National Gallery offers exclusive overnight stay for one lucky winner

The National Gallery is offering a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for one lucky individual to sleep surrounded by world-class art as the Gallery prepares to reopen the transformed Sainsbury Wing. On Friday 9 May 2025, the first-ever overnight guest will experience the magic of the gallery at night, with a bed placed within view of iconic masterpieces. This exclusive experience is part of the Gallery’s celebrations marking its 200th anniversary and the grand reopening of its Sainsbury Wing after a two-year closure.

NG200 Wake up to the C C Land – The Wonder of Art. Bed, adorned by the Marks & Spencer X National Gallery collection, at the National Gallery’s Sainsbury Wing link © Photo: The National Gallery.

In an unprecedented move, the National Gallery is launching a prize draw to find the first person who will sleep inside the Sainsbury Wing, which has undergone a stunning rehang of its entire collection, titled C C Land: The Wonder of Art. From 9am on Monday 7 April, anyone over 18 who subscribes to the National Gallery’s newsletter will be entered into the draw. The winner will spend the night in a bed styled with the Marks & Spencer X National Gallery collection, located on the ‘bridge’ connecting the newly refurbished wing with the rest of the Gallery. The experience includes a private tour with a National Gallery curator and dinner for two at Locatelli, the Gallery’s new Michelin-starred restaurant.

The winner will also receive a luxurious breakfast hamper, followed by an exclusive opportunity to explore the newly redisplayed Sainsbury Wing before it opens to the public at 10am on Saturday 10 May. The rehang features over 1,000 works, showcasing Western European art from the 13th to 20th centuries, with iconic pieces displayed in a new context. Visitors will be able to see major masterpieces alongside paintings that have never been displayed before, offering a fresh perspective on the Gallery’s rich collection. This historic event is a celebration of both the National Gallery’s past and its future as it embarks on its third century of sharing the wonder of art with the public.

From 9am on Monday 7 April 2025 anyone over 18, who subscribes to the Gallery’s newsletter at nationalgallery.org.uk will be entered into a draw for a chance to sleep at the National Gallery.The competition is open until 6pm on Monday 28 April after which one lucky winner will be randomly selected.