Museums

Ex Voto Museum

Similar to other national sanctuaries, at the Ta' Pinu Basilica one can admire thousands of Ex Voto offerings placed in the main corridors of the sanctuary. The Latin words ex voto suscepto, means "from the vow made" are signs of gratitude and devotion to the heavenly Mother of Ta' Pinu. Ex-votos take a wide variety of forms. They are not only intended for the helping figure, but also as a testimony to later visitors of the received help. They may also include paintings with texts explaining a miracle attributed to the helper or symbols or modelled reproduction of a miraculously healed body part. One of the oldest painting ex-voto is dated May 1886. However it should be noted that Franġisk Portelli was one of the witnesses of the first miraculous cure, ever existed in the annals of the sanctuary. The extraordinary recovery of Vincenza Portelli, Franġisk's mother happened in October 1886. Franġisk together with two of his brothers, went to the Ta' Pinu Chapel, recited the Rosary for the recovery of their mother and made a vow, that if their mother will recover from her illness, they would hang a lamp in front of the image of the Blessed Virgin of Ta' Pinu and supply the oil to keep the lamp burning, as long as they could afford it. On the following day, their mother felt better and lived for more than two and a half years untroubled by her disease. Bishop Nicholas Cauchi in his book "Ta' Pinu Shrine... The Pilgrims' Haven", writes: "this was the start of a long list of heavenly favours granted through the intercession of Our Lady of Ta’ Pinu".

The Sanctuary Museum

The Museum was inaugurated in 2008 at the main sacristy of the Basilica. This museum contains many artefacts in relation to the history of the sanctuary, such as the Papal visit of John Paul II in 1990, the offering of the Golden Rose by Pope Benedict XVI in 2010. It also holds a unique exhibition in the Maltese island of 20 original paintings of the famous Maltese artist Emvin Cremona, while other 12 original paintings of Joseph Briffa are being restored and soon they will be added with this museum. This restoration is possible due to obtained EU financial grant under the European Regional Development Fund for Malta 2007 - 2013, Project: "Discovering cultural and religious tourism in Gozo".

The Karmni Grima Museum

The house of Karmni Grima, the peasant lady who heard the call of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Ta' Pinu was officially opened as a museum on the 2 May 1965. But due of some structural damages this house was close for public. Now it has been restored and upgraded and re-opened for public on the 8th December 2013. This restoration was also possible due to EU financial grant under the European Regional Development Fund for Malta 2007 - 2013, Project: "Discovering cultural and religious tourism in Gozo". The restoration works at the museum included minor structural and conversion works, new electrical installation, an audio visual presentation on the life of Karmni Grima, the installation of a lift to make the museum accessible to all and the installation of photovoltaic cells to improve the energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions.