CHICAGO SCAVENGER HUNTS

Ready for team-building with a dash of culture? On each of our scavenger hunts, you decipher clues to answer tricky, funny questions about the places you visit and things you find. Our hunts have been acclaimed by the Chicago Tribune, Metromix Chicago, the New York Times, the Washington Post, ABC News, the Boston Herald, Citysearch, Daily Candy and numerous other media outlets. More than 90,000 hunters have gone our scavenger hunts from more than 300 prestigious companies, not to mention trade associations, social groups, alumni groups, bachelorettes, school groups and more. For details on how the hunts work, and to see our rave reviews and prestigious clients, visit the Private Hunts page.

Our Chicago locations include...

The Loop
The Field Museum
The Art Institute of Chicago
Starring the Loop: The TV & Movie Locations Hunt in the Loop
The Museum of Science and Industry
Navy Pier
The Conquer Chicago Hunt
Starring Chicago: The Citywide TV & Movie Locations Hunt
Lincoln Park, Hyde Park, the Museum of Science & Industry...and Beyond
Print Out Our Chicago Brochure
Try a Public Hunt, Sign Up for Our Newsletter


The Loop: The Secrets of the Loop Scavenger Hunt

Rediscover the historic heart of Chicago on a hunt that reveals the secrets of such places and sights as the Sears Tower, the Picasso in Daley Plaza, Millennium Park, the spectacular rooms in the Chicago Cultural Center, Marshall Field’s (or Macy’s, if you insist), the Rookery, the surprising lobby of the Marquette Building, and the giant orange Flamingo in Federal Plaza. You’ll discover the answers to such questions as...

• At the Chicago Theatre, what sounds like a bird, a car, and a doorbell? Answer: The organ, as explained in the entrance.

• On Michigan Avenue, visit two giants who face off. When he’s constructed properly, what’s the profession of Juan Sam Peel? “Reconstruct” the letters of that name and you get Jaume Plensa, the artist of a plaza with a fountain here, as indicated on a sign.

• Near the Chicago Board of Trade, what Sunday had two noons? November 18, 1883, according to a sign that marks the spot where time zones were established—and on the day they went into effect, Chicago had two noons as the official time was reset.

Please note that we haven’t included here the directions and other clues that lead you to the answers. We offer 90-minute and two-hours versions of the hunt, and if you like we can add Team Photo Questions. Contact us for more information about the hunt.

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The Field Museum: The Museum of Natural Hysteria Scavenger Hunt

On our most surreal hunt in Chicago, you’ll get a whirlwind tour of this treasure chest of natural and cultural wonders, taking you from Ancient Egypt to the Pacific Islands, from the tundra to the forest, from Tibet to the lair of two bats. You’ll search for answers to such questions as...

• In Ancient Egypt, find “bowling pins” with the head of a human, a jackal, a falcon and a baboon. They’re waiting for organ transplants. As a group, which organ would they reject? People preparing mummies discarded the brain of a dead person but put the other organs in canopic jars.

• Play the Mating Game. You would say this place stinks, but some single males would call it a “hot spot for picking up ‘single’ females.” Who are these bachelors? Dung beetles, who meet on piles of dung.

• What kind of toucan looks like he just didn't get enough Froot Loops? The red-billed toucan is a skeleton.

Please note that we haven’t included here the directions and other clues that lead you to the answers. The Field Museum makes a great location for a two-hour or 90-minute hunt, and we have special editions for foreigners and for kids. You can also add Team Photo Questions for additional challenges and fun—and souvenirs of the hunt. For more information about the museum, visit www.fieldmuseum.org. Contact us for more information about the hunt.

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The Art Institute of Chicago: The Art Attack Scavenger Hunt

For a feast for the eyes, take on this amazing museum in this eclectic hunt. From paintings to pottery, from armor to amore, from Dali to dollhouse-like period rooms, from ancient Roman warriors to a former stock exchange room where modern warriors fought, this hunt has something for everyone. No knowledge of the museum or its contents is necessary. You’ll search for answers to such questions as...

• Find a famous Parisian dancer who would probably have been an expert during a 1990s dance craze. Nearby, who was “resurrected,” so to speak? (She’s the one with the ghostly lighting.) Answer: After Toulouse-Lautrec died, May Milton was removed from, then later restored to, a painting featuring “La Macarona.” (The information is found on a card accompanying the painting.)

• Find a flexible gal whose gesture seems to say, “Bring it on!” If you like her, what should you toss at her? Answer: Oranges, for Renoir’s acrobats

• Find a famous snoozer. He dozed off before the war and returned after. As a result, what two inanimate objects in this scene would he find strange and new?  Answer: Rip Van Winkle, who fell asleep during the Revolutionary War and woke up afterwards, would not recognize the American flag and George Washington on a sign.

Keep in mind that we have left off some of the clues in these sample questions that help your team zero in on the answer. Everything you need to answer the question will be right before your eyes. We offer two-hour and 90-minute versions of this hunt. For more information about the museum, visit www.artic.edu. Contact us for more information about the hunt.

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Starring the Loop: The Movie Locations Scavenger Hunt

Downtown Chicago has been one of Hollywood’s favorite back lots, a chameleon that has even doubled for New York. This tour takes you to numerous places where TV or movie scenes have been shot, including such locations as Union Station (most memorably used in The Untouchables), the Sears Tower (hello, Ferris Bueller!), Daley Plaza (goodbye Harrison Ford, The Fugitive!), Chicago City Hall–Cook County Building (watch out, Blues Brothers!), the El (yikes, Spider-Man and the Incredibles!), Marshall Field’s (or Macy’s, if you insist), the Chicago Cultural Center, and lesser-known places made memorable on film. You’ll search for the answers to such questions as...

• While on the run as The Fugitive, Harrison Ford loses pursuers by disappearing into a St. Patrick’s Day parade on Dearborn near the Picasso. On Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, he hijacks a parade on Dearborn near Madison; earlier, Cameron and Sloan walk past an orange Flamingo at Dearborn and Adams. That bird’s Mini Me helps the blind. Ask it: How much does the giant Flamingo weigh? Answer: Inside the post office next to the giant, orange Calder sculpture called Flamingo is a miniature version that blind people can touch, and a sign that says the large version weighs 50 tons.

• Back when glowing marquees crowded the street, Warren Beatty cruised Randolph Street in Mickey One (1965), as did James Caan in Thief (1981). The dying days of the old theater district made a suitably low-life locale for gambler Matt Dillon in Big Town (1987). What title brought Esther Williams to an Asian place? ‘The Big Show,’ a movie starring Esther Williams, is seen in a historical photo in front of the Oriental Theater.

Please note that we haven’t included here the directions and other clues that lead you to the answers. The hunt is available in two-hour and 90-minute versions, plus to spur creativity you can add Team Photo Challenges. Contact us for more information about the hunt.

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The Museum of Science and Industry: The Mad Science Scavenger Hunt

Crack the secret code planted by a mad scientist as you search an actual Nazi submarine for an “inflatable woman,” scan the globe at night, inspect vintage race cars, find the missing piece in the world’s largest “flipper machine,” see a famed werewolf turn into the Atomic Man, uncover a mad scientist’s “worm lozenge,” learn the secret behind live frogs’ glow-in-the-dark eyes, play Gulliver beside the Loop’s mini canyons in an enormous train set, ponder a pay raise for circus employee Jolly Marge and check out some hot chicks (in a hatchery, of course). You’ll tackle such questions as...

• Look at the third rock from the sun at night. Where you see red on two southern continents, what are you seeing, according to the narrator? Answer: A view of Earth at night by satellite shows “burning forests” in South America and Africa as red light.

• In the Energy Lab, find a bathing beauty you might have considered a bombshell–except that her suit has gone up in smoke. Near her, find out: What radiant character did Chaney play? Answer: Atom Man, seen on a TV near a photo of a woman in a bathing suit with a mushroom cloud on it.

• Stand in the wake of the Nazi sub. Near devices for going beyond 20/20. Nearby, what did the Germans enjoy “American style”? Answer: Displays of objects recovered from the Nazi sub include binoculars and a pack of German cigarettes that says, “The best…tobacco…in the American style.”

This large museum has something for everyone, and our whirlwind tour will bring out its most fascinating and strange aspects. You don’t need to be a rocket scientist to win—but you could come away feeling like Einstein. To spur creativity and bonding, you can also add Team Photo Challenges. Learn more about the museum at www.msichicago.org. Contact us for more information about the hunt.

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The Navy Pier Pressure Scavenger Hunt

Here’s a hunt location that combines elements of a carnival and a seaside retreat as you uncover the many places and personalities of Navy Pier. Highlights include Navy Pier Park, with its famed Ferris wheel and carousel; the domed botanical garden of Crystal Gardens and the nearby shops; and historic Festival Hall with its unusual collection of stained glass. You’ll tackle such questions as...

• In The Color of Money, the climactic pool tournament supposedly takes place in Atlantic City, but in fact it was shot in the large arched hall at the end of Navy Pier. Near a large object anchors the end of the pier, what James Bond movie seems to be named (or is it a warning for him to duck)? Answer: ‘Goldeneye’: a Common Goldeneye duck is featured on a sign near an anchor.

• Find an eight-ton item that helped keep Chicago in one place. In what year did its predecessor hit bottom the hard way? Answer: According to a plaque below an anchor from the third USS Chicago, the second ship by that name was sunk in 1943 at Guadalcanal.

The standard hunt is 90 minutes. For a twohour hunt, you can add Team Photo Challenges that incorporate the pier’s various unusual performers. This location is a great place for an evening hunt: the attractions stay open till 8 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and till 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Contact us for more information about the hunt.

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The Conquer Chicago Hunt

Our citywide tour of the best of Chicago takes you to such places and sights as the Loop, Union Station, Millennium Park, the Magnificent Mile, the Navy Pier, the Wrigley Building, Wrigley Field, and the Art Institute of Chicago. You can take on the city by limo or mass transit. You’ll search for the answers to such questions as....

• At the Sears Tower, behold The Universe. What does the helix do that takes one minute? Answer: The corkscrew, or “helix,” turns 15 times, as explained by a sign near this Sears Tower lobby sculpture.

• At the Chicago Cultural Center, visit the GAR lobby. What two battles near here can combine to sound like a way for a handful of people to eat a row of veggies? Five Forks and Pea Ridge, two of the battles listed on the walls.

Please note that we left out some hints and directions from those questions (after all, we don’t what you to have too much of an advantage over the other teams, right?). The questions also include intriguing historical and cultural information that adds to your understanding of the places you visit. And you’ll have to uncover some cool trivia on your own: During the journey from point to point, you’ll tackle ten Chicago trivia questions—but you can use any resource to answer them (so have your favorite telephone lifeline ready).

We recommend doing a three-hour version of this hunt, although longer and shorter versions are available. You can also add Team Photo Challenges to spur creativity. Contact us for more information about the hunt.

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Starring Chicago: The Citywide TV & Movie Locations Hunt

Lights, camera, ACTION! On this hunt you’ll see the best of Chicago by visiting places familiar and obscure that have taken a turn as backdrops for movie and TV scenes. Stops include the Loop, Union Station, Millennium Park, the Magnificent Mile, the Navy Pier, the Wrigley Building, and the Art Institute of Chicago, to name a few. Did you know that Chicago posed as Atlantic City in The Color of Money? Or that tunnels under the Chicago City Hall–Cook County Building posed as tunnels under the Field Museum in the horror movie The Relic? Ever wonder where Ferris Bueller went on his day off? You’ll learn the answer to that and many other questions, such as these from the hunt...

• Visit the grand 1917 waiting room of Union Station. The station has served as a backdrop in such movies as Midnight Run, My Best Friend’s Wedding, Chain Reaction, Code of Silence, I Love Trouble, Prelude to a Kiss, Red Heat, The Package, and Vice Versa. The Sting took advantage of the station’s period look. But the ultimate scene shot here was the climactic shootout of The Untouchables, when guns blazed as a baby carriage clunked down stairs leading to the main room. Speaking of fowl play, what wise symbol here suggests the scene was shot at night? Answer: Large sculptures of women in the hall represent day and night, and the figure of Night holds an owl.

• After almost getting mowed down by a plane in a cornfield, Cary Grant continued North by Northwest and pursued the mysterious Mr. Kaplan to the Omni Ambassador East Hotel. The movie’s director, Alfred Hitchcock, loved a room here popular with celebs, and he’s still seen on the wall. Pair up the celeb guests, just as they dined here: Hitchcock, Spike Lee, Roger Ebert, Tim Kazurinski, John Belushi, and a dog. Answer: Photos show Spike Lee dining with Tim Kazurinski; Roger Ebert with John Belushi; and Hitchcock with a dog. Apparently Hollywood makes strange bread-fellows.

• In The Color of Money, the climactic pool tournament supposedly takes place in Atlantic City, but in fact it was shot in the large arched hall at the end of Navy Pier. Near a large object anchors the end of the pier, what James Bond movie seems to be named (or is it a warning for him to duck)? ‘Goldeneye’: a Common Goldeneye duck is featured on a sign near an anchor.

Please note that we left out some hints and directions from those questions (after all, we don’t what you to have too much of an advantage over the other teams, right?). You’ll also have to uncover some cool trivia on your own: During the journey from point to point, you’ll tackle ten trivia questions about movies set in Chicago—but you can use any resource to answer them (so have your favorite telephone lifeline ready).

We recommend doing a three-hour version of this hunt, although longer and shorter versions are available. You can also add Team Photo Challenges to spur creative teamwork. Contact us for more information about the hunt.

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The Miracle Mile, Lincoln Park, Wicker Park, Hyde Park and Beyond

Possible hunt locations are as limitless as Chicago’s variety. The Miracle Mile, Lincoln Park, Wicker Park and Hyde Park each make for excellent hunting territory. You can also suggest a new location for a classic Watson Adventures hunt, or you can try our popular classic Grab ’n’ Go Hunt, which we’ve staged for companies at parks, resorts, neighborhoods, even in apartment buildings and homes. Contact us to find out what we can create for you!

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PRINT OUT OUR CHICAGO BROCHURE

Of you can always print out pages on our site. But if you’d like a compact summary of our hunts to bring to a meeting, to show friends, or to help get future hunters excited, click the link below to call up our brochure as a PDF file. You may need Acrobat Reader to access it (click here to get it for free). Or you can contact us to mail you or fax you a copy.

See the brochure.


ON YOUR MARK, GET SET...

If you’re ready to book a hunt, or have questions, use our handy e-mail Contact Form. Or call us at 877-9-GO HUNT, extension 11 (877-946-4868). The hunt’s afoot!

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TRY A PUBLIC HUNT, GET OUR HUNT NEWSLETTER

Watson Adventures offers weekend hunts that are open to the public for low promotional prices. Visit our Chicago Public Hunt Schedule for more information. You can also get the latest hunt schedule and news in e-mail box via the Culture Vulture, our free quarterly newsletter. It also features amazing trivia, jokes from famous comedians and links to cool and offbeat Web sites. Sign up by clicking the button below—and on the next page you’ll see, be sure to check off “Chicago Area”:


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