Our Scavenger Hunt competitions are aligned with our Anytime Expedition content and STEAM Labs and challenge students to demonstrate what they know about the topics in a way that embraces creativity and provides multiple ways to demonstrate understanding.

Reserved programs are intended for school groups, homeschool groups, and community-based organizations serving youth that meet the minimum program requirements. If you have questions about your organization’s programming needs that don’t meet our program requirements, please contact NASMTours@si.edu. 

  • This program is available for a minimum group size of 10 with no maximum.

Reservable Scavenger Hunts

To register for an scavenger hunt, pick a start date for your experience within the registration form. The start date will determine the window of time your students may participate and be scored in the virtual game corresponding with your experience.

You and your students will have access to the game during a two-week period that starts on the date you selected as part of your registration. You can request to modify the period by emailing nasmfieldtrips@si.edu.

Game Preview

Scavenger hunts use the GooseChase program. These scavenger hunts can be completed using any handheld device.

If you would like to see a sample game, download the app and select which enrollment option you want to preview.

Create your own team:
Search/select the Sample Goosechase for Teacher Preview game or enter the following Game Code: QM366Q

Auto assign a team: 
If you would like to preview what automatic Team enrollment looks like enter the following Game Code: QM366Q and then either of the Access Codes: Alpha or Golf

The games we provide do not require players to create an account or login and we do not collect any student data in this app. Please see our policy on the Privacy of Minors at https://www.si.edu/privacy/kids.

 

To Do Anywhere

These scavenger hunts can be done as part of an onsite visit to the Museum or can be done completely offsite.

A photograph of an astronaut in his space suit, with a large spherical shape in the background.

Living and Working in Space

A GooseChase competition that challenges participants to identify the different ways that being in space can affect the body and the different precautions that astronauts take to protect themselves.

A satellite device with panel and umbrella shaped modules.

Finding Our Way

A GooseChase competition that challenges participants to locate different elements of their own community that are important for GIS mapping. 

A wheeled vehicle with a panel and a "neck" that rises above it. Shown in an artists rendering of roving the surface of Mars.

Mission to Mars

A GooseChase competition that challenges participants  to incorporate what they know about Mars.

A black and white photograph of a pilot.

World War II

A GooseChase competition that challenges participants to remember what they have learned about World War II.

Full disk view of Neptune, a blue gas planet, with some lighter blue clouds visible.

Earth and Its Place in the Universe

"The Incredible Shrinking Moon" is a GooseChase competition that challenges participants to demonstrate what they have learned about the relationships between Earth, the Moon, and the Sun and solve the mystery of the shrinking moon.

A young man throws a paper plane through a hoop.

Paper Airplane Design

A GooseChase competition that challenges participants to apply aviation concepts to the world around them.

To Do At the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC

These scavenger hunts are designed to be done on site at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC.

View of the “America by Air” gallery hanging aircraft, showing the Eastern Airlines Douglas DC-3, a large silver aircraft with blue and orange embellishment on the side, at the Smithsonian National Air and at Space Museum in Washington, DC.

Aviation Through the Ages

An in-person Goosechase competition that challenges participates to explore the history of flight. It focuses on five galleries: "Wright Brothers," "Early Flight," "We All Fly," "Nation of Speed," and "America by Air.'

A view of the Kenneth C. Griffin Exploring the Planets Gallery. The overwhelming color of the gallery is purple. There is a model of a solar system hanging from the ceiling, with signage on the walls.

Space: Near and Far

An in-person Goosechase competition that challenges participants to investigate space, human spaceflight, and how aerospace technology affects human connection.  It focuses on the 2nd floor galleries: "Destination Moon," "One World Connected," and "Exploring the Planets.'

On Demand Scavenger Hunts

Want to engage with our content on your schedule? We have several scavenger hunts that are available for you to use without requiring a reservation that are in a digital format or can be downloaded as a paper version to bring with you to the Museum. 

Available for the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center

Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird at the Udvar-Hazy Center

Animals in the Sky (One Page)

Curtiss P-40E Warhawk (Kittyhawk IA)

Animals in the Sky Self-Guided Expedition

Space Shuttle Discovery

Human Spaceflight Self-Guided Expedition

Sally Ride floats in the cramped interior of the space shuttle, during the 1983 mission where she became the first American woman in space.

Women in Aviation and Aerospace Self-Guided Expedition

Anytime Scavenger Hunts are made possible by the generous support of Barron Hilton.