A group of The Register‘s writers (only just) escaped The National Museum of Computing’s Escape Room Experience after learning a bit about cryptography and testing the patience of the museum’s volunteers.
We were invited to take part and four of us opted for the 1980s Challenge, mainly because the words “BBC Micro” were used, and pitched up at Bletchley Park site – once the top-secret home of World War Two codebreakers, including, most famously, Alan Turing.
Customers expecting a Crystal Maze-like complex, replete with studio sets and kinetic puzzles, might be disappointed. Instead, one must solve clues based on the themes of the museum (yes, there is a bit of code breaking required).
Four decades are on offer: the 1940s, ’50s, ’60s, and ’80s – with more due to be added. Without wishing to reveal too much about the experience, participants must roam the museum finding and solving puzzles before a clock runs down. The experience lasts for 90 minutes, including a 15-minute briefing.
And goodness, the time ticks by as team members scurry around the museum’s rooms before gathering to solve the final puzzle and, in our case, tap codes into a BBC Micro as the final seconds drift past. Yes, there was a bit of shouting too.
Thankfully, each group is given an observer from the museum to dispense guidance and hints when a team goes terribly off-piste (as we frequently did). We also had to resist the temptation to tinker with all the hardware on show as we moved from room to room. Helpfully, one’s ticket includes admission to the museum, leaving plenty of time to get hands-on with some of the kit from yesteryear.
You can expect to pay £30 per person for 90 minutes (which includes admission) dropping to £55 for a pair of tickets. ®
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