Museum Scavenger Hunts in Washington, D.C.

From whales to insects, from mummies to diamonds…

The wonders never cease on this whirlwind tour of the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. You’ll follow a trail of clues and answer tricky, humorous questions about what you find as you travel to China, Africa, South America, the Ice Age, ancient oceans, and beyond. Plus you’ll get a great heaping helping of the new eye-popping jaw-dropping dinosaurs exhibit, aka the Hall of Fossils! 

A museum scavenger hunt full of surprises

On this slightly surreal adventure, you might discover…

• A tell-tale bone that links a T. rex with your chicken dinner
• The least secure hiding place for the famous Hope Diamond
• What town you should probably avoid during a meteor shower
• A neanderthal’s distinctive “humidifier”

And those are just a few of the secrets on this eclectic hunt. You don’t need any previous knowledge to triumph—you just need good teamwork and comfortable shoes!

We also offer an International Edition for groups with ESL participants. And the Kids Edition of this hunt has been recommended by Budget Travel and GoCityKids.com. Suitable for ages 7 and up.

Here are just five of the 5-star reviews on Google:

“Truly amazing team fun activity. Unleashed our competitive spirit and great bonding experience with my colleagues. Our host was so enthusiastic and funny, we enjoyed her energy!”

“Utilized Watson Adventures for a team-building event for our department. Sharlette was such an enthusiastic host with a vibrant personality. She definitely contributed to the fun and awesome experience. I received many thanks from the staff, it was a big hit!”

“It was a wonderful experience! I definitely recommend [the Museum of Natural History scavenger hunt] for team building.”

“We went for a work event and had a great time! Would definitely recommend.”

“We took a group of young men, between the ages of 12 and 16. Not only did they enjoy it, but the [older] men that were there to accompany them enjoyed it as well. Goes without saying, but the [hunt host] was amazing. Thanks!”

Contact us to learn more about our Smithsonian Museum of Natural History scavenger hunts—and find more fun in Washington, D.C.!

Warning: This isn’t your ordinary tour

And thank goodness for that because it’s much, much better. Instead of just getting a whirlwind tour of this amazing museum, you’ll also get a team-building experience that will make you laugh, think, and bond with your group. You’ll follow a trail of clues though the galleries and tackle tricky, entertaining questions about the surprising art you find.

Your discoveries might include…

• A shark attack against a guy named Watson (no relation, we hope)
• The only painting by Leonardo da Vinci in an American museum
• An eye-popping saint—literally
• An ancient version of American Idol you can’t afford to lose
• A remarkable Civil War scene made more famous by a Hollywood movie

And those are just a few of the highlights on this hunt. Don’t worry: you don’t need to know anything about art or the museum to play or to win. You just need a sharp mind and comfortable shoes. This “level playing field,” in which anyone can contribute to the victory, makes the game a perfect activity for any corporate group looking to add a dash of culture to a team-building outing.

The International Edition is perfect for groups with participants whose speak English as a second language.

A Kids Edition, for children and adults to enjoy together, is available for school field trips, scout outings, birthday parties—you name it! Suitable for ages 7 and up.

What people are saying about the National Gallery Scavenger Hunt

A 5-star review on Google: “My team and I did a scavenger hunt with Watson Adventures as a team building exercise, and we had a amazing time! The hunt was very interactive and allowed us to work together to get through each question, all while seeing beautiful art! Also, huge shout-out to our guide, Marquis!”

“We had a great time. Sharlette [the hunt host] was amazing! She was engaging and super energetic, and the team really enjoyed her enthusiasm. Last night at dinner, everyone just kept talking about the Hunt. We truly enjoyed it. The National Gallery was wonderful and it was great being able to use the questions to see everything the museum contained. It was also really fun to work within our teams to see how different minds work. We each learned new strengths.”

“We just wrapped up our adventure at the gallery and we had a blast! Thank you so much to you guys.”

Contact us to learn more about the scavenger hunt at the National Gallery of Art—and find more fun in Washington, DC!

If America had a giant attic…

…the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History would be it. On teams, you’ll follow clues through the galleries of this eclectic treasure trove, in search of answers to tricky, humorous questions about artifacts and memorabilia representing all eras and aspects of American life.

Along the way, you might discover…

• The real color of Dorothy’s ruby slippers in The Wizard of Oz
• A gadget Alexander Graham Bell built to save a president’s life (it failed)
• The original Star-Spangled Banner and some “bombs bursting” on silver
• Edison’s first bulb, a bizarre toaster, and other electrical innovations
• Lincoln’s last top hat and Mary Lincoln’s bird feet
• Julia Child’s kitchen, apparently plagued by elves

Plus, full-size locomotives, vintage cars, monstrous machines, and many more amazing artifacts. But you don’t have to be a historian to triumph—you just need good teamwork, sharp eyes, and comfortable shoes.

Great for group activities in D.C.

Since our first hunt at this museum in 2004, countless groups have boosted teamwork and morale on this hunt. Boost the team-building experience even more with the Mixed Alliances Edition, in which teams take turns working with other teams. You must collaborate and cooperate to win.

Young hunters can get in on the fun as well, with a Kids Edition suitable for ages 7 and up. It’s perfect for an unusual school field trip that even the chaperones will love, a birthday party that guests will be talking about for days, or an exciting summer-camp outing that the kids will write home about.

What people are saying about the scavenger hunt at the Smithsonian

“We did the scavenger hunt for a team building exercise and loved it. We had a great time and can highly recommend it.” —a review posted on Google

“This company makes attractions even more fun! They were very organized, well planned and gave clear directions. The amount of time given was perfect and the hosts were wonderful.  Thank you, Watson Adventures!”—a review on Yelp

Black history comes alive

…on this scavenger hunt that reveals the best of the Culture and Community Galleries.

On teams, you’ll follow clues that guide you through the galleries to find amazing objects and answer fascinating questions about them. No previous knowledge of the museum or Black history is required: you just need sharp eyes and comfy shoes.

Scavenger hunt highlights include…

• Muhammad Ali’s boxing gloves and other sports hero memorabilia
• Chuck Berry’s gleaming red Cadillac
• Laughs with Richard Pryor and Moms Mabley
• Personal items used by James Baldwin and other famous authors
• A visit to the Bronx, the birthplace of Hip Hop

The scavenger hunt includes Photo Challenges and a Bonus Challenge with the Hunt Host. This game is great for corporate groups promoting diversity, or school groups on field trips, or anyone who wants to learn more about Black history and culture.

What people are saying about the Black history scavenger hunt

“The group really enjoyed the hunt. It was a great way to introduce the museum to those who had never experienced it, and many of the participants are excited about going back to explore it on their own. Sharlette [the Hunt Host] was amazing and we really appreciated her hosting the hunt.” —a recruiting manager for a law firm

A 5-star review on Google: “We had an amazing experience! [Hunt Host] Tokia was so engaging and fun, getting all of us in it. Even got in a song or two with the chaperone moms! In the end, the winning team received gold medals for their work and were all smiles. We will be using this company again!!”

Contact us to learn more about the scavenger hunt at the National Museum of African American History & Culture—and find more fun in Washington, D.C.!

Photo by Bernd 📷 Dittrich

Two museums, one amazing all-American adventure!

We’ve uncovered the most extraordinary, bizarre, head-turning, and mind-boggling objects and sights of two Smithsonian museums and turned them into one incredible hunt. On our whirlwind tour of the American Art Museum and the National Portrait Gallery, you’ll answer fun, funny questions about the secrets of eye-popping artwork and a parade of famous Americans, from George Washington to Andy Warhol.

Highlights of the hunt include strange and humorous folk art, famous inventions, surprising presidential trivia, fascinating conservation studios, Civil War scenes, and startling contemporary works.

On this museum scavenger hunt your team might discover…

• Which “Irish rock band” seems to have crashed near President Kennedy
• Who made cooked spaghetti look tense
• What the Gipper said when he first saw his portrait
• An electrified state with a plethora of potatoes
• Which inventor might have been offered a job at Hogwarts

You don’t need any previous knowledge to triumph—you just need good teamwork and comfortable shoes.

The Kids Edition gets students and adults working together and is great for school field trips (ages 7 and up).

Open until 7 p.m. every night!

If you’re looking for an after-work venue that’s impervious to weather, you’ve found it! These museums stay open until 7 p.m. every night of the week.

What are hunters saying about the American Art Museum & National Portrait Gallery game?

“It took me to places I haven’t seen before in the gallery, which always surprises me.”

“This was the most amazing experience!”

“I wanted to let you know how much we enjoyed the Scavenger Hunt Saturday. Carole was a super [hunt host] and certainly joined in the fun we had. Everyone had a great time. Most people had not been to either The National Portrait Gallery nor to the American Art Museum but will be making plans to visit both soon.”

Contact us to learn more about the scavenger hunts at the American Art Museum and National Portrait Gallery—and find more team-building fun in Washington!

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!