Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1535434
7 gozotoday | FRIDAY • 16 MAY 2025 CULTURE A day of discovery: Free entry to several Heritage Malta sites on International Museum Day ON Sunday 18th May, in cele- bration of International Muse- um Day, Heritage Malta is invit- ing the public to explore some of its most fascinating sites across the Maltese Islands, completely free of charge. The National Museum of Ar- chaeology in Valletta, the Malta Maritime Museum in Birgu, the National Museum of Natural History in Mdina, Għar Dalam and Borġ in-Nadur in Birżeb- buġa, all four Ċittadella sites in Gozo, and the Railway Museum in Birkirkara (through a collab- oration with the Malta Railway Foundation) will welcome visi- tors for free on the day. International Museum Day is organised annually by the Inter- national Council of Museums (ICOM) to highlight the vital role museums play in shaping our world. The chosen theme for 2025, 'The Future of Museums in Rapidly Changing Communi- ties', echoes Heritage Malta's ef- forts to make museums dynamic Heritage Malta is opening the doors to a spectrum of experi- ences. Heritage enthusiasts can journey into Malta's prehistory at Għar Dalam and neigh- bouring Borġ in-Nadur, where the bones of long-extinct animals and traces of early farm- ers whisper secrets of an ancient world. At the National Museum of Archaeology in Valletta, Neo- lithic statues and Phoenician rel- ics paint a vivid portrait of Mal- ta's early cultures. Nature lovers can roam the halls of the Nation- al Museum of Natural History in Mdina, discovering the island's geological wonders and rich bi- odiversity. The Malta Maritime Museum in Birgu, which will soon close for the second phase of its restoration project, charts the island's deep-rooted connec- tion to the sea, and the Railway Museum in Birkirkara offers a nostalgic look back at Malta's short-lived railway era. In Gozo, the historical Ċittadella awaits, home to sev- eral museums that delve in- to the archae- ology, daily life, and natu- ral landscape of the sister island. These sites will be open during their normal hours, as listed here: https://heritagemalta.mt/open- ing-hours/. Admission is free and no tickets are required. For more information on each site visit: h t t p s : / / h e r i t a g e m a l t a . m t / e x - plore/. Borg in-Nadur