National Gallery Treasure Hunt

Please arrive early as there is normally a queue. (Expect up to 25 minutes as pre-booking has recently been suspended due to security reasons for the Van Gogh exhibition. Pre- booking which lets you enter within 5 minutes should start again once it's finished after Xmas).

The National Gallery was founded in 1824, after the British government bought a collection of 38 pictures from the banker and collector John Julius Angerstein, consisting of Italian, Dutch and English works.

We have a unique take on Treasure Hunts that broadens your art knowledge while sleuthing around gallery rooms. These take place on Sundays.

You are all presented with a sheet of 20 part images taken from paintings in a few designated rooms. They could be body parts, buildings or scenery. As far as faces go, we’re talking eyes only. A real test. But regulars know how to find them!

You will also have a map of the Gallery. The selected adjoining rooms are listed P, Q, R and S. The clipboard holder enters the room letter to note the image location.

Your team mission is to find them. Usually it’s teams of four depending on numbers.

Dead simple, right? Well, yes, if you can spot them all. Generally though, results are always close.

Check photos for the previous Hunt sheet. If you’re new, you can see what your team has to do. Stella said " I was apprehensive about trying this, but once I did, I loved it, our team was great fun".

We are a very happy and friendly group whose membership for some goes back eight years.

It’s very addictive wandering around looking at famous artwork. Our events make you see new parts of a painting you hadn’t noticed before. Or that fresh work has been introduced.

We’ve done quite a few in the last two years and feel very much at home here. There's plenty of seating around to take the odd rest and look at the same time.

Please arrive early as there is normally a queue. (Expect up to 25 minutes as pre-booking has recently been suspended due to security reasons for the Van Gogh exhibition. Pre- booking should start again once it's finished).

Picture Hunts are interesting and challenging, bringing out the best of your teams detecting skills.

We meet in the large meeting area between the shop and Gallery’s Espresso cafe. Look out for me under a red Meetup cap!

The starting process is as follows. The earlier your team sets off, the more time you have. So turning up early ready for a 1.30 start is a bonus.

Team answer sheets have to be back by 3.15.

We meet back in the same area by the Espresso cafe where we mark up. In case of a tiebreak, there will be a general art knowledge numerical question where the “nearest to” wins.

First team prizes are £10 supermarket gift vouchers. Asda, Tesco, M and S, Sainsbury’s and John Lewis/Waitrose. Other prizes of Wetherspoon gift vouchers and/or chocolate are dependant on numbers.

There is also a prize for the funniest team name (if there are at least four teams). So there’s everything to play for. Some players are thinking of team names before they turn up!

We always pop into the local Montague Pyke Wetherspoon for a quick drink after if anybody so wishes.

Hunts are good fun and the proven experience so far is that members get to know each other better after working in teams as you all have to communicate. Great icebreakers. This is what Meetup is all about. Come and join us.

There is a £6 cash charge for this event. I supply a pen and clipboard but it helps you to bring a pen as well.

Contact number on the day is 07422334411 if your transport is delayed.

Don’t forget to cancel via the “Edit RSVP” button if you can’t make it. Please do this well in advance when you know, so it allows good notice for someone else to take your place, and minimizes waiting for people not turning up. Your consideration is greatly appreciated.