Governor Frederick Ponsonby acquired a plot of land in the Bighi area to construct a hospital. Work on this hospital commenced in 1830, with the project costing twenty thousand pounds sterling. The complex was built in a neoclassical style based on designs by military engineer George Whitmore. In 1903, two additional blocks were added, one overlooking the bay of Rinella and the other facing the bay of Kalkara. The hospital closed in 1970, and in the subsequent years, the building was repurposed as a trade school.
Today, part of this complex serves as the Administrative Office of Heritage Malta, the national agency responsible for the protection of historical and cultural heritage, as well as the National Centre for Conservation and Restoration. The Restoration and Conservation Laboratories in Bighi offer restoration and conservation services, along with scientific diagnostic support for the museums and sites managed by Heritage Malta. Within these laboratories, conservation work is conducted on a wide variety of artifacts, including paintings, metals, ceramics, stone, textiles, books, and works on paper, as well as wood.
