Up close and personal with national cultural artefacts
It is not an everyday thing to find yourself handling archaeological artefacts and old national inventories or coming close to prestigious paintings of famous artists or handling thousandyear-old skeletons and examples of natural history. Yet a group of students and volunteers are living this exceptional reality through various opportunities with Heritage Malta.
A collaboration between Heritage Malta and MCAST is enhancing the students’ knowledge and skills in cultural heritage by offering the opportunity of hands-on experience in a number of museums and sites. In fact, in these last months, a group of seven students who are attending MCAST’s Advanced Diploma in Cultural Heritage Skills have been gaining relevant work experience by helping out in different areas including: cataloguing collections and cleaning ceramics at the Inquisitor’s Palace, assisting conservators in frame restoration at Bighi Conservation Labs, digitising old photos at the National Museum of Archaeology, re-organising the stores of the national archaeological reserved collection, and participating in the setting up and taking down of temporary exhibitions.
This group is joined also by two volunteer students who are giving a helping hand at the National Museum of Archaeology. All students commended this opportunity which provided them with the means to understand better the richness and value of these national artefacts and the measures which are being taken to keep them protected for future generations.
“Anyone who has an appreciation for culture is welcome to assist in the never-ending work at the National Museum of Archaeology,” explained senior curator, Sharon Sultana. “With such help, Heritage Malta plans to extend the range of services it offers and therefore provide additional value to the general public. In return, all helpers will gain a unique life experience.”
Interested volunteers can apply by sending an email to info@heritagemalta.org. Information on MCAST’s Advanced Diploma in Cultural Heritage Skills can be found at http://mcast.edu.mt:8223/rfm/source/Prospectus/Prospectus_2018/index.html#p=124.