Having recently received the National Audit Office’s award for ‘best practice’ governance of public funds, Science Malta is in the news again for the success achieved by its Interactive Science Centre Esplora in Kalkara. Esplora was recently awarded the Travellers’ Choice Award Winner 2024 certificate by Tripadvisor.com, the world’s largest travel platform that has over a billion reviews and contributions. Tripadvisor, with its distinctive green-and-black logo, is the go-to website, prior to going anywhere else, and “connects people to experiences worth sharing, and aims to be the world’s most trusted source for travel and experiences”.
Every year, millions of travellers submit reviews of destinations, attractions, hotels and other services to the Tripadvisor.com website. The Travellers’ Choice Awards honour travellers’ choices, based on the reviews and opinions collected on Tripadvisor over a year. The Travellers’ Choice Award, formerly the Certificate of Excellence, recognises businesses that consistently earn great reviews, thus earning their place among the top 10% of listings on Tripadvisor world-wide. The criteria for the selection process are very stringent, and reviews are rigorously checked for authenticity. A minimum threshold number of reviews is required, and positive ratings must have been consistently maintained over the 12-month period under review.
Science Malta CEO, Mr Silvio Scerri, expressed the satisfaction felt by all staff members, in particular those directly connected with the day-to-day running of Esplora, and its constant development through more and better exhibits and activities for all visitors. He said that winning the Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice Award (following hot on the heels of the NAO good governance award) is a recognition of the sterling service provided to the public, as expressed by the best judges, the visitors themselves. This highlights the effective leadership of the Science Malta and Esplora management, and the sense of dedication and commitment shown by the many teams striving to offer the best visitor experience possible. Mr Scerri also said that this award is proof of the contribution that Esplora makes to the attractiveness of Malta as a tourist destination, over and above the service that it provides to locals and visitors, young and old, daily. He underlined the fact that this recognition augurs well for the future of the newly-set-up government agency, Science Malta, in its endeavours to popularise science and science-education among the general population.
Esplora, the National Interactive Science Centre, partly financed by EU funds, was opened in 2016, and is the public outreach arm for Science Malta. It also serves as the venue for many collaborative and cooperative, national and international meetings in science-related sectors. Visitors to Esplora are encouraged to explore, think and imagine by the over 200 exhibits and activities there, cultivating a culture of scientific curiosity and imagination, and igniting a passion for science. The Planetarium is the biggest attraction at Esplora, with a stunning 10.7 metre-diameter structure, and a state-of-the art theatre system, which allows the planetarium to show full-dome shows, and live presenter-led visualisations of astronomy and other sciences.
Esplora is housed in the historic Bighi complex that used to house the British Naval Military hospital, and boasts spectacular views over the Grand Harbour and its majestic fortifications, also making its open-air grounds a popular venue for wedding celebrations and other entertainment events.
