Mystery-solving game: Find the 'Secret Painting' hidden in the Ohara Museum of Art? Experience report [Ended]

When you hear, "We are holding a puzzle-solving event at the museum!" what do you feel?
If you love puzzles, you might think, "I want to try it!"

However, if that's not the case, the "puzzle-solving event" itself is a "mystery."
When I participated, I initially struggled to grasp the direction of the puzzles and fumbled my way through.

But being in a "fumbling" state is just right.
To conclude, the moments when the puzzles are solved seem addictive and are very interesting!

In this article, I will introduce my experience report of the puzzle-solving event "Can You Find the 'Secret Painting' Sleeping in the Ohara Museum?" which was held at the Ohara Museum of Art until September 30, 2018!

What is the puzzle-solving game "Can You Find the 'Secret Painting' Sleeping in the Ohara Museum?"

The puzzle-solving game "Can You Find the 'Secret Painting' Sleeping in the Ohara Museum?" is a puzzle-solving event where participants search for the "Secret Painting" while solving mysteries hidden in the exhibits of the Ohara Museum of Art.

It was my first time participating in a puzzle-solving event, and I was excited to see how it would unfold.
Moreover, since the venue is a museum, it made me even more curious.

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Overview of the event

The puzzle-solving event was held from April 1, 2018, to September 30 (Sunday).

▼ The fees to participate in the event are as follows.

• Admission fee
• Problem booklet: 500 yen

For example, if an adult participates alone, a total of 2,000 yen is required, which includes the admission fee of 1,500 yen and the participation fee of 500 yen.

For group participation, it may be sufficient to have one problem booklet, so it might be worth discussing.

Flow of the puzzle-solving event

Here is a brief introduction to the flow before starting the "Can You Find the 'Secret Painting' Sleeping in the Ohara Museum?"

1. Pay the admission fee and event participation fee (cost of the problem booklet) at the ticket counter
2. Receive the problem booklet and a pencil
3. Start solving the puzzles according to the instructions in the problem booklet!

When you receive the problem booklet, you will probably feel excited, thinking, "Finally, I'm participating!"

Key points of the puzzle-solving event

You might be wondering how to solve the puzzles.
The problem booklet you received contains the questions and hints.

▼ Let me introduce the key points.

• The puzzle-solving progresses by comparing the exhibits and facilities within the Ohara Museum of Art with the problems in the booklet
• At the end of the booklet, there is a crossword puzzle where you fill in the words you derive
• If you know the "answer (keyword)," you will know where to go and what to do
• When you solve all the puzzles, you will discover the identity of the happy painting
• After writing down the "title" of the happy painting, submit the booklet at the baggage check to clear the game

It may seem simple, but when you actually try it, it becomes quite a complex game.

Finally, the puzzle-solving starts

Now, let's enter the Ohara Museum of Art and start solving the puzzles!

▼ "I wonder if I can do this, considering I don't think that quickly even on a normal day..." that's me (Papanda).

Since this is a puzzle-solving event, I can't introduce all the puzzles here.
However, let me first introduce which exhibit is the first question.

▼ The first question in the problem booklet states: "Read the items on the shelf."

The hint states, "To solve this problem, it is good to go to the location marked with a flower symbol."

▼ The flower symbol is marked on the map of the museum that you received along with the problem booklet.

Basically, the puzzle-solving progresses in this manner! If you stumble at this point, you won't be able to move forward!

▼ "Oh no... I have no idea... Please tell me the purpose of the event!" that's me in trouble.

▼ The first exhibit for the first question is "Kojima Torajiro: A Belgian Girl in Kimono," which can be seen immediately after entering the main entrance.
Let's compare the painting and the problem and solve the mystery!

It's good to move on after solving the puzzle, but...

After solving the first question, you move on to the second question. After solving the second question... you continue progressing through the museum.

If the only goal is to solve the puzzles, it's perfectly fine to keep moving forward.
However, the Ohara Museum of Art has many other exhibits besides the puzzle-solving ones.

Once you solve a question, taking the time to look at other exhibits is also part of the enjoyment of the puzzle-solving event held at the museum.

In addition to the artworks, there are also recommended spots.

▼ I heard from the public relations officer, Takahashi, that the view from the "round window" at the front of the building is nice.

▼ This is the spot.

The streets of the Bikan Historical Area looked like a "postcard."
I also recommend this spot.

Clear the first checkpoint and proceed to the annex

Starting with the first question, you will gradually get used to the questions, and your speed in solving the puzzles will increase.
Initially, my mind was filled with anxiety, but I realized I could do it if I tried.

▼ How do I look in the final question of the main building? I look quite smart, don't I?

As a key point of the puzzle-solving, there was the following phrase.

• If you know the "answer (keyword)," you will know where to go and what to do

When you solve the final question, you should know to go to the annex.

Let's take a look at the map of the museum that you received along with the problem booklet.
When I first looked at the map, I thought it was an unhelpful map because I couldn't tell where the start was, and the spatial relationships were completely different.

However, the map itself is also part of the "puzzle-solving," and you need to think about how to reach the room where the exhibits containing the mysteries are hidden.

▼ If you can't understand the spatial relationships from the map you received, it's a good idea to compare it with the map available inside the museum.

▼Now, let's exit the main building and proceed through the courtyard towards the annex.

▼The entrance to the annex is coming into view.

▼At a certain location, if you do what is specified, you can proceed to the next stage.

Now, let me introduce a bit of the next mystery.
“How many legs does the 'thing that pours down' at the clover mark stand on?”

▼“1, 2, 3, 4... um, how many was it? One more time. 1, 2, 3... one more time!” This was repeated several times by a 39-year-old dad... I counted about five times.

After solving all the mysteries, it's finally time for the final question!
Here, you will fully utilize the booklet and maps used for the mystery solving so far.

▼If you really can't figure it out, there is a file of 'Secret Hints' placed on the desk, so take a look.
The contents are explained very kindly. That's nice.

Decoding this final question was the part where I felt the most 'mystery solving'.
Various tasks are involved, and I felt my brain getting activated.

I think this is an irresistible moment for those who love mystery solving!
I understand why they love it.

And I managed to decode it by myself!
...I heard a little from the public relations officer Takahashi.

If you solve the final question, you will know the 'title of the painting of happiness'.

Let's go to the baggage check area once you know the title of the painting of happiness

It was a long, long journey until I figured out the 'title of the painting of happiness'.

The goal is the baggage check area.
▼Let's tell the staff at the counter what the 'title of the painting of happiness' was.

▼You will receive 'Ohara Museum of Art goods' that can only be obtained by those who solved the mystery and reached the goal!!
Since I worked hard to get here, I was very happy.

▼With this, the mystery solving is complete!

My impressions of 'Mystery Solving Game: Find the "Secret Painting" Sleeping in the Ohara Museum of Art'

Honestly, at first I thought, 'How is mystery solving in a museum going to be?' but as I progressed through the event, I became engrossed in the content.

Not only do you solve mysteries, but you can also enjoy viewing the artworks inside the Ohara Museum of Art in between.
If you have visited once before, you might recall, “This exhibit left an impression on me the last time I saw it.”

It feels like getting double the enjoyment in one visit.

The time taken was about an hour since I was leisurely going around the museum.
If you just try the mystery solving or if you are good at solving mysteries, I think you can clear it much faster.

Also, I felt that it is content that elementary school students can enjoy while thinking together with their parents.

Trying to solve mysteries in a quiet space that is different from usual is also a nice experience.

Let me introduce the Ohara Museum of Art in detail!

Kurashiki Tocotoco has articles that introduce the Ohara Museum of Art in detail.
It condenses the charm, so please be sure to read it.

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Articles about the Ohara Museum of Art

Data of Ohara Museum of Art

Name	Ohara Museum of Art
Location	1-1-15 Chuo, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture
Contact	086-422-0005
Parking	None
Opening Hours	【December to February】 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM (Last admission: 2:30 PM) 【March to November】 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM (Last admission: 4:30 PM)
Closed Days	Monday Open if it coincides with a public holiday or substitute holiday Winter closure and temporary closures may occur
Admission Fee (including tax)	【General】 Adults: 2,000 yen High school, junior high, and elementary school students (under 18 years old): 500 yen
Payment Methods	Cash Credit Card Transportation IC cards such as Suica, iD, QUICPay, nanaco, PayPay
Reservations	Available No reservation required for individuals
Smoking	Completely non-smoking
Restrooms	Western-style toilets, barrier-free toilets
Childcare	Nursing room, diaper changing table, stroller rental The nursing room is located in the Craft Museum Diaper changing tables are available on the 2nd floor of the main building and in the Craft Museum
Barrier-Free	Wheelchair rental, ramps, barrier-free toilets, elevators
Website	Official Website of Ohara Museum of Art

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