How to Make Playable Immersive Experiences in Your Museum: join us for an in-depth guide to designing, developing and delivering an immersive playable experience in your museum

In this study day 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.

Responding to themes and stories in real heritage sites, you’ll use props, equipment and tools to devise your own pop-up escape rooms. Playing the roles of designer and player you will get a real sense for what makes a successful immersive experience. Discover how you don’t need ludicrous budgets to create a memorable experience in your museum that will get your heart racing.

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! 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.

• Engage with Practical Exercises: Engage in practice-based exercises that will help solidify your understanding of how to make playable immersive experiences in your own museum.

• Case Studies and Real-World Examples: Gain inspiration and understanding from a variety of case studies showcasing a range of playable immersive experiences and the lessons learned from them.

• Reflect and Collaborate: Work in small, supportive groups to reflect on your ideas and activities. This conversational and relaxed setting encourages open discussion and peer learning.

• Actionable Next Steps: Leave with a clear ideas to help you approach designing and delivering playable immersive experiences in your museum.

With four sell-out editions taking place in 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025, demand for this unique study day is always strong. Places are strictly limited, so book now to secure your spot.

Making Playable Immersive Experiences in Your Museum
Study Day, 17 March, Central London
Led by Sacha Coward

About the Workshop Leader

Sacha Coward has been working in museums for over 15 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!

Book Tickets

Click ‘Select options’ below to book your place on the study day. Tickets are available on a sliding scale from £137 – £177. 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+ members of staff, students, freelancers, and those working at small independent museums. Reduced rate tickets are £97 – email info@museum-id.com to check availability and to book a ticket at the reduced rate.

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, your ticket remains valid for the rescheduled date.