Heritage Malta - Conservation Division

10/06/2026

This fur-covered coin purse features a silver-toned metal frame with a traditional kiss-lock fastening mechanism. Hidden between the lining and frame is the manufacturer’s label: M. & H. Levy Pty Ltd, Sydney, Australia. Conservators are responsible for documenting such labels, helping curators and researchers trace an object’s history, manufacture and significance.

Din il-borża tal-muniti miksija bil-pil, għandha qafas tal-metall b’dehra ta' fidda. Din tingħalaq permezz ta' mekkaniżmu tradizzjonali tal-qfil magħruf bħala kiss-lock . Moħbija bejn l-inforra u l-qafas hemm it-tikketta tal-manifattur: M. & H. Levy Pty Ltd, Sydney, l-Awstralja. Il-konservaturi għandhom ir-risposabbilta' li jiddokumentaw tikketti bħal dawn, li jgħinu lil kuraturi u riċerkaturi jidentifikaw l-istorja, il-manifattura u s-sinifikat tal-oġġett.

09/06/2026

Literally shedding some light on the continuous effort to preserve our cultural heritage!

🇲🇹Qatt ħsibt għalfejn xi siti storiċi jinżammu fid-dlam?
Maż-żmien, id-dawl jista’ jgħamel ħsara lil strutturi antiki, partikolarment l-uċuh delikati tagħhom. It-tim tal-Preventive Conservation ta’ Hertage Malta jistudja u jkejjel il-livelli ta’ dawl fl-ipoġew ta’ Ħal Saflieni sabiex dawn jinżammu f’livelli aċċettabli waqt li jinxtelu biss meta jkun hemm bżonn. B’hekk inkomplu nipproteġu dan is-sit għall-futur.

🇬🇧 Ever wonder why some historic sites are kept in the dark?
Too much light can actually damage ancient structures and delicate surfaces over time. Our preventive conservation team is underground inside the Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum, measuring light levels to ensure they are perfectly balanced. By keeping the lights low and only turning them on when needed, we can continue to protect these incredible places for the future.

03/06/2026

The gold borders framing the wall paintings at the Gran Salon within the Archaeology Museum are being meticulously cleaned from layers of dirt and grime that accumulated over the years. Ion-exchange resins are applied to the gold with a brush and left for a few minutes before being rinsed from the surface. The second photo below shows the gold before cleaning on the left and after cleaning on the right. This project is being supported by BOV.

Il-borduri tad-deheb madwar il-pitturi tal-ħajt fil-Gran Salon ġewwa l-Mużew tal-Arkeoloġija qed jitnaddfu mill-ħmieġ u trab li akkumulaw matul is-snin. Dan qed iseħħ permezz ta' Ion-exchange resins li jiġu applikati fuq id-deheb b’pinzell u jitħallew jaħdmu għal ftit minuti qabel ma' jitneħħew. It-tieni ritratt hawn juri d-deheb qabel it-tindif fuq ix-xellug u wara t-tindif fuq il-lemin. Dan il-proġett qed isir permezz tas-sapport minn BOV.

17/05/2026

17/04/2026

Our warranted conservators are currently undertaking a continuous professional development course delivered by Stephen Hackney, regarding the detection and mitigation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in museum environments . This is composed of a theoretical component at the School of Arts, Valletta and a practical component being carried out at various Heritage Malta sites. During the practical element of the course, conservators have placed Acid-Detecting (A-D) Strips into museum showcases in order to identify the possible presence of VOCs.

Il-konservaturi tagħna qed jagħmlu kors immexxi minn Stephen Hackney, dwar l-identifikazzjoni u l-mitigazzjoni ta’ elementi organiċi volatili ("VOCs") f’mużewijiet. Dan jikkonsisti f' parti teoretika fl-Iskola tal-Arti, il-Belt Valletta u element prattiku li qed jitwettaq f’diversi siti ta’ Heritage Malta. Matul l-element prattiku tal-kors, il-konservaturi poġġew strixxi fil-vetrini tal-mużewijiet, sabiex jiksbu aktar informazzjoni dwar il-preżenza ta’ "VOCs".

14/04/2026

06/04/2026

This registry book arrived at our paper conservation lab in a very fragile state 📚

Its damaged binding was carefully removed, allowing each folio to be treated individually and preserved with the attention it deserves.

Now, the text block is being expertly rebound on a sewing frame using linen bands — bringing the book back to life, one step at a time ✨

As its original cover was lost and never documented, our conservators and curators will soon collaborate to design a new one that both protects and respects its history.

Dan il-ktieb tar-reġistru wasal fil-laboratorju tal-konservazzjoni tal-karta tagħna fi stat fraġli ħafna 📚

Il-legatura tal-ktieb kellha ħafna ħsarat u għalhekk tneħħiet. B'hekk kull karta ġiet ttrattata individwalment u ppreservata bl-attenzjoni li jistħoqqilha.

Issa, il-ktieb qed jiġi meħjut mill-ġdid bl-użu ta' faxxex tal-għażel, fuq makkinarju għall-illegar tal-kotba — u b'hekk qed jerġa' jingħata l-ħajja ✨

Peress li l-qoxra oriġinali ntilfet u qatt ma ġiet dokumentata, il-konservaturi u l-kuraturi tagħna dalwaqt se jikkollaboraw biex jiddisinjaw waħda ġdida li tipproteġi u tirrispetta l-istorja tal-ktieb.

28/02/2026

Today, we have lost one of the greats in art history. We are deeply saddened by the passing of Professor Mario Buhagiar, founder and former head of the Department of Art and Art History.

Through his years of teaching, research, and advocacy, he guided and formed generations of students — many of whom today serve as conservators, researchers and art historians within Heritage Malta. His influence lives on not only in his scholarly work, but in the professionals who continue to safeguard our patrimony.

We are grateful for his dedication, wisdom, and steadfast commitment to Malta’s art and cultural heritage — shaping the very foundations of the field as we know it today.

Our sincere condolences to his family, friends, and colleagues. May he rest in peace 🕊️.

18/02/2026

As we close off the Carnival festivities and put away our masks… 🎭

One mask remains.

Watching over Villa Portelli in Kalkara, this striking grotesque figure sits proudly above an arched doorway — a symbolic guardian believed to ward off evil spirits and ill intentions.

As restoration works continue on the building, our stone conservators are carefully undertaking stratigraphic sampling to uncover traces of the colour that once adorned this sculptural relief.

Stay tuned as this silent guardian begins to reveal its story once more. ✨

Hekk kif nagħlqu l-festivitajiet tal-Karnival u nwarrbu l-maskri tagħna… 🎭

Maskra waħda tibqa’.

Għassa fuq Villa Portelli fil-Kalkara, din il-figura groteska impressjonanti tinsab fuq bieb — gwardjan simboliku maħsub li jbiegħed l-ispirti ħżiena u l-intenzjonijiet ħżiena.

Hekk kif ix-xogħlijiet ta’ restawr ikomplu fuq din il-binja, il-konservaturi tal-ġebel tagħna qed jieħdu kampjuni stratigrafiċi bir-reqqa biex jiskopru traċċi tal-kulur li darba kien iżejjen din l-iskultura.

Ibqgħu segwu din il-paġna hekk kif dan il-gwardjan sieket jibda jiżvela l-istorja tiegħu għal darb’oħra. ✨

14/02/2026

Dearest Gentle Reader,

On this most romantic of days, society has acquired two most intriguing visages from MUŻA — a lady of powdered elegance and a gentleman in the boldest crimson, his fingers poised above a waiting melody.

Her gaze is as composed as her silk bodice; his expression hints at talent and mischief alike. Yet one must wonder… is it merely music that lingers between them, or something far more tender?

For what is Valentine’s Day, if not a symphony of stolen glances and unspoken devotion?

May your day be filled with sweet confessions and a love bold enough to be heard.

Yours truly,
Lady Whistledown 🖋️