The parish museum at the church of the Nativity of Mary, Naxxar has been restored with the aim for it to also serve as a tourist attraction, the Tourism Ministry said.

This was announced during a press conference addressed by Tourism Minister Clayton Bartolo and the Chairman of the Malta Tourism Authority (MTA), Gavin Gulia, in the presence of representatives from Naxxar’s Cultural Heritage Association.

The Ministry pointed out that although the museum was established in 1994, it has never been open to the public on a daily basis. The MTA said it committed itself to assisting Naxxar’s Cultural Heritage Association so that the church is restored and can be more accessible for both Maltese and tourists throughout the year.

“We are noticing that there are millions of tourists, especially from the American market, travelling to Europe on a spiritual journey. Therefore, the MTA is investing more in this touristic niche so that our country can enjoy more diversified and quality tourism,” Bartolo said.

He added that the cultural history of Malta’s localities and churches should not remain closed off from the public. Instead, they should be open so that Maltese and tourists can enjoy them.

Gulia said that making this museum open to everyone shows that they are continuing to implement the authority’s strategy in the tourist sector, whilst keeping it sustainable.

“Tourists will have the opportunity to explore local towns and villages beyond the main tourist areas, where they can also experience the typical life that was lived in several Maltese and Gozitan villages,” Gulia said.