For the first time ever, the National Gallery is offering one lucky person an overnight stay among some of the most iconic paintings in history.
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Imagine waking up to silence. But not the kind you find in the countryside. Around you: ornate gold frames, divine brushstrokes, and centuries of art history.
This isn't a dream – you’re in bed, smack in the middle of the National Gallery.
In an unprecedented move, the prestigious institution in London, home to over 2,300 works, is inviting one lucky member of the public to live out their Ben Stiller fantasy and spend a night at the museum.
Also marking the National Gallery's 200th anniversary, the overnight stay will be complete with a grand, luxury bed centred in its newly revamped Sainsbury Wing, as well as a private tour.
To enter, all you have to do is subscribe to the gallery’s newsletter by 6pm on 28 April.
One winner will be drawn at random for the unforgettable overnight experience, which begins with dinner for two at the gallery’s soon-to-open Locatelli restaurant (ran by Michelin-starred chef Georgio Locatelli).
This isn’t the gallery’s first foray into the overnight scene. Earlier this year, they extended their hugely successful Van Gogh: Poets and Lovers exhibition to remain open for 24 hours. Showcasing more than 60 works from the final two years of Van Gogh’s life, the exhibition was described as a "once-in-a-century" spectacle and a "riveting rollercoaster ride from Arles to the stars".
But never before has anyone been invited to sleep inside the gallery’s space.
The National Gallery's Sainsbury Wing, which has been closed for two years of refurbishment, is set to reopen in May 2025. It will offer visitors the chance to admire Piero della Francesca’s Baptism of Christ, the gallery’s earliest painting, displayed in a specially designed chapel-like space. Also making its return after a three-year restoration is Paolo Uccello’s The Battle of San Romano.
