Museum of the Order of St John: Treason!

London is blessed with many museums large and small, and The Museum of the Order of St John is one I’d never heard of before they opened an escape room. The Order of Saint John, it turns out, has a history spanning centuries, from a medieval chivalric order to the modern St John Ambulance charity; and this is chronicled in the small museum in a 16th century gatehouse in Clerkenwell.

Their game Treason! is a popup running in an upstairs room, set up in a portable form involving padlocked chests rather than anything that might damage the interior. The room is venerable and atmospheric, with a wholly genuine air of history that few venues can match; since it’s part of the museum that’s normally only accessible on a guided tour, being able to see the upstairs is a not inconsiderable side benefit of playing the game. (Players for whom the staircase would be an obstacle can apparently request for the game to be set up downstairs instead.)

Your task is to investigate and identify who has been publishing scandalous accounts of parliamentary debates; which, since this is set in the 1740s, is a criminal act. This proceeds in a linear way, where typically each puzzle solves a padlock, which releases a fresh chest of clues. All boxes are available from the start, but use a clear labelling system as well as different padlock types so that there’s never any doubt as to where you should try a code.

This is a game well suited to first time players, in that it has a fairly classic style of puzzle that enthusiasts will find familiar; and of necessity, it’s designed so that it can be easily set out and removed again, which limits immersion and gameplay somewhat. That said, there were no particular weaknesses in the puzzle design and we found it enjoyable to play. A couple of small accessibility warnings: it involves some peering at the fine details of a map, and multiple puzzles are based around colour.

Treason! was fun to play, infused with an appreciation for its historical setting in a way that added texture without distracting from gameplay. On top of that, for me the strongest reason to recommend it is the distinctive setting: the story and theme is complemented by the room in which you play, and seeing the building was worth a visit in itself. Note that this game is currently only running one Saturday per month – if you’re planning a visit, make sure you’re looking at a day with availability!