I was delighted to be asked for an interview by Charlene Vella a few weeks ago to discuss my work at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, and to discuss generally how museums in London and Malta can best encourage more visitors and enhance their enjoyment. The interview (The Sunday Times, July 27), however, was somewhat misleading.

My most immediate concern is the statement attributed to me that the V and A by implication puts on "silly exhibitions" to "cause family talk and encourage parents to take their restless children to a museum".

The V and A has indeed put on an array of diverse exhibitions in recent years. A glance at our website will indicate the wide range of events and programmes in general. If one just looks at the last few months, we had a show entitled 'Blood on Paper', which was an exhibition of 20th century and contemporary artists' books, concurrently with an exhibition on contemporary design in China, and another on the neo-classical designer Thomas Hope.

At the moment we have a display about the 1960s and 1970s pop group The Supremes, and an exhibition on Cold War Design opens shortly. These all certainly attract many different kinds of visitors, and none is 'silly'.

We also have a large Learning and Interpretation Department which organises vast numbers of activities on all levels for families, children, students, designers, and general visitors. These programmes encourage many new visitors, as well as welcoming back seasoned attendees, and are recognised as being widely successful.

I don't think any audiences are "tricked" into attending the museum "for a laugh", though it is true that our evening openings and receptions are highly enjoyable, and we are conscious that a museum is a place where people can have fun, as well as learn and be inspired.

I have great admiration for the National Museum of Fine Arts in Malta, and wholeheartedly agree it deserves more visitors, but 'silly' exhibitions are not the answer. I also feel it would be marvellous if a museum of contemporary art were to be established in Malta, but I don't think I said that it was 'shameful' that no such museum exists, as reported in the interview.

I am sorry to imply criticism of your newspaper. I enjoy reading both The Times and The Sunday Times very much whenever I have the good fortune to stay in Valletta.