How to play Art Heist
For 5 players
SET UP
Place the five decks of cards (paintings around the room, front side facing outwards. At the start of the game each player is assigned a number from 1 to 5. Each player takes a voting card (ace through five) of every value other than theirs. This becomes relevant later.
Then each player draws a roll card. If you draw a king, you are a museum-goer, and are on the innocent team. If you draw the joker, you are the thief.
HOW TO PLAY
The thief must try to inconspicuously “steal” all five paintings by flipping them so that their back side or ‘imitation’ side is facing outward. This game is best played at a party or other crowded social gathering so that players can be easily distracted. If the thief steals all the paintings or 20 minutes has expired, they win!
The museum-goers’ goal is to catch the criminal in the act and get them voted out of the museum. At any point when someone spots a stolen painting (yes, the thief can self report) or someone catches the thief in the act, the timer is paused and all players must gather. They will have two minutes to discuss who they think the thief is. After two minutes have elapsed, the players will vote using their voting cards for the player they think is the thief.
If the voted out player was a museum goer, they are not out of the game and can still vote, but they cannot speak during the discussion periods anymore.