Scavenger Hunts

Scavenger Hunts are a novel way to explore a museum or a part of a city you're visiting.

Watson Adventures, for example, offers The Central Park TV & Movie Locations Scavenger Hunt, The Ghosts of Greenwich Village Scavenger Hunt, and lots more.

You'll need to register and pay a fee which typically includes any museum entrance fees. It's likely that teens can join in many of these general hunts. Guests are organized into small teams, and get a clipboard and clues; winners get a prize.

Watson Adventures also has special family hunts, such as "The Art Attack Family Scavenger Hunt" in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, or "The Fright at the Museum Family Scavenger Hunt" in the Museum of Natural History. Tasks might include finding personal items that belonged to Teddy Roosevelt, a scary Easter island statue, monster whale... Sample prices: kids age 7 and up $24.50, adults $30.*

Avid scavengers should know about other options too. For instance, the Metropolitan Museum of Art usually has free handouts for kids, with clues that send them searching through the museum. Tailored Tours, meanwhile, sells self-guided tours online and has several Scavenger Hunts that you can download for a small fee and print-out. (A Times Square Scavenger Hunt might send you sleuthing: what restaurant serves giant shish kebob footballs?)

^{photo © Teresa Plowright}

*always check web sites for updates!