Work has been completed on the Tunnara Museum project with an investment of almost half a million euros, 80% of which was co-financed by European funds.
The project was inaugurated by the Parliamentary Secretary for European Funds Chris Bonett, the Parliamentary Secretary for Local Government Alison Zerafa Civelli, and by the Mayor of Mellieħa Dario Vella.
This investment was made after damage to the museum’s structure was noticed in 2015. Therefore, through this project, the building of the museum has been restored and landscaping works have been carried out in the surrounding area to make the area more attractive to tourists.
The museum has been transformed into an interactive interpretation center where visitors can interactively see how tuna fishing was done in the past.
As a result of this investment, it is estimated that there will be an increase of about 1,000 visitors to the museum.
At the inauguration, Parliamentary Secretary Chris Bonett said that this project was partly funded by the European Regional Development Fund. Parliamentary Secretary Bonett said that thanks to European funds we are saving a historic building and investing in a museum that is part of our cultural heritage. Therefore, he said that another project has been carried out which will not only be enjoyed by the Maltese people but also by the tourists who come to visit the locality of Mellieħa.
Parliamentary Secretary for Local Government Alison Zerafa Civelli said that the Government is committed to continuing to restore historic sites such as this museum so that the Maltese cultural heritage can continue to be appreciated by future generations. “Restoring historical and cultural jewels is not only important for recognizing and respecting the heritage of our ancestors, but also creating new value in our localities,” said Parliamentary Secretary Zerafa Civelli.
Mayor Dario Vella said that today we have a place that thanks to this investment is no longer recognizable and that has been given the appropriate appearance that it deserves. He said that this museum, which is an important part of the local historical heritage, has become a special and unique attraction that can be enjoyed not only by the Maltese people, but also by the thousands of tourists who choose Mellieħa as their holiday destination.
The Tunnara Maritime Museum was built three hundred years ago during the time of Grand Master Perellos.
