You’re wandering through the North End of Boston, probably looking for the Old North Church or just trying to dodge the usual pack of super mutants, when you stumble upon a nondescript brick building. Most of the Commonwealth is just dirt and rusted metal. But this place? It’s different. It’s quiet. Then you see the "art."
The Fallout 4 Pickman Gallery isn't just another location to clear for loot. It’s easily one of the most unsettling environmental storytelling masterclasses Bethesda ever put together. Honestly, it feels like it belongs in a different game entirely—something closer to Outlast or Resident Evil than a post-nuclear RPG.
If you’ve never been, or if you just rushed through to grab the bobblehead and dip, you’ve missed the sheer, grimy depth of what’s happening in those tunnels. We’re talking about a serial killer who exclusively targets Raiders. Is he a hero? A monster? Basically, he’s both.
What’s Actually Going on Inside the Pickman Gallery?
The moment you step inside, you know something is wrong. The paintings aren't just creepy; they’re painted in human blood. Specifically, Raider blood. Pickman, the "artist" in residence, has been systematically kidnapping the worst of the Commonwealth and turning them into his latest masterpieces.
You’ll find notes scattered around. They’re calling cards. Pickman leaves them on bodies to taunt the other Raiders, practically begging them to come find him. And they do. When you arrive, the gallery is crawling with Raiders led by a guy named Slab. They aren't there to raid; they’re there for revenge.
The Lovecraft Connection
Bethesda loves H.P. Lovecraft. If you’re a fan of horror literature, you probably recognized the name immediately. Pickman is a direct reference to the short story Pickman’s Model by Lovecraft. In the story, an artist named Richard Upton Pickman paints ghoulish creatures that turn out to be real.
In Fallout 4 Pickman Gallery, the game plays with this idea. Look closely at the paintings. Some of them look like ghouls, but others look like something much worse—creatures from the void. It’s that classic "Dunwich" vibe that Bethesda sprinkles into every Fallout game, suggesting that there are things in the dark much older and scarier than radiation.
Finding the Good Stuff: Bobbleheads and Blades
Most players end up here because they heard there’s a bobblehead. They aren't wrong. But getting to it is a bit of a trek. You can’t just walk into the lobby and find it on a desk. You have to go deep.
The Lockpicking Bobblehead
To find the Lockpicking Bobblehead, you have to fight your way through the gallery and descend into the basement. From there, you enter a series of claustrophobic, brick-lined tunnels.
- Follow the red lights. Pickman uses them to guide his "guests."
- You’ll eventually reach a final chamber where Slab and his crew have Pickman cornered.
- Look for a flaming trash can (a "fire basket") in the center of the room.
- The bobblehead is sitting right on the ground next to it.
Don't miss the magazine either. Astoundingly Awesome Tales issue #12 is right there too. It gives you a permanent +5 Poison Resistance. It’s not a huge buff, but in the Wasteland, you take what you can get.
How to Get Pickman’s Blade
This is the real prize. Pickman’s Blade is a unique combat knife that is absolutely broken if you have a stealth build. It has the "Wounding" legendary effect, meaning targets bleed for an additional 25 points of damage. Since it’s a "Fast" weapon, you can stack that bleed damage incredibly quickly.
To get it, you have to complete the quest Pickman’s Gift. After you save Pickman from Slab, he’ll give you his key. He tells you to check out his "thank you" behind a painting in the gallery upstairs.
Head back up to the main floor. Look for the painting titled "Picnic for Stanley." It’s the one with the guy whose eyes have been removed. Very charming. Interact with it to reveal a hidden wall safe. Use the key, and the blade is yours.
The Big Moral Choice: Kill or Spare?
When you finally meet the man himself, he’s surprisingly polite. He’s calm. He’s well-spoken. He calls you "killer" like it’s a term of endearment.
Should you kill Pickman?
- If you spare him: He stays in his gallery and continues his "work." You get the key to his safe and a nice thank-you note. Some companions, like Piper or Nick Valentine, won't be thrilled that you’re letting a serial killer roam free, but they don't lose their minds over it.
- If you kill him: You can loot the key off his body. You still get the blade. You just don't get the thank-you note or the satisfaction of knowing a madman is out there keeping the Raider population in check.
Strong actually likes it if you save him. MacCready and Danse? Not so much. It’s a weird gray area. On one hand, he’s a murderer. On the other hand, the people he’s killing are the same ones who try to shoot you on sight. It’s basically "pest control" with an aesthetic flair.
Pro Tips for Navigating the Tunnels
The tunnels under the gallery are a death trap if you aren't careful.
Watch your feet. There are frag mines everywhere. Use V.A.T.S. constantly to highlight them before you lose a leg. Pickman has rigged his home to be a maze for the Raiders, and you’re just as susceptible to those traps as they are.
Don't ignore the paintings. Seriously. Bethesda put a lot of work into the unique textures for this location. If you look at the paintings in the basement compared to the ones upstairs, they get progressively more "unhuman."
Check the trash. There are two Nuka-Cola Quantums hidden in the basement tunnels. They’re easy to walk right past if you’re focused on the Raiders shouting at you from the next room.
What to Do Next
Once you've cleared the gallery and grabbed your loot, the quest technically ends. But the "Investigate Pickman Gallery" objective often comes from Mayor Hancock in Goodneighbor. If you haven't talked to him yet, go back and do it. It’s an easy way to build affinity with him if you want him as a companion.
Also, if you enjoyed the horror vibe of this quest, your next stop should be the Dunwich Borers quarry. It’s located to the east and cranks the Lovecraftian horror up to eleven.
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Go grab that blade. Even if you aren't a melee build, it’s worth a lot of caps, and the story behind it is one of the best in the game. Just don't look too closely at the "paint" on the walls.