The Exhibition ‘An Island at the Crossroads’ Marks the Completion of the First Phase of Restoration Works at the Malta Maritime Museum

The exhibition An Island at the Crossroads has been launched at the Malta Maritime Museum in Birgu, marking the completion of the initial phase of the restoration project currently underway at the museum. This phase was  partly financed through the EEA Norway Grants 2014-2021 for a total of nearly €2 million.

The exhibition is centred around the concept of Malta’s strategic position in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea. The artefacts on display are tied to twenty themes, each telling a story related to the sea but also conveying the aims that have been achieved through the EEA Norway Grants both in terms of structural works at the museum and the digital systems that have been introduced.

The exhibition’s inauguration was attended by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for European Funds, Social Dialogue and Consumer Protection, Chris Fearne, Minister for the National Heritage, the Arts and Local Government, Owen Bonnici, Parliamentary Secretary for Local Government, Alison Zerafa Civelli, and an official delegation responsible for the EEA Norway Grants.

Heritage Malta’s Chief Executive Officer, Noel Zammit, thanked the team involved in the Malta Maritime Museum’s overhaul and in the creation of the temporary exhibition, and expressed his satisfaction that the EEA Norway Grants served as a springboard to attract national funding which will ensure the successful completion of the project. The newly restored museum will be another feather in the cap for Heritage Malta, guaranteeing a visitor-centred experience through effective interpretation, state-of-the-art  technology, and the implementation of the latest trends in museology.

Mr Zammit also expressed his delight that the Financial Mechanism Office for the Norway Grants has acknowledged Heritage Malta’s exceptional communication efforts regarding this project, describing the promotion of the project by the agency’s Communications Department as a best practice example of high quality communication.

The second phase of the project – comprising the modernisation and design of the remaining spaces within the museum, including the permanent display and interpretation – is now in full swing.

Several activities will be taking place each month in conjunction with An Island at the Crossroads. They include talks by ex-Dockyard workers, conferences, Taste History events, activities for school children, and an opportunity to spend a night at the museum.

As of Friday 9th February, the exhibition will be open daily except on Tuesdays, from 9.00am till 5.00pm during February and from 10.00am till 6.00pm between March and December. The exhibition is also accessible to people using a wheelchair.

More information may be accessed here: https://maltamaritimemuseum.mt/