Thursday, 22 September 2016

'Escape Room' concept arrives at Woodstock Museum

Team building skills such as cooperation and planning are usually part of the intrigue

Ingersoll also has a similar attraction and it runs there until Oct. 30

By Mark Schadenberg
The challenge – if you dare accept it – is to discover all the clues and solve the riddles so you and your pals can devise a method and answer all the questions in under 45 minutes to gain your freedom.
The Woodstock Museum is currently housing an Escape Room and the promotion continues until Oct. 15, Thursdays through Saturdays. The museum in Downtown Woodstock has created its version of the Escape Room concept on the second floor of the ‘National Historic Site.’
I’m not sure about all the parameters for the Escape Room in Woodstock, but usually they involve solving clues, deducing logic, applying arithmetic, playing games, word puzzles, unravelling riddles, confusing conundrums, over-thinking a labyrinth of possibilities, and naturally . . . staying calm.


I am unable to offer any specific thoughts or suggestions to solve this mystery, as I have none. When I visited this week, Museum curator Karen Houston would forbid me entrance to the room.
I used the ploy of wanting to take some photos of the Woodstock sports hall of fame temporary exhibit (Which closes on Saturday, Sept 24), but alas the door of the Escape Room was locked.  
A fun angle to the promotion locally, according to a story in The Sentinel-Review, is that local students have created some local connections to artifacts and historical truths to create extra intrigue
Houston noted in the S-R piece that teams can be up to 6 people, but it’s important to do some planning before entering the room.

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“You want to make it tough enough that people have to think, and they really have to work together, but at the same time, what we found as a staff is that it’s also really frustrating when you can’t get out of the room,” Houston said with a chuckle.
“If you’re going in as a group, figure out who is the best at math problems? (Who is) good at seeing patterns? Who is somebody that is good (at seeing the) big picture?”
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As an avid blog writer, I borrow from other writers and then include a link to an old post.
In this case, I like the list of 10 ways ‘escape rooms’ promote teamwork (link below), such as cooperation, communication, coping with stress, reaching a common goal, delegating tasks, and obviously sharing ideas.
If you are unable to take part in the 'Escape Room' in Woodstock, there are other similar rooms available to attempt.
Be sure, however, to attend the Woodstock Museum to see a temporary exhibit (The Woodstock sports show end Sept 24) or the many permanent displays, including:
1. Woodstock city council chambers, and photos of past mayors and members of council.
2. Industrial / commercial history including fire trucks, pianos and organs, and agriculture.
3. Our area's role in many worldwide conflicts.
4. Tribute to 'Klondike' Joe Boyle.
5. The Les McKerral barbershop.
6. Historic maps, stories, artifacts and local trivia.




INGERSOLL
The escape room currently at Trinity United Church in Ingersoll continues through to Oct. 29. The theme there is similar to game shows and board games with the name ‘Let’s Make A Deal.’

FOREST CITY
In London, meanwhile, the concept has grown to a permanent games location called MER (Mystery Escape Rooms) at 551 Waterloo Street, and includes 10 rooms. They all appear intriguing if you search out their website, but I would most be interested in the Mystic’s Parlour as it involves a fortune teller.
Anyone who watches macabre fiction TV shows such as Vampires Diary would likely choose the Faery’s Hemlock room.
MER is open 7 days a week and rates range up to $28 per person for 60 minutes of wit, clues, cooperation, logic, code solving, and eventually (hopefully) discovering the key to escape.

LINKS:


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Mark Schadenberg, Sales Representative
Senior Real Estate Specialist (SRES designation)
Royal LePage Triland Realty
Independently Owned & Operated, Brokerage
757 Dundas St, Woodstock
(519) 537-1553, cell or text
Email: mschadenberg@rogers.com
Twitter: markroyallepage
Facebook: Mark Schadenberg, Royal LePage Triland

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