RATING: 3 Keys          RESULT: Win          REMAINING: 11:57

A leisurely day at the museum is interrupted by a virus outbreak!

The world is threatened by a deadly viral outbreak. Diplomacy has failed, and now, the only thing that can save us… is science! Do you and your friends have what it takes to comb through clue-filled museum archives, solve puzzles, and save the world? Join us at Escape The Nat for…Botanic Panic!

Once again the world is experiencing an apocalypse scenario.  This time, it’s a deadly virus. Lucky for us that a cure for this virus is known to be a native plant.  The problem is no one remembers which plant exactly, just that it is native to San Diego.

Word has it that the research contained in the basement of the museum has the information we need.  It just isn’t open to the public as the exhibit has not been set up yet.

As a team of junior curators of the museum, it just so happens that we have full access to the research from leading botanists.  Our mission is to sift through the archives, find the correct antidote, and upload our findings to save the world!

A creative twist is placed on an exhibit cataloging the records of plants in the local area.  Botanic Panic takes place inside the basement of the San Diego Natural History Museum.

The space is set in a single room, with a dividing wall separating two sides.  It is set up in a way to mimic what you would see in the museum halls above. Exhibits are set up inside the room as both decor and the clues for puzzles.  Though there isn’t a large wow factor here, we have to remind ourselves we are in the museum after all.

Informative infographics on local plant and animal life line the walls, along with historical maps of the greater San Diego area.  A large locked cabinet contains what looks like the collected research of our respected botanist and the key to stopping the virus.

There are also bits of science tech included in the space to help us observe our samples to find the cure, set up in the way of interactive exhibits.  One such item is a computer equipped with the latest high tech plant scanning devices, conveniently set up to validate our antidote along the way.

Most of the puzzles here are of the standard lock and key variety.  However they are all deeply intertwined with our narrative in finding lost research.  The flow of the game is spread out across a logical sequence of events, that follows a somewhat linear path.  Going through the game, expect to ping pong back and forth between the two divided rooms as something on one side is generally needed on the other side.

Starting with trying to narrow down the location of our antidote, we have have to remind ourselves that the exhibits are part of the game.  Rules that apply upstairs in the museum do not apply here, and clues to puzzles are cleverly hidden within the exhibit space.

The researchers working down in the basement left us to sort through their logs, notes, and diaries in order to find the elusive plant we seek.  From learning about the origins of the museum, to classifications of animal and plant species, to deciphering codes, there is a wide variety of information presented in the form of educational puzzles.

While many of the tasks here fall under the category of find a clue, research the answer, and input the code, Botanic Panic blends together a style set of learning along with problem solving.  For some enthusiasts, this can run a bit on the easier side.  But this is also one of the few family friendly educational type games out there.  Being in the museum does help pique curiosity to find out more about local flora and fauna whilst solving puzzles along the way.

The Nat presents us with a unique product, not only offering an escape room, but also a complete museum experience.  Before and after your game, the museum invites you to explore and enjoy all of their offerings bundled in to the same ticket.  

As an add on product to an already fun museum, this game holds value for both enthusiasts and museum goers alike.  Extremely friendly staff are in the room with you the whole way providing the hints and feedback necessary to avoid getting stuck.  After the experience they are also more than happy to explain the various exhibits within the game and their real world relevance.

At the end of the day, we got to learn more about San Diego’s natural history, as a quick escape game turned into a multiple hour excursion while we perused all of the exhibits upstairs.

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Venue: The Nat

Location: San Diego, California

Number of Games: 1

GAME SPECIFIC INFORMATION:

Duration: 60 minutes

Capacity: 6 people

Group Type: Private  / You will not be paired with strangers.

Cost: $30 per person

We thank The Nat for inviting us to play this game. Although complimentary admission was generously provided, that in no way impacts the opinion included within this review.