Palace Games develops unique games and immersive experiences designed for team building, special occasions, or fun with friends. To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Palace of Fine Arts, we have created a special "escape room" on site called the Great Houdini Escape Room.

The Palace of Fine Arts is one of the most beautiful and iconic settings in San Francisco -- and the world. Built 100 years ago as part of the Panama-Pacific International Exhibition, it hosted some of the world's most esteemed people in 1915, including: Thomas Edison, Alexander Graham Bell, Henry Ford, Luther Burbank, Buffalo Bill Cody, John Philip Sousa, Hellen Keller, Charlie Chaplin, and Harry Houdini. Our games pay tribute to these great innovators.

Great Houdini Escape Room
The Great Houdini Escape Room is the world’s first “escape room” — built 100 years ago by the escape master himself, Harry Houdini, as a challenge to 8 brilliant innovators, to see if they could escape his contraption filled room within 80 minutes.* These innovators — Thomas Edison, Alexander Graham Bell, Henry Ford, Charlie Chaplin, John Philip Sousa, William “Buffalo Bill” Cody, Helen Keller, and Luther Burbank — all participated in the Panama-Pacific International Exposition of 1915 in San Francisco. The room is now open to the general public, available by reservation only.

A Century of Innovation
We've created a special exhibit that tells some of the stories from the Panama-Pacific International Exhibition. But unlike most exhibits, you will be able to PLAY this one. Visit the iHangar space in the Palace of Fine Arts and tour the "Innovators" posters for a fun puzzle hunt.

Scavenger Hunts
We've developed a number of scavenger hunts in the area using ClueKeeper, new mobile app for iOS and Android. No paper required! These are great for family and group fun as you tour the stunning Palace of Fine Arts and the nearby area.

 

Come to the giant Rotunda and enter through the large green doors. Turn right when you enter the building until you see the Palace Games signs. If you are scheduled to start BEFORE or AFTER the Palace’s open hours (iHangar’s hours of operation are 10am to 5pm, Wednesday through Sunday), you will need to be let in through our entrance on Palace Drive which runs around the back of the Palace (it has parking as well). Please go to the large green door with a Palace Games sign on it and text 415-997-8522 to be let in. If the main doors are open, proceed ahead until you see the Palace Games signs.