World Environment Day
6 June 2026 – 9:00 – 17:00 – Għar Dalam, Għar Dalam Road, Birżebbuġia
Celebrate World Environment Day at Għar Dalam on the 6th of June between 9am and 5pm.
A diverse range of environmental NGOs and entities will gather for the very first time in the stunning endemic gardens of Għar Dalam. Set against the backdrop of this prehistoric cave, museum, and Natura 2000 site, we invite you to celebrate World Environment Day and discover the important work being done to study and protect our environment, flora, and fauna.
Beyond the interactive exhibits and hands-on learning, visitors can:
Explore prehistory: Take the opportunity to explore the fantastic Ice Age fauna in the museum and learn about island environments before the arrival of humans.
Tour the valley: Book a guided tour of the adjoining Wied Dalam to witness the ongoing ecological restoration firsthand. BOOK HERE
Dig into science: A special learning experience for older children to step into the shoes of a palaeontologist, uncovering and recording artefacts in our simulation pits. BOOK HERE
Visit our website for more information.
Museums by Candlelight Valletta
6 June 2026 – 19:00 – 0:00 – Valletta, Malta
On Saturday, 6th June, the capital will be transformed into a glowing stage of history, art, and culture. For just €6, visitors can enjoy access to six historical sites, all open from 7:00pm to midnight (except for St John’s Co-Cathedral, last admission will be at 11PM) , illuminated by the soft, flickering glow of candlelight and enhanced with music, live performances, and a truly unforgettable atmosphere.
- Visit the National Museum of Archaeology, which offers a journey through Malta’s earliest history and showcases artefacts from the Neolithic to the Phoenician era. Set within the elegant Auberge de Provence, highlights include the Sleeping Lady and the Venus of Malta.
- Look around you in awe at the newly restored Grand Master’s Palace, Valletta’s architectural jewel and a symbol of national power for more than 450 years, now granting access to over eighty-five percent of the building’s footprint.
- Head to MUŻA – The National Community Art Museum, housed in the Auberge d’Italie, to explore artworks spanning from the 15th to the 21st century. The collection includes paintings, sculptures, furniture, silver, works on paper, and objets d’art, reflecting Malta’s artistic development within its Mediterranean and cultural context.
- The Church of St Catherine of Italy, nearby, will also be open to the public. Designed by Girolamo Cassar for the Italian Knights, it is the only surviving example of a Hospitaller church annexed to its original auberge.
- Experience St John’s Co-Cathedral like never before – lit by candlelight. Built in 1572 by the Knights of St John, this Baroque masterpiece features intricate marble floors, vaulted ceilings painted by Mattia Preti, and Caravaggio’s iconic The Beheading of St John the Baptist – the only work he ever signed. (Last admission will be at 11PM).
- For the first time, Museums by Candlelight will also open the doors of Fort St Elmo and the National War Museum. Located at the tip of the Sceberras Peninsula, the fort played a crucial role in the Great Siege of 1565, enduring a month-long Ottoman assault. Today, it stands as a powerful symbol of Malta’s military history.
General admission tickets, granting access to all six sites for just €6, can be purchased online HERE or from any Heritage Malta museum or site. Heritage Malta members enter free of charge, but pre-booking is required HERE.
Visit our website for more information.
European Archaeology Days – Salina Bay Excavation Open Day
12 June 2026 – 10:00 – 14:00 – Salini, Naxxar
As part of this year’s European Archaeology Days, join us on the 12th of June for a unique exploration of Malta’s underwater heritage at Salina Bay, from 10:00am to 2:00pm.
Organised in collaboration with Heritage Malta’s Underwater Cultural Heritage Unit and the University of Malta’s Maritime Archaeology Programme, this special event offers the public a rare opportunity to engage directly with the ongoing underwater excavation efforts in the bay. Visitors will be guided by members of the excavation team as they uncover the stories hidden beneath the waves.
In small groups, attendees can snorkel over the excavation site (own snorkelling gear required), experiencing the thrill of underwater archaeology first-hand. For those staying onshore, a 360° virtual dive through the “Dive into History” experience will provide an immersive view of the submerged site, while artefact interaction sessions will bring Malta’s maritime past to life.
A small display of artefacts recovered during previous excavation seasons will also be exhibited, offering visitors a closer look at some of the discoveries that have helped researchers better understand Malta’s rich underwater cultural heritage.
This event is free and open to the public. The meeting point is located here. Whether you’re diving in or exploring from land, this celebration of European Archaeology Days offers a fascinating look into Malta’s lesser-seen cultural treasures.
Visit our website for more information.
European Archaeology Days – Torchlight Tour
12 June 2026 – 20:30 – 22:00 – Ħal Tarxien Prehistoric Complex, Triq It-Tempji Neolitici, Ħal Tarxien, Malta
As part of this year’s European Archaeology Days, Torchlight Tours will take place at the Ħal Tarxien Prehistoric Complex on the 12th of June 2026. The tours will be delivered in Maltese and English, simultaneously from 8.30pm till 10.00pm, taking you across a human story more than 5000 years in the making.
For millennia, the megalithic structures at Ħal Tarxien lay in silence, waiting beneath the soil, until their rediscovery in 1915. Since then, the complex has remained one of the most astounding archaeological sites to have been discovered in the Mediterranean, inevitably breaking the silence which had prevailed since prehistory.
Here is your chance to tour the complex after hours with the site’s curators, away from the hustle and bustle of visitors during the day.
Tickets may be purchased online from here or from any Heritage Malta museum or site.
Visit our website for more information.
European Archaeology Days – Curator’s Tour
13 June 2026 – 9:00 – 18:30 & 14 June 2026 – 16:00 – 18:30 – Auberge de Provence, Republic Street, Valletta, Malta
As part of this year’s European Archaeology Days, on Saturday 13th and Sunday 14th June, Heritage Malta invites you to discover the National Museum of Archaeology in Valletta through engaging guided curatorial tours.
Set within the historic Auberge de Provence, each curatorial tour begins with an introduction to the main exhibition, followed by a focused explanation of the Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum skulls, which form part of the permanent display. The tour continues with a showcase of selected pieces from the Reserve Collection, including Greek vases, as well as inscriptions and stelae that are not part of the permanent exhibition.
Two tours will take place each day: on Saturday, one in Maltese from 16:00 to 17:00 and one in English from 17:30 to 18:30, and on Sunday, one in English from 16:00 to 17:00 and one in Maltese from 17:30 to 18:30.
Tickets, costing €15 for the general public and €10 for Heritage Malta members, are available online at www.heritagemalta.mt/store and at all Heritage Malta museums and sites.
Visit our website for more information.
European Archaeology Days – Kordin Tours
13 June 2026 – 10:00 – 15:00 – Kordin III, Paola, Malta
As part of this year’s European Heritage Days, Heritage Malta invites you to explore Kordin III in Paola – a lesser-known megalithic site hidden within today’s urban landscape, located between MCAST and Għajn Dwieli Church.
Kordin III once stood among a cluster of megalithic sites, forming part of a wider Neolithic community across the Kordin plateau. Today, it remains the sole surviving witness to this once enigmatic landscape.
Join our guides as they uncover the story of this place and trace its connections to nearby prehistoric landmarks such as the Tarxien Prehistoric Complex, the Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum, and the Santa Luċija Hypogeum -remnants of a landscape long lost to time.
Four tours will take place, alternating between Maltese and English, scheduled at:
Visit our website for more information.
European Archaeology Days – St Paul’s Catacombs
14 June 2026 – 9:00 – 12:00 – St Paul’s Catacombs, Triq Hal-Bajjada, Ir-Rabat, Malta
As part of this year’s European Archaeology Days, guided tours given by the Curatorial Section will take place at St Paul’s Catacombs in Rabat on Sunday 14th June, alternating in English and Maltese every hour from 9:00am until 12:00pm. The tours are open to visitors of all ages.
This experience explores the key aspects of St Paul’s Catacombs that led to the site’s recognition with the European Heritage Label, highlighting its importance within the shared cultural history of Europe. Malta’s underground burial traditions reveal strong connections with wider Mediterranean influences, while also showcasing a distinctive architectural identity and a close relationship with the surrounding landscape.
By examining the catacombs’ architecture, decorative features, and the artefacts on display, visitors will gain a deeper understanding of the cultural and historical context of this remarkable funerary complex.
Visit our website for more information.
Ask the Curator
21 June 2026 – 10:00 – 11:00 – St Paul’s Catacombs, Triq Hal-Bajjada, Ir-Rabat, Malta
Step beyond the display case and into conversation!
Ask the Curator, taking place on Sunday 21st June between 10:00am and 11:00am, invites you to meet the curator behind the collection in an informal and engaging setting at the Visitor Centre of St Paul’s Catacombs in Rabat – Malta’s first site to be awarded the prestigious European Heritage Label.
Serving as a burial ground during Punic, Roman and Byzantine times, the catacombs offer some of the earliest archaeological evidence of Christianity in Malta, while also reflecting centuries of religious coexistence and shared cultural heritage.
This is your opportunity to explore the stories behind the artefacts on display. Come prepared with your questions and curiosities and take part in a dynamic exchange that brings the collection to life.
Visit our website for more information.