Last year, around 20,000 museums in more than 70 countries celebrated the 30th anniversary of International Museum Day with activities, partnerships, and events. The theme chosen for this year's event, to be celebrated this weekend, is 'Museums as agents of social change and development'. Various museums, churches and cultural sites will be open to the public, and private and church museums, in collaboration with the International Council of Museums (ICOM) Malta, are organising various tours.

Casa Rocca Piccola
Casa Rocca Piccola in Valletta has more than 50 rooms, the finest of which are opened by the family for the public to view. The World War II air raid shelters have, since their recent restoration, provided a dramatic and exciting addition to this house. Casa Rocca Piccola is providing a special tour, including the chapel and its significant collection adjoining the Sala Grande.
Date: May 17
Time: 11 a.m.
Cost: €7 (adults); €3 (resident senior citizens, students)
Accessibility: Steps
Bookings: 2122 1499/2123 1796
Address: 74 Republic Street, Valletta

Corradino Barracks
The Hibernians Sports Association, in collaboration with Heritage Enterprise, is organising a special evening tour of the Corradino Detention Barracks. As part of International Museum Day and to celebrate the barracks' conversion into a museum in the making, doors to the barracks will be opened for only one tour.
Date: May 17
Time: 7 p.m. (one hour)
Cost: Donation
Accessibility: Uneven surface and steps to other levels
Bookings essential and numbers are strictly limited: e-mail heritage_ enterprise@onvol.net or call 7909 3948
Address: Corradino Heights, Corradino, Paola. Cottonera buses nos. 1, 4 and 6

Ta' Qali Aerodrome
The Malta Aviation Museum Foundation, an NGO set up in 1994, is joining other associations to create a display of unique exhibits related to Malta's rich aviation history. The museum, established in three hangars at the former Ta' Qali Aerodrome, is currently undergoing an ambitious expansion project featuring the construction of a larger hangar and a two-storey multi-purpose museum block. To celebrate International Museum Day, it is holding two tours for persons with disability at two different times.
Date: May 17
Time: 11 a.m. (for those visibly impaired) and 2 p.m. (for those with physical disabilities)
Cost: Entrance is free
Accessibility: Flat surface accessible to wheelchair users
Bookings: Call the director on 2141 6095
Address: Malta Aviation Museum, Ta' Qali airfield
Bus service all year round and the bus stop for bus route no. 65 (from Sliema) is located just outside the museum complex. Buses nos. 80, 81 and 86 stop seven minutes away from the museum.

Palazzo Falson
Palazzo Falson Historic House Museum in Mdina is inaugurating its new programme for persons with visual impairment. Visitors who wish to join this guided tour, which will include touching some of the artifacts, are urged to contact Palazzo Falson to book.
Date: May 18
Time: 11 a.m.
Cost: Donation
Accessibility: Stairs and uneven surface, full wheelchair access and facilities at ground floor level
Address: Villegaignon Street, Mdina
Bookings: Call the curator, Francesca Balzan, on 2145 4512

St Augustine's Church
St Augustine's parish church, Valletta, celebrates the feast of St Rita on May 22.
The annual pilgrimage (procession) at 6 p.m. will take place in Old Bakery Street, Old Theatre Street, Republic Street and Melita Street.
The venerated statue of St Rita was completed in 1908 by Maltese statuarist Vincenzo Maria Cremona.
The church is open between 6 a.m. and 1 p.m. and from 4 to 9 p.m.
To celebrate International Museum Day, the former crypt, the oval room, the remains of the cloistered vault by Geloramo Cassar (1571) and the World War II shelters, will be open for special viewing.
Tours of the rock-hewn World War II shelter will take place between 10 a.m. and noon and 6 and 8 p.m.
Date: May 22
Cost: Donation
Accessibility: Ramps though steps into crypt. Shelter can be slightly damp, especially the floor.
Organised groups and additional information: call Fr Saviour 2123 8861/7961 7366.
Address: Augustinian Priory, Old Bakery Street, Valletta.

Domus Pauli
The Domus Pauli is a museum of ecclesiastical art created to serve as a continuation to the vast artistic patrimony housed within the Collegiate Church of St Paul Shipwreck in Valletta. The collection contains a sedan chairs furniture, silverware, textiles and books.
Date: May 18
Time: 9.30 a.m.-12.30 p.m.
Cost: Free entrance but donations appreciated.
Accessibility: Unaccessible to people with special needs
Address: 263 St Paul Street, Valletta
Bookings: Call the curator, Robert Cassar, or archpriest Fr A. Camilleri on 2122 3348/2123 6013