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A New Twist On an Old Favorite: Family Game Night at the Penn Museum Saturday, March 10

caption: Hungry, Hungry Hippos, played large, is one of six activity-filled Adventure Stations that make Family Game Night a fun experience, with games and challenges for all!

On Saturday, March 10, from 4-7 p.m, the Penn Museum opens its doors for a game night extraordinaire, geared to families with children ages 6 and above. Guests are invited to choose their own adventures, engage in mental and physical challenges and explore the Museum’s international galleries like never before! The competitions abound at a series of activity-filled Adventure Stations—with chances to win prizes. Guests can try their hand at a selection of ancient board games, match wits at a “What in the World?” artifact guessing game, stop by for light bites and non-alcoholic beverages on sale at a snack bar and create a family memento of the night at a selfie booth.

Adventure Stations

The program kicks off with a welcome gathering and orientation, before guests take off on adventures. Challenges await at six activity Adventure Stations scattered throughout the galleries and the garden entrance: there’s a Puzzle Race; Hungry, Hungry Hippos live action; and a Scavenger Hunt. Competition can get fierce at an ancient game of Knuckle Bones; a Skull Matching station; and a Hieroglyph Decoding station. Adventure Stations stay open until 7 p.m. Guests compete to earn tickets towards a pick-a-prize raffle held later in the night.

What in the World?, Board Games, and More

At 6 p.m., guests reassemble for an audience participation game of What in the World?, based on the pioneering Penn Museum television program of the same name which aired on WCAU Philadelphia for more than a decade and was syndicated nationally by CBS from 1951 to 1955. At the Game Night, the audience is shown mystery objects, drawn from the Museum’s own collection of nearly one million objects from around the world; through close observation and deduction, guests work to determine what each object is, who made it and when.

Throughout the evening, gamers can match wits and try their luck at several ancient board games, including Senet, the Royal Game of Ur, Mancala, Pente and Chess.

Hungry gamers can stop by at the family friendly Snack Station set up by the Museum’s Pepper Mill Café, where light fare, including $1 hot dogs and non-alcoholic beverages, is available for purchase.

Win or lose, everyone can take home a personalized memento of the night with a set of photos taken at a selfie booth.

A Family Night Take on a Popular “PM @ Penn Museum” Program Series

The idea for a Family Game Night came out of requests from families who heard about some of the Penn Museum’s popular weeknight evening programs geared to young adults and open to ages 18 and older: programs like 2Night and Legends of the Hidden Temple: Penn Museum Edition, filled with gallery challenges and playful competition.

“Parents would call, asking if the Museum couldn’t do a program night like that for families,” said Tena Thomason, assistant director of Public Programs. “We thought that was a good idea, too!”

Family Game Night admission is $15 per person or $50 for a family of four. Tickets are on sale online: www.penn.museum/calendar and at the door, based on availability.

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