Sunday, 27th April 2008

International Museums Day kicks off with Heritage Malta event

ICOM is the international organisation of museums and museum professionals committed to the conservation, continuation and communication to society of world natural and cultural heritage, present and future, tangible and intangible.

Created in 1946, ICOM is an NGO maintaining formal relations with the United Nations' Economic and Social Council.

In 2007, approximately 20,000 museums in more than 70 countries celebrated the 30th anniversary of International Museum Day with activities, partnerships, and events.

This year, to better express changes in society and explore development, the International Council of Museums announces this year's theme as: 'Museums as agents of social change and development'. To promote this special day Heritage Malta, in collaboration with ICOM Malta, is holding events today at the following sites: Ħadd ma' Heritage Malta (Rabat) (9 a.m. to 5 p.m.); behind-the-scene tours at the National Museum of Natural History (10 and 11.30 a.m., 2 and 3.30 p.m.); education programme tours, including a museum hunt, at 2 and 3.30 p.m., guided tours for children at 10 and 11.30 a.m.; Domus Romana tours at 11 a.m., 2 and 3 p.m.; and tours to the Jewish cemetery every half an hour between 10.30 a.m. and noon and 2.30-4.30 p.m.

Adults and students pay €7, members €5.

For more information, contact Heritage Malta or ICOM Malta at heritage_enterprise@onvol.net.

Comments

Charles Borg (2 weeks, 4 days ago)

My experience of this event, yesterday (saturday) evening. Together with other friends decided to visit the Jewish Catacombs as it is the only one that really interested us of the rest, mainly because this is not ordinarily open to the public, thus was an occasion not to miss. But, lo and behold, this site was closed! It only opens on Sunday we were told and just to visit this site we also have to pay the full fare of 7 Euros. Now, who came up with this brilliant idea? This historic site of great importance and is a mystery why it is kept closed. We were also amazed on why it was also in total darkness for this occasion. Maybe someone from Heritage Malta can explain better?