Individual donations
Your gift will help Heritage Malta to continue to make the national collection, our museums, landmarks, monuments, underwater sites, traditions and customs accessible to everyone. The scope of the heritage we are entrusted with safeguarding for tomorrow’s generations is vast, and although we do receive limited public funding, our resources are finite. Therefore, every little bit helps. Your support will enable our conservation and restoration, education and outreach, maintenance and research efforts to go that extra mile. Together we can ensure a future for our heritage.
Help conserve an artefact with your donation
Many of Heritage Malta’s conservation projects are made possible by your support. You may wish to funnel your donation into the conservation and restoration of a particular artefact or site.
These are some of the conservation projects that we are currently undertaking:
St John The Evangelist (Painting)
The ravages of time have taken their toll on this exquisite painting by Stefano Erardi, a renowned 17th century Maltese artist. Depicting St John the Evangelist, the artwork suffered significant losses to its paint layer along the years. Regrettably, past interventions led to extensive overpainting, obscuring Erardi’s masterful brushwork. The painting is now undergoing meticulous conservation and restoration which entails the careful removal of the heavily discoloured varnish, the reversal of the frivolous overpaint, and the re-integration of numerous losses to aid the painting’s legibility.
Guns at Fort Delimara
Manufactured in steel and cast iron with attachments made from a copper-based alloy, these 38-ton guns at Fort Delimara were produced in 1880 in England and are the last remaining examples of such guns in the whole world which are still in their original location. They will be treated for corrosion and their future protection will be ensured through the application of various coatings to shield them from the aggressive sea environment where they are located. Conservation works will be carried out in situ.
Statutes at Villa Portelli
Several statues, busts and pots carved out of limestone and marble used to adorn the vast gardens of Villa Portelli in Kalkara. Dating back to the late 18th century and onwards, they are now in dire need of conservation due to their lengthy exposure to the elements. Understandably, the ones carved in limestone are much more eroded than those carved in marble. The conservation process shall include the cleaning of the stone and marble, the stabilisation of the original material and the re-assembly of fragmented objects.
View of Marsamxett Harbour (Painting)
This painting depicts an 18th century bird’s-eye view of Manoel Island, Valletta and Floriana, with the Three Cities and Bighi featured in the background. It bears great historical significance as a document of the past. Old retouches discoloured significantly, becoming very evident with time. The old varnish and retouches are being gradually removed using a mixture of solvents. Paint losses will be retouched using the puntini technique and varnish-based colours. A final protective layer of varnish will then be applied.
To find out more about how you may support Heritage Malta by conserving an artefact please email supportus.heritagemalta@gov.mt, indicating which project you would like to support.
Leave a Legacy
To be able to better understand the direction in which we are headed, we need to first and foremost appreciate where we have come from. The past shapes and colours our identity both as a nation and as individuals. Embodied in our cultural heritage and its practice, the past anchors us and gives meaning to our present, uniting us collectively, and transcending personal beliefs and differences.
Whether you wish to leave a gift in your will, or a donation in your memory, your legacy will have a lasting impact on what is remembered in the future. You may also choose to ensure the memory of a relative or friend lives on whilst supporting Heritage Malta’s work. Commemorating their lives in a meaningful manner may bring consolation and help to alleviate the loss of a loved one. Legacies need not necessarily be monetary. You may choose to bequeath a collection in your will, knowing that Heritage Malta will ensure its safeguarding and preservation for future generations to enjoy. Find out more about the legal aspect of leaving a legacy by sending an email to: supportus.heritagemalta@gov.mt
For example, a collection of more than 1500 postcards showing warships and submarines in Maltese harbours between the 1880s and the 1970s was presented to Heritage Malta by Judge Giovanni Bonello to be enjoyed by the public at the Malta Maritime Museum. Meanwhile, George Zahra entrusted a collection of official Carnival programmes dating as far back as 1930, models for Carnival floats, music scores, trophies and participation certificates, among other memorabilia, to the agency. Zahra’s remarkable legacy, the sum total of his creative endeavour, formed the basis of an exhibition entitled ‘Viva Viva l-Karnival: The George Zahra Donation’ held at the Inquisitor’s Palace in Birgu. This is not only George Zahra’s story but also our story as a nation.
To find out how you may support Heritage Malta by leaving a legacy, or donation please email supportus.heritagemalta@gov.mt. You may also fill in the form at the bottom of the page and we will get in touch with you ourselves
Donate an artefact
Because the past belongs to all, the generous donation of an object of historical, aesthetic, archaeological, natural or ethnographic value helps us to illuminate our understanding of the past and provide accessibility to your addition to our cultural heritage. Heritage Malta is very grateful to all those who donate any items to the national collections. Even though we may not necessarily accept all artefacts, we would greatly appreciate it if you could send us an email with more information about your proposed donation, including size and provenance, accompanied, if possible, by a photo to: supportus.heritagemalta@gov.mt. You may also fill in the form at the bottom of the page, and we will get in touch with you ourselves
Artefact donations may take many forms. Recent acquisitions include the donation of a typewriter used by former President of Malta Anton Buttigieg, who was also a poet, the figurehead of a ship portraying Gregorio Mirabitur representing the golden age of shipbuilding in Malta in the mid-1800s and a toolbox used by Dockyard workers.
