Wignacourt Museum being restored

The Wignacourt Museum in St Paul's Bay will be able to continue work on urgently needed repairs to parts of the museum which boasts an impressive array of artifacts but lacks the funding to restore and properly exhibit many of them.

The work is being made possible by an HSBC donation, presented by HSBC's Mosta area manager, Ray Borg, to Mario Tabone Vassallo, president of the Ghaqda Hbieb tal-Muzew Wignacourt, which will begin work on a number of projects.

These include upgrading, better displays of artifacts, and further excavation and research work that still needs to be carried out in the catacomb complex. The latter houses a series of catacombs, some of which date to the Punic era. The catacombs were further extended during the Second World War in order to provide shelter from enemy bombing.

"Malta has so many cultural and historical treasures that it is almost impossible for all of them simultaneously to be given the attention they need. The Wignacourt Museum is just one example of a historic site, which is not very well known, but which houses some very important artifacts and is in great need of assistance. HSBC hopes that through this donation, the museum will be able to carry out some of the necessary work and that it will also encourage other organisations to offer their support," said Mr Borg.

The Wignacourt Museum can be contacted on tel. 2145 1060.