Il-Haġar - Heart of Gozo Museum

This Museum and Cultural Centre was created, and is run by Fondazzjoni Belt Victoria, enrolled with the Commissioner for Voluntary Organisation created, for this aim, among others, in 1998. Il-Ħaġar is the result of a major crowdfunding effort by the people of Victoria and numerous persons and corporate entities that contributed towards its realisation. It was also the recipient of significant financing through the European Regional Development Fund; Cohesion Policy 2007-2013 (Operational Programme 1: Investing in Competitiveness for a better quality of life).
The Museum and Cultural Centre was opened officially in 2013. It houses the significant artistic and historic patrimony of St George’s Parish Basilica, with which it is very closely associated, and donations and bequests it has recieved since the constitution of the Foundation. Among
these, one finds various liturgical objects, historical items and documents, and the unique donation by composer Prof. Joseph Vella (1942-2018) consisting of his entire ouvre spanning over 60 years: original classified works (156 compositions), apart from numerous other unclassified
works. The Joseph Vella Music Archive also includes the
relevant sketches, CDs, memorabilia and critical historical material.
Apart from the permanent collection, the Centre also includes a temporary exhibitions space, a number of Audiovisual rooms, a Rooftop terrace providing spectacular views of St George’s Basilica, the Castello with the skyline of Victoria and the rural landscape of Gozo.
Run and operated completely by volunteers, the Centre is open 7 days a week from 0900h to 1700h and is very active in the cultural and artistic scene of the island. The management of the centre is run by a wide spectrum of volunteers ranging from students to retirees, hailing from different backgrounds, including the business community, academia, the financial sector, education, science, technology and others.
The Centre is very active, organising events of its own, such as landmark exhibitions, public lectures, educational (particularly children’s) activities. It also hosts temporary exhibitions by third parties, private events and community initatitives. Il-Ħaġar also boasts a good number of publications, among which a recently-launched series named ‘Il-Ħaġar Gems’, of which this publication is the fifth. Il-Ħaġar is fully accessible for persons with limited mobility and is looking forward to expand its interpretation and experience to persons with different special needs. All contributions – including expertise – in this regard are most welcome.
Il-Ħaġar also strives to bear witness to the Christian heritage of the people of Gozo and to propose the Catholic way of life as a viable proposition in today’s world.