Over January and Febuary, an exhibition of vintage lovers’ cards by the Gozo Philatelic Society was on display in our philatelic showcase.
The exhibits are mostly from the World War I period featuring mostly
servicemen. The cards are mainly hand-coloured with a few having gilding
decorations. Examples include one card chronographed in Berlin by
Raphael Tuck and others produced by Dresden’s Stengel and Platine Noyer
in Paris.
Being 100 years old, the cards are of special significance to people who research social aspects.
The exhibition has also been featured on the national newspaper Times of Malta
On the occasion of the first anniversary of Pawlu Mizzi’s death, a meeting was held at Il-Ħaġar museum during which (introduced by Mr Sergio Grech) Hon. Evarist Bartolo, Dr Louis Galea and Mr Anton Tabone spoke about how they remember him and why they consider him as an important personality. Mr Joseph Mizzi concluded by thanking all those who are making this commemoration a success. Follow the discussion below.
On 5 August, the actual anniversary, 6pm Mass will be held at St George’s Basilica in suffrage. At 7.30pm, the Roof at Il-Ħaġar will be hosting the presentation, with readings and other interventions, of Mid-Dinja Ċkejkna Tiegħi (a 300 pager collected from Mizzi’s autobiographical writings, with numerous photos).
In the meantime, an exhibition about his life and times continues at Il-Ħaġar (9am to 5pm seven days a week). “From the heart of Gozo to the soul of Maltese literature” consists of numerous interesting photos and quotations which are also included in the bi-lingual publication (number 8 in the Il-Ħaġar GEMS series) specially prepared for the occasion.
Various manuscripts and other items are on show, including donations by his family. A marble plaque has been unveiled by his widow. A video and sound recordings can be followed. Other books of his are also available. A feature on the exhibition could be followed further belowe.
Kommemorazzjoni ta’ Pawlu Mizzi f’San Ġorġ u fil-ĦAĠAR
Fl-okkażjoni tal-ewwel anniversarju mill-mewt ta’ Pawlu Mizzi, saret laqgħa fil-mużew Il-Ħaġar (immexija minn Sergio Grech) li fiha Evarist Bartolo, Louis Galea u Anton Tabone tkellmu dwar it-tifkiriet tagħhom u għax iħossu l-importanza ta’ Pawlu. Joseph Mizzi rringrazzja lil dawk kollha li qed jagħmlu suċċess minn din it-tfakkira. Segwi d-diskussjoni fil-filmat mehmuż hawn fuq.
Fil-jum propju, il-5 t’Awwissu, il-quddiesa tas-6pm fil-Bażilika ta’ San Ġorġ se tkun għal ruħu. Imbagħad fis-7.30 se jiġi preżentat Mid-Dinja Ċkejkna Tiegħi, ktieb ta’ tliet mitt paġna li jiġbor sensiela ta’ artikli awtobijografiċi mżewqin b’ritratti tal-epoka. Se jinqraw siltiet, flimkien ma’ interventi oħra.
Sadattant tkompli (mid-9am sal-5pm, sebat ijiem fil-ġimgħa) il-wirja fil-Ħaġar “Mill-Qalb t’Għawdex għar-ruħ tal-Letterature Maltija” li tikkonsisti minn ritratti u kwotazzjoni li jinsabu anki f’publikazzjoni bilingwi (numru 8 fis-sensiela Il-Ħaġar GEMS) preparata għall-okkażjoni.
Diversi manuskritti u oġġetti oħra huma għall-wiri, inklużi donazzjonijiet mill-familja tiegħu. Irħama ta’ tifkira inkixfet mill-armla Maria. Vidjo u rikordings jistgħu jiġu segwiti u hemm ukoll kotba oħra tiegħu. Segwi filmat dwar il-wirja hawn taht.
Upon entry and throughout their visit, visitors are expected to maintain good hand hygiene and to make use of alcohol hand sanitising gel (automatic) located at the entrance of the museum.
Visitors are encouraged to wear a face mask/visor and practice social distancing throughout their visit to the museum. Face masks are available at the front desk against a donation of €1.00.
Visitors should avoid making use of the toilets. Should such use be required, anti-bacterial soup, water and disposable paper towels are available.
Air conditioning and touch screens shall not be available.
It
is with great pleasure that Il-Ħaġar Museum reopens its doors. The easing of the Covid-19 national partial lockdown has now made it
possible.
The day we pinned the notice on our locked-up door that
the Museum had been closed to the public because of the gathering pandemic was
a sad day. That day was almost a hundred days ago.
To the extent that regulations allowed, we sought to make
good use of these “lost” days to carry out improvements and finish works in
progress, which means that we tried to make the best use of this culturally
catastrophic period.
Now that cultural entities such as ours are being allowed
to reopen, with all the necessary precautions in place for the safety of both
our volunteers and visitors, we are so happy to be able once again to say
“welcome” and to make this cultural place, unique to these islands, accessible
to the public.
We are pleased to announce that Il-Ħaġar Museum will be reopening its doors this Saturday 20 June, maintaining the same opening hours of 9.00am to 5.00pm seven days a week.
However, the first
day will be extended till 9.00pm since Il-Ħaġar will be holding a reopening celebration at 7.00pm, to
which all patrons, friends, supporters and visitors are cordially invited.
Besides the permanent exhibits, the museum will be offering a view of some reserve artworks.
Moreover, the Gozo Philatelic Society showcase will feature the Edward Caruana Dingli San Ġorġ tal-Ħaġar stamp, issued recently by SEPAC (Small European Postal Administration Cooperations) .
The two SEPAC stamps issued by Maltapost
The Roof Terrace will also be open tothe public as of this Saturday.
Today
is the 250th anniversary to the day when the scholar, writer and patriot Gian
Pietro Francesco Agius de Soldanis passed into the fulness of eternal life.
Fondazzjoni Belt Victoria states that this Gozitan patriot is and shall always
remain the pride of the ancient town of Victoria and a prominent benefactor of
the parish of St George that he loved and served.
Born on 1 November 1712, GPF Agius de Soldanis became a priest
of St George’s and later canon
of the castello’s matrice. He wrote the first history of Gozo, published works
in Maltese philology, produced the first Maltese grammar, organized the
conventual library of the Order of St John in Valletta which became the
National Library and served as a procurator at St George’s, his home parish in
Gozo. He died in Valletta on 30 January 1770 and was buried in the collegiate
church of St Paul.
On the
initiative of Fondazzjoni Belt Victoria, then mayor Dr Samuel Azzopardi
unveiled a commemorative plaque in his honour on the eve of the inauguration of
Il-Ħaġar Museum, the 22nd of February 2013.
On New
Year’s Day Il-Ħaġar Museum announced a tour-pilgrimage to the Holy Land led by
Curator Mr Dr Joseph Farrugia between the 3rd and the 10th of March 2020. The
group, which is limited to 25, will be visiting Jerusalem, Nazareth, Bethlehem,
Tiberias, Tabor, Capernaum, the Jordan Valley, Cana, Ein Karim, Beit Jalal and
Lydda, the Qumran, the Templar City of Acre, the Fortress of Masada and other
cultural sites including the Yad Vashem.
The
price of €1480 covers everything: flights to and from Tel Aviv, accommodation
in the historic centres of Nazareth, Bethlehem and Jerusalem, full board (breakfast,
lunch and dinner), a private coach, the service of a fully licensed local
guide, and entrance fees to Capernahum, Acre, Masada, Qumran and Dead
Sea.
One of the main aims behind the creation of Il-Ħaġar
Museum, and as stated in the application for funds submitted to the European
Regional Development Fund (ERDF), is “to ensure adequate resources for the
long term conservation of the collection displayed.” In fact, ahead of its
opening in 2013, Il-Ħaġar Museum had carried out restoration and conservation
works on a number of paintings and artefacts which eventually earned themselves
a place on permanent display.
Seven years on, the museum is excited to be
embarking on a similar venture which includes the restoration and conservation
of Filippo Fortunato Venuti’s The Four Evangelists (1898) and The Apotheosis of
Saint George (1897).
These works, which will be conducted by expert
restorer Sara Mattioli, who has been entrusted with similar works by the
Government and Heritage Malta, will be taking place at Il-Ħaġar Museum (Level
2), so that visitors would be able to see first hand the progress of the works,
and understand and appreciate the process involved.
Il-Ħaġar Museum is welcoming any donations in
favour of this initiative either directly at the museum or to Il-Ħaġar
Restoration and Conservation Fund bank accounts:
