Ages 8–10 · Est. 30–45 minutes · 2–6 players

Museum Midnight Map

Return the missing museum exhibit to its numbered gallery.

Six clues, three hint levels each, and a paper-only finish. No locks, apps or cutting required.

Museum Midnight Map: Label desk: Find the exact word VASE, reading RIGHT only. Reject near matches and reversed words. Copy the digit immediately after it.

Your mission

The museum night desk has a label fragment, two disagreeing prints and a crossed-out moving log. Use those records to recover the exhibit location. Collect five named badge digits and use the final sheet. Every clue is on the table; ask the host for one hint at a time.

Set up in one room

Print one player pack and two record sheets per team. Keep the host answers and all three hint levels with the adult.
Keep every clue as a full sheet at one table. Put the final sheet face down until all five results are recorded. Nothing needs cutting, folding or hiding.
Give each child a pencil. Choose a reader, recorder and checker, and swap jobs after each clue. Use one team for 2–4 children or two teams for 5–6.

Materials

6 player sheets and 2 prop sheets per team
One pencil per child
One adult host with the answer and hint pages

Designed ages and estimated time have not yet been calibrated in a live child playtest.

See all six player clues

These are the actual figures from the printable player pack.

1. Label

Label desk: Find the exact word VASE, reading RIGHT only. Reject near matches and reversed words. Copy the digit immediately after it.

Read this clue in text

Find VASE; only read to the RIGHT. V A S X 8 A B C E S A V 2 A B C V A S E 2 D E F C A M P 9 S U N Answer = digit in the next square after the word.

2. Print

Print desk: Compare the two records at matching numbered positions. Count different pairs once each; ignore box outlines.

Read this clue in text

Strip A: circle, star, diamond, heart, cross, hexagon, triangle, square. Strip B: diamond, star, cross, hexagon, cross, square, triangle, square. Compare the same numbered position.

3. Gallery

Gallery desk: Read the letter at each coordinate, in order. Letter = column; number = row. Convert the complete word using the printed table.

Museum Midnight Map: Gallery desk: Read the letter at each coordinate, in order. Letter = column; number = row. Convert the complete word using the printed table.

Read this clue in text

Columns: A, B, C, D. Rows: 1, 2, 3. 1 L E S A 2 R U X A 3 S Z V F VASE = 8 CASE = 1 BOOK = 4 READ COORDINATES IN ORDER: C3 > D1 > A3 > B1

4. Curator

Curator desk: Each person has ONE different item. Use all four NOT rules. Find Noah's item and copy its digit.

Read this clue in text

Vase digit 2 Coin digit 5 Model digit 8 People: Iris, Noah, Zoe Iris does NOT have Coin. Noah does NOT have Model. Noah does NOT have Vase. Zoe does NOT have Model. Find Noah's item. Each item is used once.

5. Log

Log desk: A return entry lost its amount. Use the opening and closing stock to find the missing return. Apply DONE entries; ignore the CANCELLED plan.

Museum Midnight Map: Log desk: A return entry lost its amount. Use the opening and closing stock to find the missing return. Apply DONE entries; ignore the CANCELLED plan.

Read this clue in text

Opening stock: 8. Closing stock: 15. Received: +4 DONE Planned: +7 CANCELLED Issued: -2 DONE Returned: ? DONE Missing return = ? units. Ignore cancelled plans.