The Inside Scoop: Historic Philly History Hunt, September 10
As you might expect from a group of museum professionals, Museum Council has no shortage of creative individuals within our membership. Even better, some of them are active in our Programming Committee, helping to make decisions about where and when to get together for our ever-fascinating Museum Council events.
One such event is just a few weeks away—the Historic Philly History Hunt, happening Saturday, September 10 from 2:00 to 5:00 pm. It’s a great excuse to get out, meet some new people, and explore some of the many historic sites in and around Independence Mall.
Allie Krisch, Programming Committee Chair, gave us some details about Museum Council’s upcoming Historic Philly History Hunt
To find out more about what this event is all about, we spoke with Allie Krisch, Manager of Science and Community Programs at The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, and Chair of the Programming Committee for Museum Council.
Q: What’s a “digital scavenger hunt” and how does it work?
We will be using a digital platform called Scavify to host the questions for our Historic Philly History Hunt. The same rules of traditional scavenger hunts apply—don’t cheat, have fun, and engage in some friendly competition. The event starts at the National Constitution Center at 2:00 pm and we are asking that all teams/participants check in here. Once you check in, you will be given a code so that you can access the scavenger hunt questions on the Scavify app.
Q: How does the Scavify app work? Is it free?
Scavify is an app and platform that can be used to create and run customized, interactive scavenger hunts. While there is a fee for designing and creating the scavenger hunt (in our case, there was a small fee for Museum Council), there is no separate app fee for the event participant. The Historic Philly History Hunt is free for all Museum Council members and will cost $5 for non-members. For more information on Scavify and their app, visit www.scavify.com.
Q: Will participants be working individually, or in teams? How many people can be on the same team?
Participants can choose to work individually or in teams. Since you will be completing the questions and challenges through the Scavify app, only one account will be needed per team (or per person). No more than four people can be on a team. We are asking that each team provides us with a list of their teammates when they check in at the National Constitution Center.
Q: What kinds of sites and attractions will be included in the hunt?
The event is limited to the historic district in Philadelphia and will take teams through Old City and parts of the Society Hill neighborhood. The event begins at the National Constitution Center and ends with a small celebration and happy hour at the American Philosophical Society. During the hunt you can expect to follow clues to some of the best know historic sites like the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall, but we also plan to direct you so some of the less well known, but equally impressive smaller sites throughout the historic district such as the Thaddeus Kosciuszko National Memorial at 3rd and Pine Streets. Some of the stops will require you to go into and visit a site, while other stops will ask for a simple geo-check in. There are so many fascinating places in such a small area and we want to encourage participants to take a close look at spaces they may have never visited before. I don’t want to give too much away before the event, but participants should be prepared to spend a couple hours walking around this area.
Q: Is there a prize for the winner?
Yes, there is! We will not be announcing the prize prior to the event, but trust me when I say that it’s a pretty great prize.
Q: How did you come up with the idea for this exciting event?
The Museum Council Programming Committee wanted to create an event that would encourage participants to explore a wide variety of historic sites and museums over a relatively short amount of time. We thought that a scavenger hunt might be the best way to encourage people to explore, compete, and have fun on (what we hope will be) a beautiful late summer Saturday. Friends of ours at the National Constitution Center have used Scavify for events in the past and recommended it to us. We love how easy it has been to set up our event on the Scavify platform and are excited to use it for this event.