The Ministry of Time Travel is a top-secret organisation working with The National Archives. Together we safeguard the past, present and future…and we really need your help!

We have received an emergency broadcast and urgently need help to discover what happened to the 1966 football World Cup trophy. We can’t say any more now, it’s too dangerous – agents booked onto the mission will have access to the full brief on arrival!

While the best agents come from all over, this initial assignment is aimed at families with children aged between 8-12 years.

Playing Details

The Pickles Mission is an interactive experience developed by theatre company Coney for The National Archives. This experience requires the use of an adult’s smartphone, with full charge and either on a data plan or with at least £1 credit. You will be instructed to arrive at The National Archives on your selected date and will be sent your top-secret starting location and instructions for how to begin 30 minutes before your scheduled playing time.

Please make sure you check your emails 30 minutes before your start time.

The game will take about one hour but can vary in length due to players’ speed.

We recommend that players are aged 8-12 years, though younger siblings and older players are always welcome at the discretion of guardians. Children must be accompanied at all times by an adult, as our park and building is open to the public and has access to open bodies of water.

The game is best played as a group of 2-4 players with a responsible adult present throughout the game.

The Pickles Mission takes place both outside and inside The National Archives. The game can be played in all weather conditions, though we advise you check the weather in advance to dress appropriately.

Please speak to a member of staff if your group requires transcripts of the audio elements of the game at the welcome desk located near the main entrance.

If you or your child would prefer to understand what happens in the full experience before arriving, you can download this overview.

Terms & Conditions

You confirm that as the person registering for the event you are over 18 years of age and that the phone and email account used to play The Pickles Mission belongs to someone over 18 years of age.

By playing this experience, you consent to Coney processing and storing the phone number used to play, and messages exchanged within the game. This data will only be used for the purposes of the game itself and not in any other way. You can find out more and who to contact for more information at bit.ly/ConeyPrivacyPolicy

You agree that anyone under 18 is accompanied by an adult over 18 years of age whilst playing the game.

The Ministry of Time Travel

A project by Coney

Performer Afia Abusham

Filmmakers DMLK Video

Producer Carole Keating

Co-Writer Fran Moulds

Sound Designer Dinah Mullen

Digital Programming and Graphic Design Ed Naujokas

Director and Co-Writer Toby Peach

Set and Prop Design James Rowlands

Ear Tassos Stevens

Ministry of Time Travel Narrative Development Team Brigitte Adela, Rhianna Ilube, Carole Keating, Chloe Mashiter, Fran Moulds, Toby Peach, Tassos Stevens, Ruth Sutcliffe

Additional footage provided by Magneto Films