About MUŻA

Meet the Team

Bernadine Scicluna, Principal Curator at MUŻA, believes that every curator’s mission is to extend the life of the National Collection by safeguarding its material and historical integrity and by making it accessible to the community at large. She holds an M.A. in History of Art from the University of Malta. Focusing primarily on the 19th-century art collection, her curatorial responsibilities also include the study and upkeep of the drawings, prints and Malta maps. She has delivered many public presentations and contributed many essays on various areas of art history, as well as published a book on a collection of 19th-century drawings from the Malta National Library.

Email: bernadine.scicluna@gov.mt 

Dr Katya Micallef, Principal Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art at MUŻA, is a doctorate graduate from Kingston University London where she completed her thesis under Prof. Fran Lloyd within the Visual and Material Culture Research Centre. She read History of Art for her Master’s degree under the tutorship of Prof J.P. Cassar. For her Bachelor of Arts degree, she conducted research on Victor Pasmore which later formed the backbone of a Heritage Malta publication and MUZA permanent display. Her specialization is post 1945 Visual Arts to the present day and she has contributed to a number of research publications. She is a visiting lecturer at the University of Malta and has held the position of senior lecturer at MCAST Institute of Art and Design.

Email address: katya.micallef@gov.mt 

Krystle Farrugia, Curator at MUŻA. She contributes towards the museum display, didactic material, research, collections management and other day-to-day activities together with the rest of the curatorial team. She is a PhD student on print and book history at the Institute of English Studies, School of Advanced Study, University of London. She also carries out research on Old Master drawings. She has two M.A.s from the University of Malta, in art history and in literary tradition and popular culture, and holds a B.A. (Hons) in History of Art from the same university. She has given guest lectures, presented papers at international conferences, and published in books and journals.

Email: krystle.farrugia@gov.mt

Renato Fenech, Gallery Site Officer. Renato has been with Heritage Malta for six years. During this time he has worked at and gained extensive knowledge about the Agency’s different sites and museums. His knowledge of history and genuine interest in learning more about MUŻA enables him to perform his duties as a Gallery Site Officer to high standards. He deals directly with museum visitors always making sure to accommodate their needs and to provide them with a rewarding experience especially when conducting tours round the galleries.

Maria Galea, Site Executive. Maria is currently the Site Executive for MUŻA, Tal-Pilar Church, Villa Frere & Villa Guardamangia. Maria was a Gallery Site Officer at MUŻA between 2018 and 2021. She joined Heritage Malta as a Front Office Assistant and worked in all of the Agency’s Museums and Sites around Malta, including the Palace Armoury, the War Museum, the Archaeology Museum in Valletta and St Paul’s Catacombs in Rabat. Her experience also covers the Inquisitor’s Palace and the Maritime Museum in Vittoriosa. In 2021, she obtained a Certificate in ‘Proof Reading in Maltese Language’ from the University of Malta. Vincent Apap’s ‘Temptation of St Anthony the Abbot’ and Antoine Favray’s ‘The Visit’ are among her favourite artworks at MUŻA. Travelling and reading biographies are among her many hobbies.

Claudienne Gili, Coordinator (Operations). 32 years ago Claudienne joined the Museums Department  as a Custodian and Guide which later became Heritage Malta. Meeting people from various countries with different cultures and explaining  to them the history of our heritage is the thing she likes most about her job. Her challenge at work is to have the ability to try and answer the questions that our visitors especially students may ask.