Here’s an opportunity like no other – imagine waking up surrounded by some of the world’s greatest masterpieces. For the first time in history, the National Gallery in London is giving one person the chance to sleep overnight inside its hallowed halls, in celebration of its 200th anniversary and the re-opening of the Sainsbury Wing.
The prized slumber party happens on Friday 9 May 2025, where the lucky winner will bed down on the bridge linking the newly refurbished Sainsbury Wing to the rest of the Gallery. This isn’t just any bed, either – it’s beautifully styled in the Marks & Spencer X National Gallery collection, naturally!
Before turning in for the night, they’ll enjoy an exclusive dinner for two at Locatelli, the Gallery’s new restaurant by none other than Michelin-starred chef Giorgio Locatelli, in partnership with Searcy’s. But that’s not all. The winner will also be treated to their own private, curator-led tour of C C Land: The Wonder of Art. This stunning exhibition marks the biggest rehang of the National Gallery’s collection, presenting over 1,000 works that chart Western European painting from the 13th to the 20th centuries. There’ll be iconic favourites, rare gems, and works never seen before within these walls – all brought to life through this once-in-a-lifetime personal experience.
Come Saturday morning, they’ll wake up to the ultimate art lover’s dreamscape, with a breakfast hamper served in the still-silent gallery, giving them the chance to explore the exhibits solo before the public floods in at 10 am for the grand opening of the transformed Sainsbury Wing.
To enter, simply subscribe to the Gallery’s newsletter at Wake-Up | Subscribe | National Gallery, London between 9 am on Monday 7 April 2025 and 6 pm on Monday 28 April 2025. Open to anyone over 18, the winner will be randomly selected to make this dream a reality!
For the rest of us, the completed redisplay will officially welcome visitors from 10 May 2025 onwards, heralding a new era for the National Gallery as it steps into its third century of inspiring art enthusiasts and generations to come.
Don’t miss your chance to be part of history – enter today. Wake up with art, and sleep among legends!