Art heists have captivated the public for generations, turning stolen paintings into legendary cultural symbols and leaving behind compelling cold cases.
This quiz covers the details of the infamous 1990 Gardner Museum heist, the 1911 theft of the Mona Lisa, and other high-profile art crimes. Some questions ask about the perpetrators, while others check if you know the value of the missing treasures.
Once you finish, check out our trivia on museums and galleries, learn more about stolen masterpieces, or browse our collection of art curiosities.
Which world-famous painting was stolen from the Louvre in 1911, an event that significantly boosted its global fame?
The Starry Night
The Starry Night
The Scream
The Scream
The Mona Lisa
The Mona Lisa
Girl with a Pearl Earring
Girl with a Pearl Earring
In which city is the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, the site of the legendary 1990 art heist, located?
London
London
New York City
New York City
Boston
Boston
Chicago
Chicago
In which decade did the infamous heist at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum occur?
1980s
1980s
2000s
2000s
1970s
1970s
1990s
1990s
Which Dutch Golden Age master is the painter of ‘The Concert’, one of the most valuable works taken during the Gardner Museum heist?
Edgar Degas
Edgar Degas
Rembrandt
Rembrandt
Claude Monet
Claude Monet
Johannes Vermeer
Johannes Vermeer
How did the perpetrators gain initial access to the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum during the 1990 robbery?
The two thieves disguised themselves as police officers.
The two thieves disguised themselves as police officers.
The theft was an inside job carried out by a disgruntled security guard.
The theft was an inside job carried out by a disgruntled security guard.
The thieves used a high-tech laser cutter to open the main entrance.
The thieves used a high-tech laser cutter to open the main entrance.
The thieves entered through a tunnel dug beneath the building.
The thieves entered through a tunnel dug beneath the building.
Which iconic work by Edvard Munch was stolen from the National Gallery in Oslo in 1994?
The Potato Eaters
The Potato Eaters
The Scream
The Scream
The Starry Night
The Starry Night
Sunflowers
Sunflowers
Which Rembrandt painting, his only known seascape, remains missing after the Gardner Museum heist?
The Storm on the Sea of Galilee
The Storm on the Sea of Galilee
The Night Watch
The Night Watch
St. Mark and St. Luke
St. Mark and St. Luke
The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp
The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp
Who was the museum employee convicted of stealing the ‘Mona Lisa’ in 1911?
Stephane Breitwieser
Stephane Breitwieser
Vincenzo Peruggia
Vincenzo Peruggia
Myles J. Connor Jr.
Myles J. Connor Jr.
Adam Worth
Adam Worth
From which museum was Leonardo da Vinci’s ‘Mona Lisa’ stolen in 1911?
National Gallery, London
National Gallery, London
Uffizi Gallery, Florence
Uffizi Gallery, Florence
Prado Museum, Madrid
Prado Museum, Madrid
The Louvre, Paris
The Louvre, Paris
What is the name of the world’s largest private database of stolen art, which helps track objects like those missing from the Gardner Museum?
The Monuments Men Foundation
The Monuments Men Foundation
Art Loss Register
Art Loss Register
Art Theft Squad
Art Theft Squad
Global Art Protection Agency
Global Art Protection Agency
In which country was the stolen ‘Mona Lisa’ discovered two years after its 1911 disappearance?
Italy
Italy
Spain
Spain
Germany
Germany
France
France
Which of these works of art was actually stolen during the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum heist in 1990?
A sketch by Pablo Picasso
A sketch by Pablo Picasso
A painting by Johannes Vermeer
A painting by Johannes Vermeer
A statue by Rodin
A statue by Rodin
An ancient Greek vase
An ancient Greek vase
Which painting was later recovered after being stolen in 2004 from the Munch Museum in Oslo by armed robbers?
Guernica
Guernica
The Bay of Naples
The Bay of Naples
The Scream
The Scream
The Potato Eaters
The Potato Eaters
What is the estimated market value of the thirteen works of art stolen from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum?
$400 million
$400 million
$600 million
$600 million
$300 million
$300 million
$500 million
$500 million
Which of the following is true about the Napoleonic eagle finial stolen from the Gardner Museum?
It was returned anonymously to the museum in 2010.
It was returned anonymously to the museum in 2010.
It was stolen from the top of a flagpole in the museum’s Short Gallery.
It was stolen from the top of a flagpole in the museum’s Short Gallery.
It was the most valuable item taken during the heist.
It was the most valuable item taken during the heist.
It was confirmed to be made of solid 24-karat gold.
It was confirmed to be made of solid 24-karat gold.
How many minutes did the thieves spend inside the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum during the 1990 heist?
71 minutes
71 minutes
91 minutes
91 minutes
61 minutes
61 minutes
81 minutes
81 minutes
What was the subject of the high-profile 1969 theft from an oratory in Palermo that remains unsolved?
A sculpture by Donatello
A sculpture by Donatello
A painting by Vermeer
A painting by Vermeer
A drawing by Michelangelo
A drawing by Michelangelo
A painting by Caravaggio
A painting by Caravaggio
How were the paintings removed from their frames during the Isabella Stewart Gardner heist?
The paintings were rolled up and placed in plastic trash bags.
The paintings were rolled up and placed in plastic trash bags.
The thieves stole the paintings along with their heavy, ornate frames still attached.
The thieves stole the paintings along with their heavy, ornate frames still attached.
The canvases were carefully cut out of their frames.
The canvases were carefully cut out of their frames.
They were never moved from the museum basement.
They were never moved from the museum basement.
Which of these events is considered one of the ‘Greatest Unsolved Art Heists’ in history, often appearing on FBI ‘Most Wanted’ lists?
The recovery of the ‘Mona Lisa’
The recovery of the ‘Mona Lisa’
The FBI’s 2013 announcement about the identification of the thieves
The FBI’s 2013 announcement about the identification of the thieves
The 1969 robbery of ‘The Nativity with St. Francis and St. Lawrence’
The 1969 robbery of ‘The Nativity with St. Francis and St. Lawrence’
The arrest of Stephane Breitwieser
The arrest of Stephane Breitwieser
How was the ‘Mona Lisa’ finally recovered in 1913?
The painting was found in the luggage of a tourist leaving the country.
The painting was found in the luggage of a tourist leaving the country.
They found the thief because he tried to sell the painting to an art dealer.
They found the thief because he tried to sell the painting to an art dealer.
The painting was found in a small locker at a train station.
The painting was found in a small locker at a train station.
The thief donated the painting to a local charity by mistake.
The thief donated the painting to a local charity by mistake.
Which fact is true about the aftermath of the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum heist?
The empty frames still hang in the museum as a placeholder.
The empty frames still hang in the museum as a placeholder.
All the missing paintings were proven to be forgeries.
All the missing paintings were proven to be forgeries.
The museum has successfully sued the original insurance company for $1 billion.
The museum has successfully sued the original insurance company for $1 billion.
The FBI offers a $5 million reward for information leading to their recovery.
The FBI offers a $5 million reward for information leading to their recovery.
What is the current status of the works stolen during the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum robbery?
They were found in a shipping container in Antwerp.
They were found in a shipping container in Antwerp.
These works remain missing to this day.
These works remain missing to this day.
They were found listed for auction on a private website that was seized by authorities.
They were found listed for auction on a private website that was seized by authorities.
They were discovered in a warehouse in New Jersey in 2005.
They were discovered in a warehouse in New Jersey in 2005.
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