
Villa Frere, Guardamangia, Pietà
10
Easter Egg Hunt
Għar Dalam, Birżebbuġa
13
Curatorial Talk on Mattia Preti
MUŻA, Valletta
16
Special opening of
Ta’ Ħaġrat and Skorba
Ta’ Ħaġrat Megalithic Site & Skorba Prehistoric Site, Mġarr
22 & 23
Fort Delimara Tours
Fort Delimara, Marsaxlokk
23 & 30
In Guardia!
Fort St Elmo and the National War Museum, Valletta
29
Members’ Event: Heritage Trail with Mario Coleiro – Valletta
Valletta route
29
Jum ix-Xagħra – Event collaboration
Ta’ Kola Windmill, Xagħra
29 April - 1st May
Castrum Maris: The Marquisate of Malta
Fort St Angelo, Birgu
30
Viewing of the Malta International Fireworks Festival
Fort St Angelo, Birgu
Heritage Malta reserves the right to amend dates and other details. Please consult Heritage Malta’s website and social media for the latest information.
heritagemalta.mt/whats-on April 2023
Ta’ Ħaġrat Temples
15
Mogħdija taż-Żmien and reduced admission at Ħal Tarxien
Ħal Tarxien Prehistoric Complex, Ħal Tarxien
07
Villa Frere gardens: Open Day
Villa Frere, Guardamangia, Pietà
01 07 & 14
In Guardia!
Fort St Elmo and the National War Museum, Valletta
18
Special opening of Valletta sites for International Museums’ Day
Valletta sites
19
Night at the Museum
Fort St Elmo and the National War Museum, Valletta
20
Vincenzo Bonello Commemoration
MUŻA, Valletta
Members Event: Malta Film Studios Tour in collaboration with the Malta Film Commission
Malta Film Studios, Kalkara
27 28
Heritage Trail with Mario Coleiro –
Kemmuna
Kemmuna route
Heritage Malta reserves the right to amend dates and other details. Please consult Heritage Malta’s website and social media for the latest information.
heritagemalta.mt/whats-on May
2023
17
Fort St Elmo
June 2023
Taste History: Tuna - An Inquisitor’s Gift
The Inquisitor’s Palace & Malta Maritime Museum, Birgu
Villa Frere gardens – Special Open Day Villa Frere, Guardamangia, Pietà
Harbour Cruise: World War II, in collaboration with the Underwater Cultural Heritage Unit on World Ocean Day
Fort St Angelo, Birgu
02 04 08 09
Members Event: Fort St Elmo
Upper Cavalier After-hours
Curator’s Tour – Start of the War
Fort St Elmo and the National War Museum, Valletta
16
Sunset Tour
Ħaġar Qim & Mnajdra
Archaeological Complex, Qrendi
17
Archaeology Lecture
St Paul’s Catacombs, Rabat
18
Obsidian knapping
Borġ in-Nadur Prehistoric Complex, Birżebbuġa
20 & 21 Summer Solstice
Ħaġar Qim & Mnajdra
Archaeological Complex, Qrendi
29
On the Route of St Paul – San Pawl Milqi Tour & St Paul’s Islands Cruise
San Pawl Milqi & St Paul’s Islands, San Pawl il-Baħar
Heritage Malta reserves the right to amend dates and other details. Please consult Heritage Malta’s website and social media for the latest information.
heritagemalta.mt/whats-on
19
St Paul’s Catacombs
Exhibitions
2023
January
ESPRESSO - Honor Frost’s Malta
- A pioneer in the centre of the Mediterranean National Museum of Archaeology, Valletta
February
MINJATURA 2023: Malta Scale
Model Expo, organised by IPMS
Malta
Malta Maritime Museum, Birgu
February - March
VIVA VIVA L-KARNIVAL! The
George Zahra donation
The Inquisitor’s Palace, Birgu
February - April
ESPRESSO: Il-Malti - il-mixja
sal-għarfien uffiċjali
National Museum of Archaeology, Valletta
March - April
Botanical Paintings Exhibition
by Carmen Forder
National Museum of Natural History, Mdina
March - May
Turning Tables by Francesca
Balzan and Glen Calleja
MUŻA, Valletta
April - May
My body not your business card by Charlene Galea
MUŻA, Valletta
May - July
School of Art Drawings Exhibition
MUŻA, Valletta
May - June
The National Museum of Natural History at Mdina: a photographic journey
National Museum of Natural History, Mdina
May - June
Joseph Chetcuti: A retrospectiveThe sculptor and the bronzesmith
MUŻA, Valletta
May - July
ESPRESSO 13: From Aphrodite to Eros – The Greek mythology representations
National Museum of Archaeology, Valletta
Heritage Malta reserves the right to amend dates and other details. Please consult Heritage Malta’s website and social media for the latest information.
21 MUŻA
The National Community Art Museum
Museums & Sites
open on a regular basis
1 Valletta
National Museum of Archaeology
Fort St Elmo
Grand Master’s Palace
National War Museum
MUŻA - The National Community Art Museum
Fortress Builders Interpretation Centre
Underground Valletta
2 Pietà
Villa Frere Garden
3 Birgu
Inquisitor’s Palace
Malta Maritime Museum
Fort St Angelo
4 Ħal Tarxien & Paola
Ħal Tarxien Prehistoric Complex
Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum
5 Birżebbuġa
Għar Dalam Cave and Museum
Borġ in-Nadur Prehistoric Complex
6 Qrendi
Ħaġar Qim Prehistoric Complex
Mnajdra Prehistoric Complex
7 Mdina & Rabat
National Museum of Natural History
Domvs Romana
St Paul’s Catacombs
10 11
8 Mġarr
Skorba Prehistoric Complex
Ta’ Ħaġrat Megalithic Site
9 Mosta
Gozo Museum of Archaeology
Gran Castello Historic House
Ġgantija Archaeological Park
With a total surface area of just 316km2, the Maltese Islands cherish an outstanding patrimony. The distinctiveness and longevity of its story is the result of the Archipelago’s position at the crossroads of the Mediterranean and its endowment with formidable natural havens. Heritage Malta, the National Agency for museums, conservation practice and cultural heritage, manages a cornucopia of museums and sites ranging from geology to industrial heritage, archaeology to ethnography, palaces to underground cemeteries, including seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
All Heritage Malta Museums and Sites are closed on 1 January, Good Friday and on 24, 25 & 31 December. Further details may be obtained from www.heritagemalta.mt
8 9 7 2 1 4 3 6 5
Underwater Sites
The location of the Maltese Islands at the centre of the Mediterranean has created an inextricable link between the archipelago and the maritime history of the Mediterranean. Malta’s human story stretches back over 8,000 years and is reflected in the archaeologically rich landscape of the islands. Millennia of human activity are also reflected on the seabed surrounding Malta and Gozo, ranging from a 2,700-yearold Phoenician shipwreck, Roman and Early Modern shipwrecks, to dozens of aircraft crash sites, submarines and battleships from both world wars. This diversity and unique range of underwater cultural heritage sites has made Malta the curator for a unique and well-preserved cultural resource that is global in nature and belongs to all humankind. A distinctive characteristic of Malta’s underwater cultural heritage sites is their deep-water location, ensuring site preservation whilst maintaining the authenticity and integrity of many historic wrecks.
approved dive centres
through
1
1 Spitfire
2 JU88
3 Fairey Swordfish
4 Schnellboot S-31
5 HMS Urge 6 HMS Olympus
7 HMS Trusty Star
8 ORP Kujawiak L72
9 HMS Southwold
10 HMS Russell
11 HMS Nasturtium
12 JU88 South
13 SS Polynesian
14 Martin Maryland
15 SS Luciston
16 B24 Liberator
2 3 6 5 4 7 8 14 16 17 15 13 12 9 10 11
17 Douglas A-1 Skyraider
Malta, 8000 years of history
Early
repurposing
3800 BC
Late Neolithic
5900 BC
Neolithic First evidence of cultivation in the Maltese Islands.
1500 BC Late Bronze Age
of megalithic temples.
218 BC Annexation to Rome Thriving of economic and artistic pursuits,
1530
Early Modern Period Transformation into a regional maritime
