Heritage Malta will be playing a leading role during the Notte Bianca to be held in Valletta this coming weekend. For this occasion the Heritage Malta museums in Valletta will be open free of charge and several events will be organized in the Museums and other venues.

The Tal-Pilar Church in West Street, which is usually not open to the public and which has recently been entrusted to Heritage Malta, will be open to visitors who will have an opportunity to see an exhibition of ecclesiastical silver from the National Collection. Another exhibition entitled "Views from Gozo" will be on view at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This exhibition consists of paintings of Gozo by Maltese and foreign artists from the National Collection. The public will also be able to view a number of antique maps of Malta from the recently acquired Ganado Map Collection at the Auberge de Castille. These maps are not normally on display and will be seen by the public for the first time on Saturday night.

The National Museum of Archaeology, the Palace Armoury and the National Museum of Fine Arts will be open from 6pm onwards. At the Museum of Fine Arts at 8.30pm visitors will be able to participate in a session of story telling by Maltese writer Savior Pirotta. In another part of the museum a male model will be posing for a small group of artists to be able to practice their art. A brass quintet from the National Orchestra will be providing background music during these events.

A hands-on activity will be held at the National Museum of Archaeology as members of the public will be given the opportunity to handle authentic artefacts whilst being given information about their possible uses, and the stories they tell us whilst a presentation and discussion will be held about some of the artefacts exhibited in the museum.

At the same time a Heritage Book Fair will be open at the Heritage Malta Head Office in Merchants Street. During the fair books published by Heritage Malta, Mid Sea Publishers and Sacred Islands will be available at heavily discounted prices. Anthony Catania's painting exhibition 'The Pied Piper' currently running at the Head Office will be open to the public throughout the night.