Murder Mystery Games in Boston

The Murder at the Science Museum Scavenger Hunt

  • public
  • private
  • adults
  • indoor

Team building is a dangerous game

Or at least it was for the Watson Adventures staffer who created the scavenger hunt for your group at the Museum of Science. He was found dead at the foot of the T. rex, and the only evidence that remains is the game he created for your group—and some mysterious documents we received when we tried to contact his sister.

The police need your help. They think that the scavenger hunt might contain clues that reveal the victim’s secret life. On teams, you’ll need to follow clues to visit exhibits in the museum and answer tricky questions about what you find. You must figure out how they relate to a mysterious list of code words that seem to indicate that our hunt host was in danger—and perhaps you are too.

You’ll need good teamwork and a bit of cunning to save yourselves—and maybe even the world. Are you up for the challenge? The game’s afoot!

What hunters are saying about the murder mystery scavenger hunt

“I wanted to commend you guys on an awesome event yesterday. As an HR Leader, it’s always scary to decide what my group will respond to—they loved it!  In fact, someone just told me that it was the best event this company has ever had.  YAY. Thanks again for making it so easy and enjoyable.  And please let Elizabeth [the hunt host] know that she did a terrific job.”—a senior HR manager at a biotech company

Join us for a weekend scavenger hunt for the general public, or contact us to learn about a private murder mystery scavenger hunt for your group—and find more fun in Boston!


The Murder in Old Boston Scavenger Hunt

  • private
  • adults
  • outdoor

Can you answer this question: Whodunit?

Find yourself in the middle of a murder mystery on this unusual, fun scavenger hunt set in historic Boston. A Watson Adventures staffer has been murdered, and it’s up to you to catch his killer. Here’s your first clue: when he died, he drew a star on the ground with his own blood. What does that mean? And what will you learn about the victim’s dangerous secret life? Solve the clues he left behind in order to solve the mystery—and prevent an international disaster.    

Along the way, you’ll also uncover the secrets of the Freedom Trail, between Boston Common and Faneuil Hall, where unexpected details turn out to be part of the puzzle. You’ll need to make sense of cryptic clues, crack a code, and send a text message to the dead man. The fate of the free world may depend on your ability to work together as a team.


The Whodunit at the MFA Scavenger Hunt

  • public
  • private
  • adults
  • indoor

Stop a killer? Get a clue!

There’s a killer on the loose at the Museum of Fine Arts, and it’s up to your team to stop him! How? By playing the scavenger hunt he created, which will ultimately reveal his identity, the murder weapon, and the location of the victim’s body. He sent the hunt to the police and dared them to try and solve it, but they’re stumped. Now they need your help.

You’ll be supplied with a list of potential suspects, weapons, and places. By following the clues and answering tricky questions, you’ll narrow down the list and provide the authorities with the evidence they need to catch and convict the killer.

No knowledge of the museum or art is necessary. The game is bit easier than the Murder at the MFA Scavenger Hunt, which makes it a popular team-building choice with mixed groups.

You can purchase tickets to a weekend Whodunit hunt for the public below, or contact us to learn more about booking a private Museum of Fine Arts scavenger hunt —and find more fun in Boston!


The Back Bay Murder Mystery Scavenger Hunt

  • private
  • adults
  • outdoor

Catch a killer in Copley Square!

The setup: a Watson Adventures staffer has met an untimely end, and we need you and your team to help police find his killer. Before he died, he used his own blood to draw a star on the pavement outside the Public Library. The challenge: figure out what that curious clue means and uncover the secrets of the victim’s double life. As you piece together the puzzle, you’ll prevent a potentially disastrous incident with far-reaching consequences across the globe.

Along the way, you’ll also explore Copley Square and its vicinity, including the private side of the Public Garden, a wealth of uncommon sights on Commonwealth Avenue, and cryptic mysteries in the Public Library. This team-building extravaganza features many of the highlights of the Back Bay Blitz Scavenger Hunt, but adds a murder mystery to solve. Make sure to keep your eyes peeled: surprising details are part of a secret code that you need to crack and the deadly mystery you need to solve.

This hunt is great for any kind of social gathering where you want people to mix, mingle, and have fun together. Perfect for corporate outings, birthday parties, group meetups, alumni reunions—you name it!


The Murder Mystery Mayhem Scavenger Hunt

  • private
  • adults
  • kids
  • outdoor

Beware: there’s a killer in your midst

Someone playing this game with you is a bit of a Jekyll and Hyde. His or her good side knows nothing about the evil side—and the evil side has challenged you to prevent your own murder. Everyone in your group has been poisoned, and the clock is ticking down on your time left to live. To reveal the killer’s identity, you’ll have to complete a series of photo challenges, solve interlocking puzzles, decipher coded text messages, and more. If you succeed, you get the antidote. If you fail…well, you know.

If you love escape-room games, you’ll love this murder mystery scavenger hunt. But even better, you won’t be locked in a room for an hour: this game can be played almost anywhere. 

An in-person murder mystery for any location!

We have a variety of versions, depending on where you want to play. Such as…

  • A city, town, or neighborhood
  • A science or history museum
  • A zoo or aquarium
  • An office building
  • A school or campus

A murder mystery scavenger hunt perfect for team building

Here’s a game that will help you solve the mystery of how to entertain a diverse group of people while boosting morale and teamwork. It’s perfect for any private party or a corporate team-building outing of any size. Our clients who have enjoyed this game include T-Mobile, TD Bank, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Michigan in Washington, and others too numerous to mention.

What delighted clients are saying

“Everyone had a great time at the hunt! We are all still talking about it.” —an electrical engineer whose group played the game at the Houston Zoo

“A HUGE THANK YOU. Everyone had a BLAST and your hosts were FANTASTIC! Thank you so much for another great event!!” —an office coordinator in Los Angeles

“We had an amazing time and will be in touch for the next hunt we’d like to do in the near future! Tokia [the hunt host] was amazing, and we’d love to work with her again!!!” —an organizer for a group in Washington, DC

The hunt’s afoot! Contact us to learn more—and find more team-building fun anywhere!


The Murder at the Art Museum Scavenger Hunt

  • private
  • adults
  • indoor

A curator has been murdered…

…and he left behind a trail of clues that reveal secrets embedded in works of art at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. As your team finds answers to tricky questions about the art, you begin to piece together the details of the museum’s planned purchase of a newly discovered painting by Leonardo da Vinci. The dead man knew too much, and now it’s up to you to learn what drove one of four suspects to commit murder. Can you figure out whodunit?

What kinds of groups have cracked this case? All kinds, from corporate groups looking for a team-building activity to social groups searching for an unusual game to bring people together. And you don’t need to know anything about art to win: you just need quick wits and good teamwork.

What are players saying about the MFA murder mystery game?

A 5-star review on Yelp: “This was incredibly fun! My boyfriend and I did the Murder Mystery in the Museum of Fine Art. We followed directions to different rooms in the museum and used clues to find a specific pieces of art. The answer was usually obvious in the art or in the description. No prior art history knowledge needed! Each team was staggered so we weren’t all rushing to the same room at the same time….This scavenger hunt was easy and fun and made me read about the art much more than I would have normally….I had a great time and will look this company up next time I am in Boston.”

Contact us to learn more about this murder mystery scavenger hunt at the MFA—and find more fun in Boston!


The Killer Trivia Quiz: A Murder Mystery Game

  • private
  • adults
  • indoor

Solving a murder is not a trivial pursuit

We need your help to catch a killer. Shortly after writing a trivia quiz, a Watson Adventures staffer was murdered. Before he died, he drew a star on the ground with his own blood. What does this mean? It turns out that he lived a dangerous double life. Can your team of sleuths piece together the puzzle he left behind in time to head off an international incident with catastrophic consequences?

To crack the case, you’ll need to get into teams and work your way through the dead man’s trivia quiz. Our entertaining host will guide you through several rounds of captivating questions, which often have ways for you to figure out the answer even if you don’t know it at first. The unusual array of challenges includes a music round, a movie-stills challenge, and even a scavenger hunt.

Along the way, you’ll discover how the answers point to a cryptic code. You won’t just solve a crime—the fate of the free world might depend on your ability to work together!

This devilish trivia game can be played pretty much everywhere—conference rooms, special-event spaces, private rooms in restaurants or bars, even your home. You just need enough chairs for participants to sit together in teams. Leave the rest to us.

What players are saying about this murder mystery trivia game

“Thank you so much for the incredible work you all did in making and hosting this trivia game for our retreat. I have been getting compliments all weekend about how much fun Watson Adventures was. [Game hosts] Andy, Greg, and Serena were the BEST! It was a truly engaging and fun experience. It’s not easy to get a room full of 150+ prosecutors and detectives interested in a team building exercise, and you guys nailed it with this murder mystery. Thank you for your inspired professionalism and patience with us while working out the details. I am truly grateful for you all, and I’m sure we will work with you all again soon!”

Have any non-trivial questions about the Killer Trivia Game? Contact us to learn more—and find more fun wherever you need a bit of mystery!


The Murder Mystery Mayhem at the History Museum Scavenger Hunt

  • private
  • adults
  • kids
  • teens
  • indoor

Uh-oh! A killer lurks among you…

…and they’re about to interrupt an otherwise normal team-building outing to your favorite history museum. Someone in your group—possibly on your own team—is a bit of a Jekyll and Hyde, and they’re plotting to make you history.

Fortunately, this game gives you a fighting a chance to prevent your own murder. Everyone in your group has been secretly poisoned, and the clock is ticking down on your time left to live. To save yourselves and get the antidote, all you have to do is complete various fun challenges and reveal the killer’s identity.

The killer has hidden their identity in a scavenger hunt at the history museum. Your team will solve a series of interlocking puzzles, decipher coded messages, and meet the conditions of creative, collaborative photo prompts.

Along the way, your team might…

  • Act your age with age-old artifacts.
  • Put your patriotism on display for all to see.
  • Interrogate sculptures and statues for clues.
  • Gape in wonderment at outdated technology.
  • Tackle a trivia quiz about famous murder mysteries.
  • Identify murderous movies and snippets of killer songs.

If your group loves escape-room games, they’ll love this history museum scavenger hunt. The game will also help you entertain a diverse group of people while boosting morale and teamwork. It’s perfect for a private party or a corporate team-building outing of any size.

A Kids Edition is also available, in which kids age 7 and up work with adults. It’s a great activity for a school field trip, birthday party, and more.

Contact us to learn more about the Murder Mystery Mayhem Scavenger Hunts—and find more fun!


The Murder Mystery Mayhem at the Zoo Scavenger Hunt

  • private
  • adults
  • kids
  • teens
  • outdoor

Beware: there’s a killer behind that panda…

Your perfectly delightful team-building outing to the zoo is about to be spoiled: someone in your group is plotting to feed you to the lions, or have you hugged by a cobra, or perhaps sat on by a hippo. Because this person—possibly on your own team—is a bit of a Jekyll and Hyde.

This person now challenges you to prevent your own murder. Everyone in your group was fed a deadly venom with your lunch, and the clock is ticking down on your time left to live. To save yourselves and get the antidote, all you have to do is reveal the killer’s identity.

Easy, right? Not so fast: the killer has hidden their identity in a series of puzzles that are part of a scavenger hunt at the zoo. Your team must solve a series of interlocking puzzles, decipher coded messages, and meet the conditions of tricky photo challenges around the zoo.

Along the way, your team might…

  • Play monkey see, monkey do with a monkey.
  • Blend in with an animal known for camouflage.
  • Tackle a trivia quiz about famous murder mysteries.
  • Identify snippets of songs that feature animals.
  • Twist, and maybe shout, with snakes.

If your group loves escape-room games, they’ll love this zoo scavenger hunt. The game will also help you solve the mystery of how to entertain a diverse group of people while boosting morale and teamwork. It’s perfect for a private party or a corporate team-building outing of any size.

A Kids Edition is also available, in which kids age 7 and up work with adults. It’s a great activity for a school field trip, a birthday party, a family reunion, you name it.

What delighted clients are saying

“Everyone had a great time at the hunt! We are all still talking about it.” —an electrical engineer whose group played the game at the Houston Zoo

“A HUGE THANK YOU. Everyone had a BLAST and your hosts were FANTASTIC! Thank you so much for another great event!!” —an office coordinator in Los Angeles

“We had an amazing time and will be in touch for the next hunt we’d like to do in the near future! Tokia [the hunt host] was amazing, and we’d love to work with her again!!!” —an organizer for a group in Washington, DC

PLUS check out Watson Adventures on Google to see hundreds of 5-star reviews from delighted clients!

The hunt’s afoot! Contact us to learn more—and find more team-building fun at the zoo!


The Murder by Team Building Game

  • private
  • adults
  • teens
  • indoor

The murder-mystery game you can play anywhere

Terrible news! A Watson Adventures host, David Park, was on his way to lead your team-building activity today, but he was found dead in the parking lot. We need you to go through David’s backpack of game materials and see if you can figure out who would want him dead and why.

On teams, you’ll play the game that David created, answering trivia questions, solving fun puzzles, and—spoiler alert!—uncovering secret messages that reveal that David was leading a double life. There might even be a spy in your group!

We’ll send you the backpack full of game materials, and a Watson Adventures host will get the game started, then answer questions (and offer hints) as you go along.

You can choose whether you would like our Host to lead your group remotely, via Zoom or a similar platform, or you can opt for an in-person host, live in your office.

The game requires one hour and can be played in any room where you need to provide a break for your group, ramp up the fun, and get people to bond and work together in a whole new way.

Do you need a hybrid solution to bring together players working from home and in the office? Check out the Murder by Team Building Game: Virtual Edition.

A Teens Edition is also available.

What players are saying about the murder mystery game

A 5-star review on Google: “What fun we had! Josh was an amazing guide and I would recommend Watson Adventures!!”

Contact us to learn more about this murder mystery game—and find more fun!


Puzzled to Death: A Virtual Game of Murder Mystery Puzzles

  • private
  • adults
  • indoor

You can escape a room, but can you escape a vintage game store?

As part of his acclaimed new book, The Puzzler, best-selling author A.J. Jacobs (The Year of Living Biblically, The Year of Living Constitutionally) partnered with Watson Adventures to create a devilishly fun murder mystery game packed with puzzles. In his book he describes the experience of creating the game—now it’s your turn to play the game! But first…

Shocking news! The owner of a local board-game store has been murdered! Authorities are baffled by the mysterious killing, and they have called in you and your team of expert puzzle-solvers to crack the case.

The killer has hidden clues to their identity in games scattered around the store. It’s up to you to solve a series of puzzles and piece together the name of the murderer. Clearly the murderer loves to play games—but in a gaming store, that doesn’t narrow things down much!

On teams, you’ll tackle up to 10 mini-games that are inspired by classic games—but with humorous twists. Each challenge you solve will lead you a step closer to unmasking the murderer. Can your team unravel this mystery, catch the culprit, and show the villain that they toyed with the wrong people?

What players are saying about the virtual puzzles game

A 5-star review on Google: Fun and engaging game for our remote team. The host was energetic and kept everyone participating. I will definitely book them again for another corporate event.”

Contact us to learn more about this online murder mystery game—and find more virtual fun!


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