St John’s Co-Cathedral Caravaggio Wing wins Museums + Heritage Award

The Caravaggio Wing at St John’s Co-Cathedral has won an international award for its use of digital technology to tell the story of the artist’s work and his connection to Malta. 

The wing won the Best Use of Digital- International Award at the Museums + Heritage Awards, held at the Hilton on Park Lane in London on May 13.

The St John’s Co-Cathedral Foundation said it believed this was the first time a Maltese institution had won a Museums + Heritage Award.

Often described as the ‘Oscars’ of the museum world, the awards recognise leading museums, galleries, and heritage attractions from around the world.

L-R: Roanne Mangion, Marie Bartolo, Rosalie Farrugia and Marika Muscat representing St John's Co-Cathedral at the Museums + Heritage Awards. Photo: Hayley Bray

Other shortlisted projects included an AI tour by Qatar Museums, Mouthful of Dust at the State Library Victoria (Melbourne), The Director’s Dilemma at Industrimusset Horsens (Denmark), an immersive digital journey into Catalan heritage by the Catalan Heritage Agency and the National WWI Museum and Memorial in Kansas City, Missouri.

The Caravaggio Wing, inaugurated in 2024, is spread over two levels and focuses on the artist’s masterpieces housed at St John’s Co-Cathedral. 

The first level includes Caravaggio’s 1607 painting St Jerome Writing, alongside two interactive screens offering historical and educational information about the work and the artist. Visitors can also watch a 10-minute docudrama, Meet Caravaggio, which explores the artist’s life, career and time in Malta.

One part of the room projects detailed images of the painting onto a wall. Visitors can use an interactive torch to highlight specific details of the masterpiece. Another section focuses on scientific studies of the painting, including Caravaggio’s brushwork and use of chiaroscuro.

The €2.1 million interactive exhibit was funded through Operational Programme I - European Structural and Investment Funds 2014-2020 and part-financed by the European Regional Development Fund.

The foundation said the Caravaggio Wing welcomes an estimated 2.3 million visitors a year, with 95 per cent engaging with the Caravaggio section. Visitors spend an average of 45 minutes in the experience.

‘Technology should not take over’

AI specialist and academic, Dylan Seychell, was part of the technical design team to create the immersive and digital experience for guests at the Caravaggio Wing. Seychell led a team responsible for the digital specifications, procurement and experience design for the Wing’s interactive display, projections, docudrama and its audiovisual setup. 

“We wanted to find the best way for guests to truly enjoy the experience of these paintings and learn the history surrounding them,” he told Times of Malta. 

“We also wanted to strike a balance of appreciating the message the curator wanted to portray in the museum without technology taking over. It’s easy to be overwhelmed using technology and therefore miss out on the history.”

He also spoke of the importance of making sure the design and set-up of the Wing respects St John’s Co-Cathedral. 

“We wanted to ensure that the Caravaggio Wing entertained guests, but also respected the setting of the church,” he said.

Tonio Mallia, Chief Executive Officer of St John’s Co-Cathedral Foundation, said:

“Winning the Museums + Heritage Award is an extraordinary moment for St John’s Co-Cathedral and for Malta. From the beginning, the vision behind the Caravaggio Wing was to create an experience that would bring one of the world’s greatest masterpieces to life in a way that is emotionally powerful, intellectually engaging, and accessible to all. To receive this recognition on an international stage is a tremendous honour and a testament to the passion, creativity, and dedication of our entire team.”