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TheMystery oftheMegatherium ClubMustaches and Mayhem

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HUMAN-CENTERED DESIGNWORKSHOPS
HOW WE BUILT THE GAME!
We didn’t know what teens wanted to do at the Castle, so what better way to find out than ask them! We held two human-centered
design workshops and asked them what they wanted to do in that space, and what bits of the Smithsonian’s history resonated with
them. In the end, we felt much more sure of the game design and story choices we made.

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• Engage teens with history
• Create something fun for teens to
do at Smithsonian Castle
• Use the history of the Castle
• Motivate visitors to explore unique
architecture & history of the castle
• Build something that could scale
in the future, a prototype for other
projects
• Intern to help with extra visual
design, website, logos
• New teen docents to help run/reset
game
• Visitor Center desk is a central
location
• Castle curator is willing to help out
with lots of details about the space
• We have iPads to pass out
GOALS RESOURCES RESTRICTIONS
• limited budget
• Very quick turn-around time (less than 3
months)
• Game designer is not on-site
• Will only run through August
• People can only play for 60 minutes
• We’ll have to schedule visitors
DESIGNPARAMETERS
HOW WE BUILT THE GAME!
We had three months and a limited budget to get a working, playable prototype for the summertime but we were able to get a great
sense of “magic” by using an unexpected storyline, puzzles and antiques. Drilling down on our goals, resources and restrictions helped
us to get the most out of our design parameters!

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AGAMETHATINCLUDES MANY ELEMENTS OFPLAY:
HOW WE BUILT THE GAME!
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Escape
Room
Scavenger
Hunt
Digital
Tour
To meet these goals, resources, and restrictions, we designed a game that combined elements of an Escape room with
elements of a traditional digital mobile app-based tour— and a scavenger hunt! The result was a unique kind of gameplay.
The game let visitors truly explore the physical space of the castle with hidden
boxes in unusual places and puzzles that could only be answered by looking closely
at the Castle. The on-location part of the game let us include physical items, letters,
drawings and pictures that gave the game a fun, tactile element.
Scavenger Hunt
The teen docents played a major part in this game as Gamemasters
who, like in an escape room, follow each group and give hints and
clues. This allowed a guided part of the game and engaged the teens in
a really meaningful way
Escape Room
Using the Edventure Builder, we were able to include historical interviews and
digital files from the existing mobile guide. The digital interface let us deliver
extra nuggets of the history of the Castle with images and quotes.
Digital Guide/App
COMBININGMULTIPLEELEMENTS OFPLAY

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FASTFACTS 6
A combination of digital clues and real
objects will guide players around the
castle to solve puzzles and unlock the
mystery! The game can only be played
on-site.
Playing off of the popular “Escape
Room” trend, players find hidden
objects and solve puzzles to uncover
a hidden story. Teen docents work as
the Gamemasters to give hints and
watch the players!
Players are informed that they’re about to
delve into a story with historical fact AND
fiction- and to keep en eye out for both. The
end-of-game debrief gives players and
docents the chance to discuss what was real.
Players leave with a pamphlet on the real
Megatherium Club and history of the castle
The Megatherium Club is an interactive fictional story and puzzle hunt based on the true history of the Smithsonian in the 1860’s.
Players help the Smithsonian solve a mystery the infamous Megatherium Club left behind for future explorers. They spend an hour
with friends or family investigating, solving puzzles, and following clues hidden by these mischievous former inhabitants of the Castle.
Digital-Physical Game 5 People, 60 Minutes Real History… Real Fiction
WHAT COULD POSSIBLY GO WRONG WHEN A GROUP OF YOUNG SCIENTISTS HAS FREE REIGN OF THE CASTLE IN 1860?

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Geared toward teen visitors, The Mystery of the Megatherium Club is a new
live-play mystery game based on the historical group of young naturalists
who lived in dormitories in the Castle. Guided by Smithsonian Teen Docents,
the game runs daily July 8-Aug. 27.
Comeplay thegame!
RUNNING DAILY FROM JULY THROUGH AUGUST

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PLAYMAP
The challenge was to navigate visitors up to 6 around the entire castle over the course of 60 minutes. Since many parts of the
castle don’t have exhibits, we needed to use the permanent fixtures and architecture to tell the story. We included hidden boxes
and the digital platform of the Edventure Builder to deliver more information and move the story along.
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East Wing
Introduction 1
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Introduction: Docents meet visitors to
give rules and set the stage
1: Off to the East Wing to look at a
map of the castle
2: Explore the North tower and learn
about the Children’s Room
3. Go to the Crypt, when was
Smithson born again?
4. Find a secret case in the Great Hall.
What’s changed here?
5. Secret messages in Schermer Hall
6. The commons holds the KEY!
FINISH: A mysterious message- how
did that fire start?
Finish
HOW WE BUILT THE GAME!

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Families with teens and pre-teens seemed to find the game the most valuable
as it gave them a way to engage with teens that most activities don’t offer!
With multiple playtests, we ended up scaling the game back from its original
vision to make it shorter and easier for people to play. Average escape rooms
have a success rate of 25 to 50% but this “Escape Room” will have a success
rate of closer to 80 or 90%. For visitors who are having a hard time, docents
give lots of hints to move them along.
Teen docents really responded to the game and enjoyed their roles as
Gamemasters. Visitors have reported that their “docents are great” so the
game is giving teens a strong role and ownership in the program
Visitors are also responded well with most weekend games already booked
through the end of the summer.
The Release and Result
HOW DID IT GO?
“This is the most engaged outing I’ve ever
had with my pre-teen nephews!!”
“It was fun! We loved the pencil message
puzzle and the black light.”
“I liked how all the puzzles connected with the SI
content and architecture of the building.”
“It made me realize activities like this would be a way to bond with my kiddos
when they are older."

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LETTHEGAMES BEGIN!