The Minneapolis Mania Scavenger Hunt
- private
- adults
- kids
- outdoor
Uncover unusual facts and unexpected finds…
…amid the skyscrapers and skyways in the heart of downtown Minneapolis. On teams, you’ll take on a collection of three different challenges: you’ll need to snap funny, imaginative Team Photos; locate or craft unique items; meet a staffer for a surprise bonus challenge; and answer tricky questions about interesting locations.
As you play, you might find soaring sculptures, musical memories, a tornado-tossed star, buried treasure, an across-the-pond menagerie, sidewalk silhouettes, and even Mary Tyler Moore herself.
You don’t need to know anything about Minneapolis to win. As long you’ve got great teamwork and some comfy shoes, you’re good to go.
The Minnesota Mania Scavenger Hunt can be played just about anywhere, even along the Skyway. You’ll still collaborate on Team Photo Challenges and search for unusual items to create or collect, but in place of the questions about specific places downtown, you’ll have a series of puzzles connected with a coded mystery message that you must crack.
Editions for kids (ages 7 and up) and adults to enjoy together are also available.
The Secrets of the MIA Scavenger Hunt
- private
- adults
- kids
- indoor
Discover the art of adventure…
…on a whirlwind tour across the centuries at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. On this humorous scavenger hunt, your team will follow tricky clues to uncover surprising secrets about the objects on display, from statues of ancient Roman emperors to the latest crazy contemporary costume (in this particular case, it’s bedecked with speakers).
You might tackle such questions as…
- In a gallery fit for a Chinese scholar, ponder Literati Curiosities. What tool might make a cricket giggle? Answer: A cricket tickler. (And no, we didn’t make that up: there’s also a cricket cage and other cricket-wrangler paraphernalia.)
- In a gallery of European paintings, near water at work, find someone who “time-traveled” from the 19th century into the 17th century. He has something in common with you right now. In a word, what is he doing? Answer: Hobbema’s ‘Wooded Landscape with Watermill’ includes a man hunting who was added to the painting in the 19th century, according to the gallery card.
Didn’t get the answers? Don’t worry! We’ve left out some of the clues, and the questions are designed to be answered only when you find the right object. You don’t need to know anything about art or the museum to do well on this game—or even to win. You just need a sharp mind, comfortable shoes, and good teamwork.
This scavenger hunt provides a great way to bring together a diverse group of people and get them laughing and having fun. It’s perfect for birthday parties, social-group gatherings, corporate outings—you name it!
Also available: an International Edition, for adults whose first language is not English; and a Kids Edition, for kids and adults to enjoy together—great for school field trips.
The Whodunit at the MIA Scavenger Hunt
- private
- adults
- kids
- indoor
Find art…catch a killer
An evil genius is taunting you to uncover all the evidence needed to catch and convict him. But the devil truly is in the details—in this case, close-up images of paintings and sculptures in the Minneapolis Institute of Art. If you can track down the masterpieces and answer the villain’s tricky questions about what you find, you’ll have a full confession—his name, the murder weapon, and the place where you can find the body.
Sounds easy, right? Of course not! You’ll need all of your sleuthing skills and the combined powers of your teammates to crack the case. Will your squad pull together or wilt under pressure? No knowledge of art—or crime—is needed to win. But you might be lucky just to escape with your life!
A Kids Edition, for kids and adults to enjoy together, is also available.
The Grab ’n’ Go Anywhere Scavenger Hunts
- Most Popular
- private
- adults
- kids
- outdoor
Fun games with humorous twists!
If you’re looking for a good, old-fashioned scavenger hunt, we have one—with very unusual challenges that will exercise your brain and tickle your funny bone. Your tasks may involve strange uses for food, new lyrics for old songs, people in any kind of uniform, strangers wearing valuable words, secrets about local landmarks, and more. If you’ve been on scavenger hunts where you’ve had to collect boring things like clothespins and obscure CDs, you’re in for a surprise and a treat.
Teams fan out to tackle such challenges as…
Take unusual team photos
Get creative and keep your eyes open as you explore your area and try to meet the requirements of diverse “photo op” challenges. Everyone has to get into the picture (except the person holding the camera, of course). We’ve designed them to allow room for creativity while also delivering dramatic visuals (not just shots of people standing around, smiling and pointing). You might be asked to demonstrate a group member’s superhuman powers. Or treat a staircase as if it’s a carnival ride. Or photobomb another team.
Participants use their smartphone cameras and our browser-based app. You’ll get to see the other players’ pictures and download them afterward.
Find or create unusual items
As in a classic scavenger hunt, you’ll have to locate or create unusual items. But in our version, you might encounter these tricky tests: Can you create and name an amazing new food by combining two unlikely foods? How about an appropriate trophy for the hunt winners? Three items that rhyme? Something improved by being broken? You’ll be surprised by the results that come from great teamwork.
Crack a code to decipher a mystery message
Your hunt materials will include a bizarrely coded message. What the heck does it say? To crack the code, you’ll need to solve crafty, fun puzzles, involving a trivia questions, pop music, and a “pigpen cipher.” Can you piece together the key that unlocks the mystery message?
Locate the Hunt Host for a surprise bonus challenge
At a designated spot in the hunt area, the Host will be waiting for you, ready to spring a tricky, humorous visual puzzle for you to ponder. It could involve unusual celebrity pairings…or musical snippets…or international maps…or strangely altered art.
Go on a scavenger hunt anywhere, with versions and themes to suit your group
Go Deluxe: Let us tailor the hunt to your needs. Tell us what you want to highlight and we’ll weave it into the game. Perhaps someone you want to celebrate? A theme or slogan for a new campaign? Hidden talents in your group? Talk to us! We like a challenge.
Care to take a bite out of crime? Check out the Murder Mystery Mayhem Scavenger Hunt.
The hunts are available in International Editions, for hunters whose first language is not English. They are also available in Spanish, as well as in other select languages.
A Grab ’n’ Go Scavenger Hunt for Kids challenges youngsters and adults to work together to tackle challenges appropriate for ages 7 and up. It’s the perfect activity for birthday parties, bar/bat mitzvahs, family reunions, school field trips, summer-camp outings—you name it.
For a snack-tastic adventure, the Grab ’n’ Go Food Edition features food-themed Collect & Create and Photo Challenges.
And young Harry Potter fans will be cheating if they use their wands and other magical powers on the Wizards & Witches Scavenger Hunt, for ages 7 and up.
What are people saying about the Anywhere Scavenger Hunts?
“The Grab ’n’ Go Scavenger Hunt was so much fun! All of the teams were engaged and working together. We couldn’t have asked for a better team-building and celebration event.” –Brittney Gallardo, Office Manager/Executive Assistant, Texture by Next Issue Media
A 5-star review on Google: “We hired Watson Adventures to host the Grab ‘n’ Go scavenger hunt for a teambuilding event in our local downtown area. We chose to pay for an on-site host and it was well worth it. Kim, the host, was fantastic, well organized, very helpful with the game app, and added even more fun to the game with opportunities to earn extra points. Our team had a blast!! We thoroughly enjoyed getting out from in front of our computers to spend time together in this fun and creative environment!”
A 5-star review on Yelp: “I planned a surprise custom scavenger hunt for my fiancé’s birthday last year and it was so much fun! Tara was a pleasure to work with and incredibly accommodating with all of my requests. The event host was equally wonderful. We all had a blast. I wish I had more reasons to plan scavenger hunts!”
Another 5-star review on Google: “Watson Adventures was so incredibly fun for our company offsite! Correy was a fantastic host that guided the experience and Tara made planning a customized hunt a breeze. 10/10 recommend!”
Contact us to learn more about the Grab ’n’ Go Scavenger Hunts—and find more fun wherever you are!
Escape to the Museum Virtual Scavenger Hunt for Kids
- private
- kids
- teens
- indoor
Explore Museums All over the Country—at Home!
Round up your teammates for an online adventure that challenges you to explore museum websites in search of the craziest, zaniest, secret-and-surprise-stuffed-fulliest (is that a word?) exhibits you’ve ever seen outside of your dreams. You’ll follow tricky clues on different museum websites and answer humorous question about what you uncover.
No knowledge of any particular museum is required: you just need sharp eyes, sharp wits, sharp teammates, and sharp pencils. Wait: sharp pencils not required, because you’ll be reading the clues and answering the questions in our spiffy app, bursting with links and hints and sound effects and other fun stuff.
Virtual scavenger hunt highlights include…
- Sue the T. rex at the Field Museum in Chicago
- A tour of the Texas State Aquarium with a sloth
- A bison stampede at the Milwaukee Public Museum
- The Space Shuttle Discovery at the Air & Space Museum
- Vintage arcade games at San Francisco’s Musée Méchanique
The game is suitable for ages 10 and up, and we recommend at least one adult per team. This virtual scavenger hunt is a great way to connect with family, friends or classmates. Contact us to learn more about a private game for your group!
