As the European Heritage Days are soon coming up, Heritage Malta are organising three different types of events for the Maltese public to attend as the learn more about the country’s rich history.

Tonight, the 6^th October, Jordan Sant will be giving a talk about the Roman expansion and will analyse the establishment of the Roman Republic as the major power in the Mediterranean. From a minor settlement by the Tiber, Rome became the dominant power in the Italian Peninsula, to eventually collide and conquer other powerful empires.

The talk will be held at St Paul’s Catacombs in Rabat, at 6om. Tickets are free, but pre-booking is required through here. (Roman Expansion in the Mediterranean by Jordan Sant - Heritage Malta)

Tomorrow, the 7^th October, many of their Valletta museums will be open till late.

The National Museum of Archaeology and MUŻA – the Malta National Community Art Museum will be open between 6:00 pm and midnight, whilst the Grand Master’s Palace and Armoury will be open until 10:30pm.

At the former, visitors can enjoy travelling through the Maltese Islands’ prehistory and early history, with artefacts dating back from Malta’s Neolithic period (5900-2500BC) up till the early Phoenician period (8th century BC).

MUŻA offers an intriguing collection of works of art from the 14th to the 21st century, ranging from paintings and sculptures to furniture, silverware, works on paper and objets d’art. On the occasion of Notte Bianca, visitors will be able to join a special experience around the museum’s corridors and galleries entitled Tour mal-Kuratur.

Lastly, the Grand Master’s Palace and Armoury, the first building to be constructed in the new capital city and Heritage Malta’s most ambitious project to date, will also be welcoming visitors on the same night.

On Sunday, 8^th October, Heritage Malta is inviting you to set foot into a time warp hurling you three centuries back by visiting the Gran Castello Historic House in Gozo, open for free with guided tours, on the occasion of its 40th anniversary since its opening as a Folklore Museum.

The cluster of houses is a residential complex the origins of which go back to the late 15th century. As it changed hands over the years, it underwent structural additions and modifications resulting in the edifice we see today. During the 1930s, restoration works were carried out on the initiative of the then British governor of Malta, Sir Harry Luke. Since then, it served as a rearing place for livestock and poultry until it was secured by the Maltese government who saw to its preservation and eventual rehabilitation as a Folklore Museum in 1983.

To highlight its residential and urban character, this historic house has been lately branded under a new concept that reflects its true nature: a historic residence for well-to-do Gozitan families in the Citadel during the 18th century as the period in focus. Consequently, it was renamed ‘Gran Castello Historic House’. This transformation was also in line with the recommendations of the Cittadella Master Plan presented in 2010.

On Sunday 8th October, the historic house will greet visitors with activities ranging from live demonstrations of traditional trades related to weaving and lace making, to traditional games for children. Guided tours will be offered in English and Maltese at 11am and 2:30pm respectively, on first come first served basis. Entrance to the historic house will be free of charge and no pre-booking is required. The museum will be open between 9am and 5pm, with last admissions at 4:30pm.