Escape Room – beat the clocks and the locks at Macdonald Museum!

You want out? Janice Slauenwhite has the key – but you’ll have to work for it.

You’ve got about an hour.

“Beat the clocks and the locks or face an eternal winter,” she challenged.

Frozen in Time is the theme of the seasonal escape room that staff and volunteers at Macdonald Museum in Middleton have created.

“For those unfamiliar with the term, an escape room is a game where players solve a series of clues to achieve goals. In this case, keys to locks that eventually lead to freedom,” said Slauenwhite, museum director. “Teams will work together to advance through four locks while trying to beat the one-hour time limit.”

The theme, Frozen in Time, has great significance at the museum and is appropriate for an escape room event that is all about the seconds ticking down as participants attempt to get out.

Slauenwhite explained the idea came from the huge clock collection at the museum.

“We have over 150 clocks and pocket watches on display,” she said. “They were collected by the late Norman Phinney and are one of the primary reasons Macdonald Museum came into being.”

The collection is considered one of the finest of its kind in Canada and presents an excellent atmosphere for the upcoming fun, she said.

“No one is physically locked up or confined in any way, but the doors to the room are closed,” she said in case people were concerned for their safety.

She said museum staff recommends no more than seven people per team and the cost is $5 per person. The current game has been created for people ages 16 and up, but if there is enough interest from younger persons, the museum will host a modified version in the future.

“We are planning to host an escape room every few months with various themes and plot twists,” Slauenwhite said. “Ideas and volunteers are always welcome.”

The escape room will be open on Dec. 7 and 8 from 1 to 9 p.m. Participants must register their teams in advance by calling the museum at 902-825-6116. Teams can challenge each other to see who can be fastest to escape and can have their picture taken at the end of the hour, showcasing their success (or failure).

New Beginnings

If you want a different escape room experience, you can check out the fun at New Beginnings Center at 1151 Bridge Street in Greenwood Dec. 8. Like Frozen in Time at Macdonald Museum, this is also a fundraiser and runs from 3 to 8 p.m.

The Greenwood escape room is put on by the Healthy Minds Group and there will be two events – Magic Rabbit for the kids, and Abandoned Cabin for the 10 and over.

They will let you in for a food item, a small monetary donation, or winter clothing items. Everything will be donated to local charities. In addition, there will be a bake sale, ballot box, and mental health resources.

You can just walk in or you can make an appointment. Contact Steve at 902-848-6930, Carrie at 902-349-0711, or look for them on Facebook at Greenwood Healthy Minds Fundraiser.