A Weekend of Wonder at Three Candlelit Heritage Malta Birgu Sites

On the 12th and 13th of October, Heritage Malta is inviting the public to enjoy the Malta Maritime Museum, the Inquisitor’s Palace and Fort St Angelo in Birgu, with discounted rates, optional guided tours and extended hours.

As the weather gets crisper, museums become even more ideal havens for fun and learning. In the spirit of the highly popular BirguFest event, which unfortunately could not take place this year, Heritage Malta has prepared a perfect opportunity for all audiences to make the most of the changing seasons by delighting themselves with a cultural trip to the victorious, picturesque city of Birgu.

On Saturday 12th and Sunday 13th October, three key sites – the Malta Maritime Museum, the Inquisitor’s Palace and Fort St Angelo – will be opening with advantageous reduced admission rates and optional pre-booked guided tours. The latter will be taking place regularly, in both Maltese and English. All three sites will open their doors at 9:00 am and remain open during extended hours – until 11:00 pm on Saturday, and until 7:00 pm on Sunday. On Saturday, all three sites will be illuminated with the flickering, warm light of candles and torches. Fort St Angelo will be illuminated with no less than 1500 candles, and thanks to a special collaboration with the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, the public will also be able to access the upper part of the fort. Talented historical re-enactors will also brighten the festivities.

This is also an excellent opportunity for the public to experience no less than four exhibitions currently set up in the unique ambiences provided by these historic sites. The exhibition ‘An Island at the Crossroads’, at the Malta Maritime Museum, takes its visitors on a journey through Malta’s salt-scented centuries, focusing on how our islands were always at the heart of navigation. Scrumptious treats, exclusively prepared by Taste History, will also be available for purchase at the museum.

The Inquisitor’s Palace, on the other hand, is currently housing the captivating ‘Fare Convito – The Archaeology of Banqueting in Hospitaller Malta’. This exhibition delves into the intersection of food, art, and politics, revealing the intricate rituals of Baroque banqueting in Malta, and features items recovered through archaeological digs within the palace itself.

The highly immersive, newly-opened exhibition ‘Betrayal and Vengeance – The Slaves’ Conspiracy of 1749 in 19 historic drawings’ transports its viewers amidst one of the most riveting and tense episodes in Malta’s annals, which could have swivelled the country’s destiny dramatically.

In ‘Threads of Faith – Liturgical Vestments of the Order of St John’, the refined garments worn by the clergy during the rule by the religious order on the islands, and even before – with invaluable pieces dating to 1496, come under the spotlight.

Tickets for the guided tours, priced at €5 for each site, will be available for booking from all Heritage Malta museums and sites, and online on www.heritagemalta.mt/store in the coming days. General admission tickets – combining admission to all three sites – are priced at €3 for the general public, and free for Heritage Malta Senior and Student Passport holders and members, and will be available at the door.