New Marlow Treasure Hunt launches alongside town's exciting Pop-Up Museum

Families, visitors and locals are invited to discover Marlow in a whole new way this summer as Ace Places launches its first-ever Marlow Treasure Hunt on Friday 31 July 2026.

Running until 31 December 2026, the self-guided treasure hunt encourages participants to explore the town, uncover fascinating local stories and visit some of Marlow's much-loved independent businesses along the way.

Marlow Museum Summer Pop Up at All Saints Church Hall

To celebrate the launch, Ace Places is also hosting a special children's edition of its popular Card Club at Marlow Museum's new Pop-Up Museum on Friday 31 July, from 10am–2pm. Designed especially for children, the free drop-in event will feature treasure hunt-themed crafts and activities before families head out to complete the trail.

The treasure hunt is launching in partnership with Marlow Museum, whose new Pop-Up Museum will be open from 25 July to 4 September, Tuesday to Saturday, 10am–4pm. Supported by the Rothschild Foundation, the pop-up brings Marlow's history into the heart of the town, creating new opportunities for people to explore, share and celebrate local stories.

Treasure hunt maps are available to purchase exclusively from Marlow Museum for £3.50, with 50p from every map sold donated directly to the museum to support its work preserving and sharing Marlow's heritage.

The beautifully illustrated trail takes participants to 11 locations across Marlow, where they'll search for hidden letters before unscrambling them to reveal a secret two-word phrase. Along the way they'll uncover fascinating facts about the town's history and the independent businesses that make Marlow such a special place.

Participants can also enjoy exclusive offers from local businesses, including 10% off at Tin Town Coffee and a free gift with qualifying purchases at Scamp & Dude. Everyone who completes the trail can enter a prize draw to win fantastic prizes donated by local businesses, including Sorbon Estates, Flow Yoga, Creative Collective and Jane Douglass Fitness & Dance. Every successful treasure hunter will also receive a limited-edition Marlow fridge magnet as a keepsake.

The treasure hunt builds on the success of the Ace Places Marlow Playing Cards, which have now sold more than 6,500 packs since launching. The deck is beautifully illustrated by Marlow resident Nicola Metcalfe and celebrates 54 of Marlow's favourite independent businesses, charities and local landmarks, with 25p from every pack sold donated to Longridge Activity Centre, helping to support the charity's work with young people.

Emma Sweet, founder of Ace Places, said: "When we launched the Marlow playing cards, our aim was to celebrate everything that makes this town so special while giving something back to the community. Seeing more than 6,500 packs find their way into homes has been incredible. The treasure hunt is the next chapter. It's all about encouraging people to get out, explore, support local businesses and discover stories they may never have noticed before. We're especially excited to be launching it alongside Marlow Museum's wonderful Pop-Up Museum. Together, we've created a fun family activity that celebrates local heritage while supporting two brilliant local organisations."

Alice Le Page, Manager of Marlow Museum, said: "We're delighted to be partnering with Ace Places to launch the first Marlow Treasure Hunt alongside our new Pop-Up Museum. This summer we're bringing local history into the heart of the town, creating new opportunities for people to explore, share and celebrate Marlow's stories. The treasure hunt is a wonderful way to encourage families to get out and discover both our heritage and the fantastic independent businesses that make Marlow such a vibrant community. We're also incredibly grateful that every map sold will help support the museum and the work we do."

The treasure hunt showcases businesses across the town centre and Marlow Bottom while encouraging people to shop local, explore on foot and discover hidden gems they may never have noticed before.

Emma added: "One of the things we love most about Ace Places is bringing people together through playful experiences. Whether it's collecting cards, taking part in Card Club or now following the treasure trail, we're always looking for new ways to help people connect with the places around them. We hope thousands of families, residents and visitors enjoy discovering Marlow together over the coming months."

The Marlow Treasure Hunt launches on Friday 31 July 2026 and runs until 31 December 2026 whilst children of any age are invited to All Saints Church on Friday 31 July 10am until 2pm to play cards.

Treasure hunt maps cost £3.50 and are available exclusively from Marlow Museum, with 50p from every sale supporting the museum.

For more information about Ace Places, visit aceplaces.co.uk or follow @aceplacescards on Instagram.