An amazing children’s detective quest at the new “Grand Tourists to Turner” exhibition, Villa Vauban 🔎🎨

Yesterday my son and I visited the newly opened exhibition “Grand Tourists to Turner”, and I instinctively went looking for one of the museum’s children’s quest booklets. I already knew Villa Vauban makes fantastic kids quests, and I was sure they would create something special for an exhibition organised in collaboration with the Tate. My intuition was right, as the box with the quest booklets was tucked away in the corner of the first exhibition room.

Honestly, though, if I worked there I’d hand these booklets to every family with children at reception and say, “Your kids won’t want to leave!” So if nobody mentions it when you arrive, just know that the quest exists, and it’s excellent. 😍

If your children say, “Mum, paintings with landscapes are boring” (mine certainly does 🤝), grab the booklet and start the investigation.

The story follows Edward, Villa Vauban’s little green bird mascot, as he investigates paintings by J. M. W. Turner and other British landscape artists. Along the way you’ll:

• inspect and rate the appearance of a volcano
• find paintings created using unusual techniques
• add reflections to the painted boats using stickers
• search for specific landscapes in the paintings
• compare the dates of artworks
• decode a secret message

The booklet is available in English, German and French.

Please excuse the less-than-perfect photos, I could barely get hold of the booklet because my son was completely absorbed in it and didn’t want me grab it to take photos 😁

You don’t need to bring a pen or pencil. The booklet includes two full pages of stickers, which are used to complete the challenges as you explore the exhibition. Each gallery hall has its own beautifully designed double-page spread.

The whole booklet is gorgeous, packed with interesting facts and lovely illustrations. At the end you’ll even find Turner-themed jokes and a certificate for successfully completing the investigation. 🥇🏆

I’d recommend it for children who can already read and write independently, as they’ll get the most out of it. A couple of the activities can be adapted for younger children, but I’d suggest 5–6 years old as a realistic minimum age, since some tasks involve reading information such as the dates on the labels next to the paintings.

Overall, I highly recommend it, it’s a brilliant addition to the exhibition and a wonderful way to make British landscape painting genuinely engaging for children. ❤️

📍 Exhibition page on the Villa Vauban website (The museum is open every day except Tuesday.)