Rocksteady basically changed how we look at superhero games back in 2011. While most people remember gliding through the dark, rainy streets of North Gotham as Batman, there is a specific, high-stakes heist that usually sticks in everyone's memory for a completely different reason. I’m talking about the Arkham City Catwoman museum mission. It’s the moment where the game stops being a brawler and becomes a tense, vertical stealth puzzle. If you played the game at launch, you remember this was actually DLC content—an "Online Pass" incentive that locked Selina Kyle’s story behind a code. Honestly, it was a controversial move at the time, but the mission itself remains a masterclass in level design.
It’s messy. It’s loud. It’s incredibly satisfying when you finally nail the timing on those ceiling takedowns.
Most players stumble into the museum during Catwoman’s second episode. You’re there to rob Two-Face. Harvey Dent has taken over the Cyrus Pinkney Institute of Natural History, and he isn't just squatting; he’s actively destroying the place to spite Batman and Selina. The atmosphere is thick with that classic Arkham grime, but it’s the mechanical shift that really catches people off guard. Catwoman doesn't have a cape. She can’t just fly away if things get hairy. You are stuck on those rafters, staring down a room full of armed thugs, realizing that one wrong move means a very quick trip back to the checkpoint.
The Layout of the Cyrus Pinkney Museum
The museum isn't just one big room. It’s a series of interconnected chambers that serve as a graveyard for Gotham's history. When you first enter as Catwoman, you’re greeted by the Trophy Room. It’s cramped. It’s filled with glass cases that break if you breathe on them too hard. This is where the game teaches you that Selina is a glass cannon. You have way less health than Bruce. If two guys with assault rifles spot you, you’re basically done for unless you have a smoke bomb ready.
The core of the Arkham City Catwoman museum experience happens in the Gladiator Pit and the War Room. In Batman’s sections, these areas are about brute force or tactical gadgetry. For Catwoman, it’s about the ceiling. Her "Caltrops" and "Bolingas" are okay, but her real strength is the ceiling climb. You’ve got to spend most of your time hanging upside down like a bat—ironic, right?—waiting for a lone guard to pass underneath.
The guards in this mission are notoriously aggressive. They aren't the standard goons you find on the street. Because they’re Two-Face’s elite crew, they move in pairs more often and they check the vantage points constantly. If you linger on a gargoyle or a light fixture for more than ten seconds, they’re going to start shooting. You have to keep moving. It’s a rhythm. Jump, crawl, takedown, disappear.
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Why the Boss Fight with Two-Face is So Polarizing
Let's talk about the elephant in the room. Or rather, the guy with the coin. The final encounter in the Arkham City Catwoman museum is one of the most frustrating boss fights in the entire Arkham trilogy for a lot of people. It isn't a traditional fight. Harvey is perched on a bridge with a grenade launcher, and he has an infinite supply of respawning goons.
Seriously. They just keep coming.
The trick that most people miss is that you aren't supposed to "clear the room." If you try to knock out every guard before attacking Two-Face, you’ll be there for an hour. The game wants you to focus entirely on Harvey while using the environment to break line-of-sight from his henchmen. You have to get behind him, scratch him up, and then vanish before the guys with the thermal goggles find you. It feels unfair. It feels chaotic. But that’s sort of the point of Catwoman’s gameplay—she’s a thief, not a soldier. She’s outmatched, and the game makes you feel that desperation.
I’ve seen dozens of forum posts over the years from players asking if their game is glitched because the guards won't stop spawning. It's not a glitch. It’s a test of speed. If you take too long, the sheer volume of gunfire will eventually catch you. You have to be "greedy" in your playstyle, which fits Selina perfectly.
Key differences in the Museum: Batman vs. Catwoman
- Navigation: Batman uses the Grapnel Boost to zip across the rafters. Catwoman uses her whip, which is slower and has a shorter range, forcing you to be more deliberate about where you land.
- Combat Flow: You can’t rely on the "Disarm and Destroy" move that Batman uses to get rid of guns. Once a gun is in play in the museum, it stays in play until the guy holding it is unconscious.
- Vision: Thief Vision (Selina’s version of Detective Mode) is much more localized. It highlights loot and immediate threats but doesn't give you the X-ray "god view" that Bruce has. This makes the museum feel much larger and more dangerous.
Common Mistakes in the Museum Mission
Most people fail this mission because they play Selina like she’s Batman in a catsuit. She isn't. You cannot jump into the middle of five guys and expect to counter your way out of it—especially on New Game Plus mode where the counter icons are gone. In the museum, the floor is lava. Stay on the mesh ceilings.
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Another huge mistake is ignoring the environmental takedowns. The museum is packed with railings and floor grates. While Batman uses these for stealth, Catwoman can use them to bait guards. If you perform a loud takedown on one side of the room, you can crawl across the ceiling to the other side before the guards even arrive. It’s basic misdirection.
Also, don't forget the whip trip. It’s one of the few tools she has that can crowd-control multiple enemies at once. If you’re cornered near the dinosaur skeletons, a quick whip sweep can give you the three seconds you need to scramble back up to the ceiling.
The Loot: Why We’re Actually There
Selina’s whole motivation for being in the Arkham City Catwoman museum is to get her stuff back. Specifically, her loot that Two-Face confiscated. This adds a layer of "collectibles" to the mission that can be easy to miss if you’re just trying to survive. There are several Riddler trophies hidden in the museum that only Catwoman can reach because of her ability to climb on the underside of walkways.
If you’re a completionist, the museum is a nightmare. You have to visit it as Batman to do his side of the story, then come back as Catwoman to get her specific trophies. The level changes between visits. Displays get smashed, new walls are put up, and the enemy patrols change. It makes the world feel lived-in. Gotham isn't a static map; it’s a city that’s actively falling apart while you’re playing.
Technical Nuances of the Mission
On a technical level, the museum showcases the Unreal Engine 3’s lighting capabilities for 2011. The way the light filters through the glass domes and hits Selina’s suit is still impressive today. However, this also makes stealth harder. There are "bright zones" in the museum where shadows won't hide you. Unlike the dark alleys of the Industrial District, the museum is well-lit. You have to rely on physical cover—statues, pillars, and walls—rather than just "staying in the dark."
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The AI behavior in this specific interior is also tuned differently. Guards will notice if a display case is broken. They’ll comment on it. They’ll become more alert. It’s these small details that make the Arkham City Catwoman museum run one of the most atmospheric segments of the game.
How to beat Two-Face in the Museum (The Fast Way)
- Start High: Immediately go to the ceiling joists. Do not stay on the ground for more than two seconds.
- Thin the Herd (Slightly): Take out the lone sniper on the upper balcony. This is non-negotiable. If he’s up there, you can’t move freely.
- The Hit and Run: Drop behind Two-Face, use a quick combat flurry, and then—this is the important part—Whip Away immediately. Do not try to finish him in one go.
- Rinse and Repeat: Use the under-floor grates to reposition. Harvey will keep screaming and firing his grenade launcher, which actually helps you because it masks the sound of your movements.
- Final Strike: When his health is low, ignore the remaining guards and just sprint for the final takedown. The cutscene will trigger and save you from the gunfire.
Actionable Insights for Your Next Playthrough
If you’re revisiting Arkham City in the Return to Arkham collection or on PC, treat the Catwoman museum mission as a puzzle game. If you’re getting frustrated, you’re likely moving too fast. Stop. Watch the patrol patterns. The museum is one of the few places in the game where the "pounce" mechanic is actually more useful than the strike mechanic.
For those aiming for 100% completion, make sure you grab the Catwoman Riddler trophies during the story mission if possible. Coming back later is fine, but the enemy spawns during the "free roam" phase after the story can be annoying to deal with when you're just trying to find a specific trophy hidden under a bridge.
The Arkham City Catwoman museum mission remains a highlight of the series because it forces you out of your comfort zone. It strips away the power fantasy of Batman and replaces it with the nimble, desperate, and calculated vibe of a world-class thief. It’s frustrating, sure. But it’s also perfectly in character.
Next time you’re in the Gladiator Pit, take a second to look at the detail in the exhibits before you start knocking heads. Rocksteady put a lot of DC lore into those broken glass cases, from references to the Penguin’s history to subtle nods to the wider Gotham universe. It's a museum, after all. You might as well see the sights while you're stealing everything that isn't nailed down.