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Grand Central Terminal Scavenger Hunt
Compete in a team building scavenger hunt through iconic Grand Central Terminal, solving puzzles and discovering hidden treasures throughout this architectural marvel. Test your teamwork and communication skills while uncovering fascinating details about this historic transportation hub.
| Provider | |
|---|---|
| Location | Midtown East - At Park Ave |
| Pricing |
$699 for up to 20 people; $30 per additional person
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| Duration |
Up to 2 hours For a shortened session, please request desired length in special requests at checkout.
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| Group Size |
Up to 1000 people Group size can be changed after booking if needed.
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| Materials | See event description. |
| Themes | This event has 16 themes. Browse all themes below. |
| Other |
PoliciesPrice Match GuaranteeIf you find a similar event with a competitor at a lower price, we’ll gladly match it. This applies to events of comparable description and duration. Simply provide the details when booking, or within 72 hours of your booking, and we’ll ensure you get the best value. Contact an event concierge to get started. Cancellation PolicyBookings are non-refundable – but they may be transferred to another group prior to your scheduled event, subject to the requirements outlined below. If you need to change your date, please provide as much notice as possible — ideally at least one week. If you want to give your rebooking credit to another group, we will honor that. We ask that, if you need to rebook, you do so within one year of the original booking. Rebooking or Transfer Notice Requirements: If you request to postpone or transfer your event with fewer than 72 hours’ notice, a rebooking premium of $150 per 20 participants will apply, calculated proportionally (e.g., $225 for 30 participants, $300 for 40, etc.). A minimum fee of $150 will apply for groups smaller than 20 participants. Participants may be added to your booking at any time prior to the event. Additional charges will apply based on the current rate per participant, due before the event begins. We plan and staff our events based on the confirmed participant count provided in advance, so all final numbers must be established prior to the event. We do not conduct headcounts on-site or adjust the final cost based on actual attendance. Once an event has taken place, no portion of the booking is transferrable or eligible for future credit. Outdoor events may be moved indoors for any reason, including inclement weather, pending availability. We request at least 24 hours’ notice for any change of hunt selection. If a museum hunt is selected, museum admission is sold separately. In the event of a force majeure — such as a public transportation shutdown, city-wide emergency, or government-issued order advising people to stay home — your event will be rescheduled to a mutually agreed future date. |
Description
Look beyond the daily bustle of Grand Central Terminal, where seven hundred and fifty thousand people pass through on a typical day, in a team scavenger hunt exploring the building's details.
Completed in 1913, Grand Central Terminal is more than a transportation hub. It is a masterpiece of Beaux-Arts architecture, a landmark of engineering ingenuity, and a repository of over a century of New York City history. This scavenger hunt reveals all of it.
Your journey begins in the Main Concourse beneath the famous Astronomical Ceiling. In a race against time and other teams, you will:
- Uncover the secrets of the zodiac constellations on the ceiling, some you may have never heard of, and discover why the entire ceiling appears to be painted in reverse
- Explore Vanderbilt Hall and trace the history of Cornelius Vanderbilt, the railroad magnate whose vision built New York's rail infrastructure
- Learn about the companies and craftspeople responsible for Grand Central's most celebrated elements, from the gold leaf letterboxes to the opaline clock above the information booth
- Meet the famous eagles that guard the terminal's entrances and learn their origin stories
- Photograph the Roman gods embedded in the architecture and search for traces of New York's early history as a Dutch colonial settlement
- Experience the acoustic marvel of the Whispering Gallery firsthand
- Find an original chalkboard train schedule and learn about the legendary Knickerbocker Express
- And much more throughout the terminal
Even experienced New Yorkers are consistently amazed by what this hunt reveals. Visitors gain a genuinely unique, hands-on understanding of one of the world's great buildings.
Our Grand Central Terminal scavenger hunt is a competitive game of strategy, collaboration, and communication. How it works: We design, staff, and fully manage the hunt. You arrive and compete. Our staff facilitates the entire event in person.
Booking: choose a date, time, and participant count. We send a confirmation and invoice. Once finalized, you are on the calendar, and we stay in touch through the event.
Before the hunt, our staff contacts your group leader to confirm all details.
On the day: We are in position at the designated time before your arrival. Teams of 4 to 6 are formed. Pre-arranged teams are welcome.
The rules:
- Teams stay together throughout. No splitting up.
- Bold words in clues indicate where to look.
- , but teams can finish early.
- Teams set their own route and strategy.
- Photo and video challenges are reviewed during scoring.
- The highest-scoring team wins, with arrival order breaking ties.
- The phrase puzzle on the final page is crucial for winning.
- Searching online is not an effective approach here.
Clue packets, clipboards, and pens are distributed. The race begins.
Teams plan, then move. Strategy matters. Our staff is available throughout for hints and assistance.
Here is a complete overview of how the hunt is structured and the rules your teams will follow:
Hunt rules:
- Teams must stay together throughout the hunt - no splitting up to cover more ground simultaneously.
- Bold words in the clues indicate exactly where to look for answers.
- The hunt has a two-hour maximum runtime, but teams that finish early are welcome to conclude before time expires.
- Teams plan and navigate their own route - clues can be tackled in any order, and reading ahead often reveals strategic advantages.
- Several photo and video challenges must be completed using team phones; these are reviewed and scored at the conclusion of the event.
- The team with the most points wins. In the event of a tie, order of arrival at the endpoint determines the winner.
- The phrase puzzle on the final page is not optional - it is essential for achieving a winning score.
- Searching online for answers is not a productive strategy; it costs time without improving scores.
At the start, each team receives a clue packet, a clipboard, and a pen. Teams read through the materials and discuss strategy before beginning their route through the terminal. The teams that invest time at the outset to plan and read ahead consistently perform best throughout the competition. Our staff is available throughout the hunt for hints and assistance when needed.
Prizes can be arranged for the winning team, and our staff remains available after the event concludes to discuss clues, answer questions, and celebrate the result together.
Every group that takes on Grand Central Terminal's scavenger hunt leaves with a new appreciation for what this building contains. The discoveries are genuine and consistently surprising, regardless of how many times participants have passed through the terminal before.
At the conclusion, teams meet our staff at the endpoint. We tally scores, announce winners, and celebrate. We are available afterward to discuss clues and answer any questions.