ICOM-MALTA

🏛️ What happens when visitors no longer recognise the stories behind the objects they see in museums?

In our latest blog, Chiara Cecalupo explores the impact of religious illiteracy on museum communication and asks how we can make Christian heritage meaningful for today’s diverse audiences. 🌍

📖 From storytelling to new approaches in interpretation, discover how museums can help cultural heritage continue to speak.

🔗 Read the full blog: www.icom-malta.com/resources

🤖 How is Artificial Intelligence shaping the future of museums?

ICOM, in partnership with UNESCO, has launched a global survey to explore how museums around the world are using AI, the opportunities it presents, and the challenges it brings.

Museums of all types and sizes are invited to participate and share their experiences. Your contribution will help inform a joint UNESCO–ICOM report that will support future policy, ethical guidance, and capacity-building across the museum sector.

🗓️ Survey deadline: 21 July 2026

We encourage all museum professionals in Malta to take part and help shape the future of AI in museums.

🔗 Complete the survey: https://icom.museum/en/news/unesco-and-icom-launch-global-survey-on-the-use-of-artificial-intelligence-in-museums/

🥳 𝗜𝗖𝗢𝗠 𝗠𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗮 𝗠𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 👇

As part of our ongoing Digitisation Project, we've developed a FREE Digitisation Toolkit 🗂️✨

Created in collaboration with The National Archives of Malta, this free toolkit offers practical guidance for preserving and documenting valuable cultural material.

🎉 We'll be officially launching the toolkit during this Friday's Archive & Memory talk - join us!

One month ago, we gathered to explore an important question:

How can museums become stronger spaces of connection in our communities? 🌍

Through discussions on youth engagement, mental wellbeing, inclusivity, intercultural dialogue, shared heritage, and support for cultural professionals, participants exchanged ideas and practical approaches that place people at the heart of museum practice.

Here are some highlights from the day ✨

📸 Audrey Rose Mizzi

🥳 𝗜𝗖𝗢𝗠 𝗠𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗮 𝗠𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 👇

MICAS International Symposium – MICAS Operational Programme I – European Structural and Investment Funds 2014-2020 “Fostering a competitive and sustainable economy to meet our challenges”. Project may be part-financed by the European Regional Development Fund Co-financing rate: 80% European Union Funds; 20% National Funds.

A few weeks on from the ICOM Malta International Museum Day 2026 Seminar, we're still reflecting on the inspiring conversations, shared experiences, and meaningful connections that emerged throughout the morning.

Under the theme Museums as Spaces of Connection, museum professionals, educators, cultural practitioners, and community leaders came together to explore how museums can foster wellbeing, inclusivity, intercultural dialogue, and community engagement ✨

Thank you to everyone who joined us and contributed to making this seminar such a valuable exchange of ideas.

📸 Celine Portelli & Audrey Rose Mizzi

🙌🙌

F’dan il-Jum Internazzjonali tal-Mużewijiet, niċċelebraw kif il-mużewijiet jgħaqqdu dinja maqsuma—billi joħolqu spazju fejn vuċijiet diversi jinstemgħu u l-komunitajiet jingħaqdu.

Fil-MICAS, il-wirja li għadna kif ftaħna, ‘𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗴𝗶𝗲 𝗕𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘀 𝗛𝗼𝗱𝗴𝗲𝘀:𝙈𝙚𝙡𝙖' għandha aktar minn 30 pittura ġdida li qatt ma ntwerew qabel, maħluqa minn Hodges fiż-żmien li qatta’ Malta. Dawn il-pitturi huma mifruxa fuq l-erba’ sulari ewlenin tal-gallariji tal-mużew, fosthom l-akbar tila fil-karriera tiegħu. ‘Mela’ tirrappreżenta l-aktar xogħol ambizzjuż ta’ Hodges fil-karriera tiegħu sa issa.

Ejja ara djalogu bejn artist u gżira jinbidel f’arti.

Ħ𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗷𝗶𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗮𝗹-𝗳𝘁𝘂ħ 𝘁𝗮𝗹-𝗠𝗜𝗖𝗔𝗦:
It-Tnejn: Magħluq
Mit-Tlieta sal-Ħamis: 10:00 – 18:00
Mill-Ġimgħa sas-Sibt: 10:00 – 20:00
Il-Ħadd: 10:00 – 18:00

𝗜𝗹-Ħ𝗱𝘂𝗱, 𝗶𝗱-𝗱ħ𝘂𝗹 𝗵𝘂𝘄𝗮 𝗯’𝘅𝗲𝗷𝗻 𝗯’𝘁𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝗶 𝗴𝘄𝗶𝗱𝗮 𝗯’𝘅𝗲𝗷𝗻 𝘂𝗸𝗼𝗹𝗹 𝗳𝗶𝗹-𝟭𝟭𝗮𝗺.

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This International Museum Day, we celebrate how museums unite a divided world—by creating spaces where diverse voices are heard and communities come together.

At MICAS, our newly opened exhibition ‘𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗴𝗶𝗲 𝗕𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘀 𝗛𝗼𝗱𝗴𝗲𝘀:𝙈𝙚𝙡𝙖' features over 30 never-before-seen paintings by Hodges, created during his time in Malta. Spanning over 30 new paintings across the museum’s four main gallery floors, including the largest canvases of his career, ‘𝙈𝙚𝙡𝙖’ represents Hodges’s most ambitious body of work to date.

Come see where dialogue between an artist and an island becomes art.

🕰️ MICAS 𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀 :
- Monday: Closed
- Tuesday – Thursday: 10:00 – 18:00
- Friday – Saturday: 10:00 – 20:00
- Sunday: 10:00 – 18:00

𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗮𝗱𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗴𝘂𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗮𝘁 𝟭𝟭𝗮𝗺 𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘆𝘀

📸 Tonio Lombardi

Curious about ICOM Malta and what we do?

Join us during the Museums as Spaces of Connection Seminar and take the opportunity to meet the ICOM Malta committee in person, learn more about our work within Malta’s museum and cultural heritage sector, and discover the benefits of becoming a member.

We’re also here to listen — to your ideas, experiences, challenges, and thoughts on the future of museums in Malta. Whether you’re already working in the sector, studying cultural heritage, or simply passionate about museums, we’d love to connect and continue building a stronger museum community together.

📅 Friday, 22 May 2026
⏰ 08:30AM – 13:00PM
📍 Catholic Institute, Floriana

Registration & Programme: https://www.icom-malta.com/events/museums-spaces-for-change

Come meet us, ask questions, share your perspective, and be part of the conversation.