Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1527317
9 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 2 OCTOBER 2024 CULTURE ON 12 and 13 October, Herit- age Malta is inviting the public to enjoy the Malta Maritime Museum, the Inquisitor's Palace and Fort St Angelo in Birgu, with discounted rates, optional guid- ed tours and extended hours. As the weather gets crisper, museums become even more ideal havens for fun and learn- ing. In the spirit of the highly popular BirguFest event, which unfortunately could not take place this year, Heritage Malta has prepared a perfect oppor- tunity for all audiences to make the most of the changing sea- sons by delighting themselves with a cultural trip to the victo- rious, picturesque city of Birgu. The three key sites – the Malta Maritime Museum, the Inquis- itor's Palace and Fort St Ange- lo – will be opening with ad- vantageous reduced admission rates and optional pre-booked guided tours. The latter will be taking place regularly, in both Maltese and English. All three sites will open their doors at 9am and remain open during extended hours – until 11pm on Saturday, and until 7pm on Sunday. On Saturday, all three sites will be illuminat- ed with the flickering, warm light of candles and torches. This is also an excellent op- portunity for the public to ex- perience no less than four ex- hibitions currently set up in the unique ambiences provided by these historic sites. The exhibition 'An Island at the Crossroads', at the Malta Maritime Museum, takes its visitors on a journey through Malta's salt-scented centuries, focusing on how our islands were always at the heart of nav- igation. Scrumptious treats, exclu- sively prepared by Taste His- tory, will also be available for purchase at the museum. The Inquisitor's Palace, on the other hand, is currently housing the captivating 'Fare Convito – The Archaeology of Banqueting in Hospitaller Malta'. This exhibition delves into the intersection of food, art, and politics, revealing the intricate rituals of Baroque banqueting in Malta, and fea- tures items recovered through archaeological digs within the palace itself. The highly immersive, new- ly-opened exhibition 'Betrayal and Vengeance – The Slaves' Conspiracy of 1749 in 19 his- toric drawings' transports its viewers amidst one of the most riveting and tense episodes in Malta's annals, which could have swivelled the country's destiny dramatically. In 'Threads of Faith – Liturgi- cal Vestments of the Order of St John', the refined garments worn by the clergy during the rule by the religious order on the islands, and even before – with invaluable pieces dating to 1496, come under the spot- light. Tickets for the guided tours, priced at €5 for each site, will be available for booking from all Heritage Malta museums and sites, and online on www. heritagemalta.mt/store in the coming days. General admission tickets – combining admission to all three sites – are priced at €3 for the general public, and free for Heritage Malta Senior and Student Passport holders and members, and will be available at the door. A weekend of wonder at three candlelit Heritage Malta sites in Birgu An aspect from the recently launched exhibition 'An Island at the Crossroads' at the Malta Maritime Museum in Birgu