Secret rooms count towards the progress in the Explore quest.There is a secret room on the way to the final boss with a letter from Red Hook Studios, the developers of Darkest Dungeon.After you leave the quest, a rescued prisoner will be found in the stagecoach. Prisoners are similar to experienced recruits they start at higher levels and will have their weapons, armor and skills upgraded to the highest their current resolve level will allow. With the release of The Crimson Court, secret rooms can also hold prisoners. There are also two exceptions, in the Wolves at the Door and the final mission of the Darkest Dungeon, the secret room cannot be scouted but can be entered manually by pressing the up arrow if the location is right. Once explored, the secret room can be left by clicking on a new destination room. Upon reaching the corridor segment holding the hidden door to the secret room, the room has to be accessed by clicking in the background or pressing the up arrow as would be done to enter a regular door. When scouting, eventual secret rooms will appear along a corridor their position will be indicated by a golden star icon.

To enter a secret room, it has to be scouted first and it must be critical scouting only.

As for every item providing loot, additional items are awarded if opening it while at low or zero light level. Secret rooms will always contain a unique curio: the Ancient Artifact, which will drop a small quantity of valuables or, if opened with a Skeleton key, will provide several pieces of loot similar to that obtained when defeating The Collector, hence why the Artifact is regarded as containing 'Great Treasures'.

Darkest dungeon curio hints