The Young Archaeologist and Explorer Society is a fictional group used to present an educational experience at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry. When visiting the museum, guests are offered a scavenger hunt map.
This experience is designed to help younger guests engage with an exhibit that is text-heavy and more on the academic side. It also helps move guests around the museum into lab spaces where they can interact with educators who can help them learn more about different applications of archaeology.
We created sketches to both enhance the visual feel of the experience, and to help make it more approachable. The colorful, hand-made touches were purposeful additions to make this experience more approachable for girls, based the Exhibit Design for Girls' Engagement research study from the Exploratorium (San Francisco).
The map invites guests into the world of the experience by introducing them to Jen Alexandria, president and founder of the Young Archaeologist and Explorer Society. Two challenges are presented: one inside the ticketed exhibit, and one that takes place in the entire museum. The more accessible is the "better" experience, so that guests wouldn't feel "pay-to-play pressure.
The front of the map asks users to unscramble a puzzle using clues from artifacts found inside the exhibit. The "reward" is the answer to a joke. Since this portion required an additional ticket, we wanted the reward to be fun, but still somewhat inconsequential.
The back of the map tasks guests to traveling to four different lab spaces (more info on that below). The reward for this portion is official induction into the society! After completing their quest, guests unscramble the answer to solve The Grand Riddle. Doing so invites them to fill out a certificate, and stamp it at an embossing station.
The map takes guests to several labs where they are presented with a quick archaeological anecdote and a riddle to solve. Solving all four riddles gives them what they need to solve The Grand Riddle.
While at the labs, guests are able to interact with lab staff at Lab Experience stations. Each station provides a hands-on experience showing how archaeology can interact with different disciplines like chemistry or physics.
After following the clues, the experience wraps up at the Hall of Explorers. The hall features a showcase of diverse explorers and archeologists with short bios, a society pledge, and touchscreen. If guests have solved The Grand Riddle and interact with The Grand Riddle correctly, they are invited to emboss their map and be officially inducted into the society.
Thanks for checking the project out!
