Hal Saflieni Hypogeum

Heritage Malta welcomes feedback from visitors. Their input is vital to our work in upgrading Malta's national heritage sites and museums to deliver the world-class visitor experience they warrant.

Angela McLeer-Cooper's letter (February 27) raises important issues not only on the management of the Hypogeum, but also, by inference, on the visitor experience at all Malta's national museums and heritage sites.

On January 1, Heritage Malta took over the management of the Hypogeum, as well as some 20 other national museums and heritage sites in Malta and Gozo. We immediately began identifying spaces at our more important museums and sites that can be used for facilities and services to enhance the visitor experience. As a new agency of the government, Heritage Malta is empowered to undertake commercial ventures such as cafes and bookshops that were beyond the remit of our fore-runner, the Museums Department.

Ms McLeer-Cooper comments on specific aspects of the current visitor experience at the Hypogeum, such as ticketing, the dimly-lit reception area and the lack of information at the site.

On April 14, we will be introducing a new, advanced booking system for the Hypogeum. This will enable visitors to reserve tickets at the National Museum of Archaeology, in Valletta.

For conservation reasons, not only the underground levels but also the visitor centre of the Hypogeum have to remain in subdued lighting. The site lies in a highly-populated urban area. Regrettably, there is little possibility of extending the visitor centre. However, we will be keenly reviewing the use of space at the Hypogeum and the site's interpretation and presentation.

We wish to ensure an enjoyable and informative experience at this unique heritage site but in doing so, we must balance the conservation of the Hypogeum with the visitor experience. At times, we may have to make compromises in favour of the site's conservation and preservation, such as that of the lighting.