Museum Scavenger Hunts in Virginia

The Virginia Art Museum Madness Scavenger Hunt

  • private
  • adults
  • kids
  • teens
  • indoor

From ancient Egypt to modern-day America…

…you’ll explore the best of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts while seeking answers to tricky, humorous questions. On this unusual whirlwind tour, you’ll learn the secrets of a whip-wielding wild woman, a piano-playing pup, an elegant elephant saddle, an impish Impressionist, a tusk of love, a horrible hag who turns a skullcap into a cup, and gorilla (not guerrilla) warfare, to name just a few of the highlights.

Your team might tackle such questions as…

  • In the galleries of ancient Greek art, find a kid with a stick who looks ready to whack another kid holding grapes. But the item they’re found on isn’t interested in eating grapes: according to its Greek name, what does it want to eat? Answer: The kids are on the Asiatic Sarcophagus, and the label explains that sarcophagus is Greek for “flesheater.” Yikes!
  • In a gallery of 20th-century American art, find red and white stripes where you can get clipped for a quarter. Near “Chaplin,” what queen was exposed (so to speak)? Answer: In Evergood’s ‘Street Corner,’ a newspaper headline bares all (ahem) about a burlesque queen.

No knowledge of the museum or art is necessary: the emphasis is on teamwork—and fun.

It’s a great game for all kinds of groups and occasions, from birthday parties to social and corporate outings. A Kids Edition is available for ages 7 and up—a great school field trip activity in which kids and adults team up and play together.

What delighted clients are saying about the VMFA scavenger hunt

A 5-star review on Google: “The team loved the hunt! It was fun, interactive and we will definitely recommend to our peers at work.”

“The team loved the hunt! It was fun, interactive and we will definitely recommend to our peers at work.” —a group from the financial industry

“The staff had a lot of fun!” —a group of elementary school teachers and administrators

“We had a fantastic time! I had employees stopping me at the restaurant [after the game] and emailing me today saying how much fun they had. Sharlette [the hunt host] did a wonderful job and it was a pleasure meeting her.” —a group of realtors

“We had the best time, everyone really liked the scavenger hunt. Sharlette [the hunt host] was great and made the event even better.” —a company in the insurance industry

Contact us to learn more about this team-building scavenger hunt at the VMFA—and find more fun in Richmond!


Escape the Science Museum Scavenger Hunt

  • adults
  • kids
  • indoor

You’ve been poisoned!

Sorry for the bad news, but don’t panic: you can find the cure by playing this scavenger hunt. The evil genius who dosed you at the start of this game has created a series of puzzles that will reveal the combination to a box that contains the antidote. Sure, you can escape a room, but can you unlock the box and escape the museum—with your life?

On teams, you’ll follow the villain’s diabolical trail of clues through Science Museum of Virginia in Richmond, searching for secrets in the galleries and exhibits. You’ll tackle devilishly tricky questions about what you find, interact with our staff to solve sneaky puzzles, and ultimately crack a code.

No knowledge of the museum or science is required: you just need sharp eyes, comfy shoes, and excellent teamwork.

This is a great game for all kinds of groups—especially ones too large for conventional escape-room games. What makes this particularly perfect for mixed groups is that if you have participants who don’t care much for puzzles, they’ll still be delighted by what we help them discover in this fascinating museum.

An edition for kids and adults to do together is also available.


The Air & Space Race Scavenger Hunt

  • public
  • private
  • adults
  • kids
  • indoor

You don’t need to be an aviator to go plane crazy…

…but you might want to get your pilot’s license after this sky-high adventure at the Virginia branch of the National Air and Space Museum. On teams, you’ll explore the museum’s two giant hangars and answer tricky, humorous questions about the collection’s 200-plus planes, helicopters, gliders, and space vehicles. Even if you aren’t an aviation fan, you probably will be by the end of this hunt—and regardless, you’ll certainly discover plenty of objects to amuse and fascinate you.

Highlights include a full-size Concorde and space shuttle, a Boeing 707, a scary-cool Blackbird jet (like something out of a Batman movie), and the Enola Gay, which dropped the first A-bomb on Hiroshima.

You might also discover…

  • An airman’s wacky “party suit”
  • The original spaceship from Close Encounters of the Third Kind
  • Kitschy Lindbergh and space-age memorabilia
  • A true-to-life scene of peasants attacking a balloon (they thought it was a monster)
  • An ingenious CIA transmitter designed to resemble dog poop

And much, much more. A Murder Mystery Edition is also available, which adds a story of international intrigue to your quest for clues.

If you’re thinking that kids would love this hunt on a field trip, you’d be right! The Kids Edition, for ages 7 and up, gets children and adults to join forces to answer the entertaining questions.  

One of our most popular scavenger hunts in Virginia

The Udvar-Hazy Center makes a great alternative to the Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C., which is currently undergoing major renovations. The hunt is particular popular for team building with companies in northern Virginia: our delighted clients include Lockheed Martin, Northrop Gruman, Volkswagen, Outback Steakhouse, Carfax, and Siemens, to name just a few. So head to Chantilly and strap in for fun!


The Colonial Capers Scavenger Hunt

  • private
  • adults
  • outdoor

Get into the spirit of 1776!

Can you imagine a better setting for a scavenger hunt than Colonial Williamsburg, where you can experience what life was like during Revolutionary times? You’ll feel like you’ve returned to 1776 as you explore the dusty streets and old buildings, in search of answers to tricky, entertaining questions. To win, your team must uncover the secrets of the palatial homes, quaint stores, government buildings steeped in history, delightful gardens, a bit of the College of William & Mary, and much more.

Along the way, you’ll need to get creative for Team Photo Challenges. Perhaps you’ll recruit a historical reenactor dressed as a Founding Father (or Mother) to help you out.

Much of historic Williamsburg is open to the public without charge, particularly in the evening. If your group pays for admission to Colonial Williamsburg, we can include questions inside some of the old-time shops on Duke of Gloucester Street.

A hunt here is the perfect way to make some history of your own—for corporate outings, birthday parties, alumni reunions, you name it. A special edition for kids (ages 7 and up) is also available. Your group won’t soon forget the collaborating, bonding, and laughing.


The Searchin’ Mount Vernon Scavenger Hunt

  • private
  • adults
  • kids
  • outdoor

Walk in the footsteps of George Washington…

…on a hunt that hits the highlights of his magnificent estate and gardens, just a half-hour drive from downtown Washington, D.C. You’ll marvel at the Founding Father’s ingenuity as you follow clues through the grounds and answer tricky, fun questions about what you find.

On teams, you’ll gambol in his gardens, get a bit unstable in his stable, take the heat in his blacksmith shop, get coached in his coach house, raise your blood pressure in his salt house, clean up your act in the wash house, and enjoy a small museum about all things George.

Along the way, you might also…

  • Learn how Washington spurred a “sheepish” lieutenant to go faster
  • Discover what animal Martha trusted with her pearls
  • Marvel at an old-fashioned device that “mangled” clothes
  • Play “Spot That Spot” with photo clues
  • Find a hippo that helped hungry, hungry George (think: teeth)

Plus, the estate’s small museum is packed with intriguing objects connected with Washington, including jewels, swords, famous documents, oddball collectibles, and a “shocking” video.

But you don’t need to know anything about Washington or Mount Vernon to win: you just need to pay attention to the details, work together, and wear some comfy shoes.

A Kids Edition of the scavenger hunt, for ages 7 and up, has been enjoyed by school groups as a great way to get a whirlwind tour of the highlights of this sprawling estate.  

Note: the hunt does not include the Mansion, Washington’s actual residence, because it is accessible only by guided tour. But your group can certainly tour the Mansion before or after a hunt!


Escape to the Museum Virtual Scavenger Hunt

  • private
  • adults
  • indoor

Visit museums across the country—virtually!

Discover odd and unusual art and artifacts on this unique museum virtual tour. Tricky, fun trivia questions provide clues that lead you on a quest to explore 16 online museums of all kinds, all over America. You’ll pick your way through virtual galleries and historic locations, in search of amazing masterpieces, startling artifacts, dinosaurs, famous people, and more, earning points for uncovering humorous details, all without leaving your comfy chair.

No previous knowledge is required. You just need sharp eyes and great teamwork on this adventure. Thanks to video conferencing technology and our custom game app, people at home can play along with a Watson Adventures host, work with teammates, and have fun together. This game sends you searching for the strangest and funniest details in art hidden on museum websites.

Special editions for private groups

  • Want your colleagues to mix more during the game? The Mix & Mingle edition rearranges the teams at “halftime” to increase the number of people players interact with during the game.
  • The International Edition is great for groups seeking online ESL games.
  • If your group is up for a challenge, try the Brain Squeeze Edition, which adds devilish trivia questions to the clues.
  • Or if you’re an educator looking for online classroom games, consider the Kids Edition.

Want to see more of a particular city’s best museums and landmarks? Escape games for New York, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, the San Francisco Bay Area, Texas, and Washington, D.C., are also available. If your group includes people from a variety of countries, whose first language might not be English, check out the Around the World Scavenger Hunt.

Contact us to learn more—and find more fun working at home!


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