History is Alive with Heritage Malta’s New Events Calendar

Press Release│15 January 2026

Heritage Malta has launched its Calendar of Events for 2026, a year-long programme of over 200 events that presents heritage as a living, shared experience.

Rooted in the agency’s new campaign ‘Ħaj/ Heritage Alive’, the calendar moves beyond views that limit heritage behind showcases, to instead activate historic sites as spaces for participation and discovery. Through a dynamic programme of exhibitions, special openings, colourful re-enactments, behind-the-scenes access and creative experiences, the public is invited to engage with heritage as a dance between people, places and time.

Families and younger audiences are at the centre of this calendar, with hands-on activities, discovery tours and workshops designed to nurture curiosity and a sense of belonging from an early age. At the same time, the calendar reflects evolving lifestyles, introducing wellbeing-focused initiatives such as fitness and breathing classes within historic settings, and activities that bring new perspectives to familiar places such as Sip & Paint sessions.

Food and shared traditions remain central, with Taste History events and cookalongs that convey our forefathers’ stories and wisdom through delicious, multisensory experiences. Guided walks, cruises and themed tours take participants on adventures beyond museum walls. Moreover, accessible events for people with special needs reinforce inclusivity, and dedicated members’ events offer unique experiences to the Agency’s growing community of supporters. The much-loved Museums by Candlelight concept also returns, offering visitors the chance to literally experience national gems in a new light.

Among the highlights of 2026 is the second edition of the Malta Biennale, which will once again transform heritage sites into platforms for international contemporary art, enabling dialogue between past and present. The Malta Biennale 2026 events programme can be viewed at: https://maltabiennale.art/events/.  

At a press conference to launch the events calendar, Minister for Culture, Lands and Local Government, Owen Bonnici, said that: “The ambitious calendar we are launching demonstrates how our heritage is not only safeguarded, but also conveyed in an engaging way to the public. More than 200 activities spread across a whole year mean more accessibility, more participation and more opportunities for Maltese heritage to be experienced and enjoyed by everyone.”

Mario Cutajar, Chairman of Heritage Malta and President of Malta Biennale 2026, stated: “This calendar places people at its centre. It is a broader expression of accessibility; how Heritage Malta brings people closer to understanding our common heritage as Maltese, while also understanding our present. The Malta Biennale is a single but key tool in this whole gamut of accessibility. A tool that benefits us and our country, which is being considered a top destination to visit during the Malta Biennale this year.”

Heritage Malta Chief Executive Officer, Noel Zammit, commented that: “By increasing accessibility to our country’s historic sites and creating memorable experiences that remain with visitors long after their visit, Heritage Malta keeps Maltese heritage dynamic and relevant for audiences of all ages. Through all that it does, the agency continuously sustains the dialogue between past and present, ensuring that our heritage is appreciated not as a relic of the past, but as a living legacy that belongs to everyone.”

The full Heritage Malta 2026 Calendar of Events is available here in Maltese: https://heritagemalta.mt/app/uploads/2026/01/2026-calendar-of-events-Maltese-R6-Web.pdf, and here in English: https://heritagemalta.mt/app/uploads/2026/01/2026-calendar-of-events-English-R6-Web.pdf. More information about each event and tickets may be accessed here: www.heritagemalta.mt/whats-on. You may also follow Heritage Malta’s official WhatsApp Channel: www.whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vb4UJxw1yT29ko3Gkq2F for real-time updates and behind-the-scenes stories.