How To Get Kudos in OSRS: Step-by-Step Guide

Kudos are one of those progression systems in Old School RuneScape that many players overlook at first, but they’re actually essential if you want to unlock some of the game’s most useful content. Earned through activities at the Varrock Museum, Kudos are required for key features like Fossil Island access, the Bone Voyage quest, and several valuable experience lamps. Whether you’re a new player trying to push your account forward or a returning veteran filling in missed unlocks, understanding how to earn Kudos efficiently can save you a lot of time. In this guide, we’ll walk through every reliable way to get Kudos in Old School RuneScape, step by step, so you can unlock everything the museum has to offer without confusion or wasted effort.

What Are Kudos In Old School Runescape?

In Old School RuneScape, Kudos act as a long-term progression tracker rather than a currency you spend. Once you earn Kudos, they’re permanently added to your total and never get used up. Every time you gain some, your current count briefly appears on the screen, making it easy to see your progress. You can also check how many Kudos you have at any time by talking to the museum information clerk on the ground floor or by interacting with the information stand in the northwest section of the Varrock Museum. The whole system is built around rewarding players for learning RuneScape lore, completing museum-related tasks, uncovering archaeological finds, and finishing certain quests, making Kudos a reflection of both exploration and game knowledge rather than raw grinding.

How to Earn Kudos in Old School RuneScape

There are several solid ways to build up Kudos in OSRS, and the good news is that most of them are straightforward, beginner-friendly, and permanent once completed. Below are the main methods, explained clearly and in a way that helps you progress efficiently without wasting time.

1. Natural History Quiz (Best Starting Point)

The Natural History Quiz is the easiest and fastest way to earn Kudos, especially for new players. You’ll find it in the basement of the Varrock Museum, where you can talk to Orlando Smith to get started. By examining the display plaques and answering questions about creatures found across Gielinor, you can earn a total of 28 Kudos. There are no requirements, no penalties for wrong answers, and you can retry as many times as needed. On top of the Kudos, you’ll also receive 1,000 Hunter XP and 1,000 Slayer XP, making this an excellent early-game boost.

2. Cleaning Digsite Finds (Archaeology Method)

Once you’ve completed The Dig Site quest, you unlock one of the biggest single chunks of Kudos in the game. Head to the southern side of the Varrock Museum’s ground floor, where the cleaning area is located. Using basic tools like leather gloves, boots, a trowel, rock pick, and specimen brush (all available nearby), you’ll clean finds taken from the Digsite rocks near Sinco Doar. There are five key artifacts you’re looking for: pottery, old symbols, ancient symbols, old coins, and ancient coins. Each correctly identified and displayed artifact grants 10 Kudos, for a total of 50 Kudos. Extra items like arrowheads and damaged vases can be traded in for small rewards such as ores, coins, or lamps.

3. Earning Kudos Through Quests

Questing is another major source of Kudos and adds up to 75 in total. After completing specific quests, you must speak with Historian Minas on the museum’s first floor to actually receive the Kudos, as they aren’t awarded automatically. Free-to-play players can earn Kudos from Demon Slayer, Shield of Arrav, and Rune Mysteries. Members gain access to many more options, including The Grand Tree, Priest in Peril, Making History, Merlin’s Crystal, Temple of Ikov, Observatory Quest, In Aid of the Myreque, Hazeel Cult, A Tail of Two Cats, and What Lies Below. Some quests also require extra steps, such as retrieving the Dagon’hai history book for What Lies Below. The miniquest Curse of the Empty Lord is especially valuable, awarding 10 Kudos instead of the usual 5. Many of these quests also come with experience lamps, making this method efficient for both account progression and museum completion.

4. Fossil Island and Fossil Displays

After reaching 100 Kudos, you unlock Fossil Island by completing the Bone Voyage quest. This opens the door to earning an additional 72 Kudos through fossil displays. On the island’s museum floor, you’ll find exhibits for small, medium, large, and plant fossils. By collecting fossils around the island, cleaning them, and completing full display sets, you’ll earn 2 Kudos per completed exhibit along with antique lamps. This method takes longer than others, but it’s essential for fully maxing out your Kudos and ties directly into Fossil Island progression and training methods.

By combining these methods, you can steadily build your Kudos total while unlocking important content, valuable experience rewards, and long-term progression milestones tied to the Varrock Museum.

Kudos Milestone Rewards in Old School RuneScape

As your Kudos total increases, you start unlocking some genuinely useful content tied to the Varrock Museum, making the grind well worth it. These milestones aren’t just cosmetic either, as they open up new areas, activities, and solid experience rewards that help push your account forward.

Reaching 100 Kudos is a major checkpoint, as it unlocks access to Fossil Island through the Bone Voyage quest. This island is packed with training methods, fossils, and long-term progression content. Hitting 150 Kudos goes a step further by granting entry to the Volcanic Mine, a high-level Mining activity that rewards teamwork and offers strong experience rates. Pushing just a bit further to 153 Kudos allows you to pass through the Digsite workman’s gate, which is required for certain late-game activities and completions.

On top of area unlocks, the museum also hands out experience bonuses as you progress. Once you pass 51 Kudos, speaking to the information clerk rewards you with 1,000 Mining experience. At 101 Kudos, you’ll receive 2,500 experience in both Mining and Crafting. Finally, reaching 151 Kudos gives a hefty boost of 4,000 experience each in Crafting, Hunter, Prayer, Slayer, and Smithing, making it one of the most efficient passive reward systems tied to exploration and questing.

Altogether, these milestone rewards make collecting Kudos more than just a completion goal. They directly unlock key content and provide meaningful experience boosts that benefit accounts at almost every stage of progression.

Conclusion

Earning Kudos in Old School RuneScape is a lot more straightforward than it first appears once you know where to start and what to focus on. By completing the museum quiz, cleaning finds, turning in quest progress, and eventually working through Fossil Island exhibits, you can steadily build up your Kudos without wasting time or resources. Along the way, you’ll unlock important content like Fossil Island, the Volcanic Mine, and valuable experience rewards that make your account stronger overall. Whether you’re a new player or coming back to finish museum progress, following these steps makes collecting Kudos efficient, rewarding, and well worth the effort.