In this study day participants get the unique experience of building and playing their own escape rooms. In groups they will respond to themes and stories in real heritage sites and then using escape room props, equipment and tools, will devise their own pop-up escape rooms. Playing the roles of designer and player they will get a real sense for what makes a successful immersive experience.
You will benefit from an in-depth walk-through of the entire process of designing, developing and delivering an immersive playable experience and discover how you don’t need ludicrous budgets to create a memorable experience in your museum that will get your heart racing.
You will learn how to turn themes and collection stories into puzzles, how to create an exciting narrative that has historical integrity and how to structure a game so it is sustainable. But the main goal of this session is to get participants to think outside the box… by literally breaking out of the box!
Workshop leader Sacha Coward will use his skills and experience of working in the weird world between escape room designer and museum professional to offer you hands-on tips on how museums (of almost any scale and theme) can create fun, frightening, thrilling and meaningful experiences. This is a brilliant opportunity to learn how to introduce gaming into museum engagement and have a LOT of fun whilst you’re at it!
How to Create Immersive Games in Your Museum
Study Day, 14 February 2023, Wellcome Collection, London
Workshop leader: Sacha Coward has been working in museums for 12 years but he has been playing games his whole life! Previously working at the Natural History Museum, Denver Museum of Nature and Science, and Royal Museums Greenwich, he now freelances as a museum consultant and escape room designer. He has developed highly successful playable experiences for the V&A, National Trust, Cambridge Genome Campus, Colchester Castle, Bletchley Park, and Ipswich Museum to name just a few! As well as making games in exciting spaces Sacha is also passionate about LGBTQ+ representation and is an avid mermaid folklorist!
Study Day Format: Working in small groups with a welcoming and informal atmosphere, study day participants will benefit from expert guidance and support coupled with hands-on, practical sessions. Creating Immersive Games in Your Museum takes place at Wellcome Collection on Tuesday 14 February 2023.
Book tickets: Click ‘Select options’ below to book your place on the study day. Tickets are available on a sliding scale from £177 – £137. Book with colleagues for multiple delegate discounts. Book your ticket online below or email info@museum-id.com if you prefer to be invoiced.
20% of tickets are available at a reduced rate for museum workers who may often be excluded from training and professional development opportunities, including people of colour, LGBTQ+ and working class members of staff, people with a disability, front of house staff, students, freelancers, those working at small independent museums, and people new to the sector. Reduced rate tickets are £97 – email info@museum-id.com to check availability and to book a ticket at the reduced rate.
The Museum Ideas 2023 Study Day and Conference programme is sponsored by Art Fund and BECK.
Tickets are non-refundable but may be swapped between colleagues at the same organisation and between different study days (if places are available). If the workshop is postponed due to Covid-19 restrictions your ticket remains valid for the rescheduled date.
