CSI 101: New Formats for Broader Audiences
By Erin Mercado, Mind Mover
The versatile CSI 101 program continues to provide new mysteries and storylines for participants of all ages to solve, but what’ s new for 2017?
MIND MOVING MOMENTS
Last February 4 and 11 saw the first sessions of CSI Saturdays, a one-hour activity for participants 9-years-old and above, that walk-in guests could add on to their museum visits.
The guests signed up for a session based on what crime they wanted to solve: either The Mystery of the Masked Burglar( February 4) or The Case of the Creepy Clown( February 11).
After a briefing on how to investigate the case, the guests now had to search for the clues and evidence scattered throughout the galleries! For instance, they could take a picture of the suspect’ s shoeprints, and measure it to see if it would match the size of his feet.
The guests then analyzed the evidence in the Mind Lab, and pieced the clues together to finally solve the case. In just the span of a few hours, they were not only able to explore the Museum’ s galleries with their ticket, they were also able to learn forensic science techniques, such as how to reveal hidden fingerprints!
Of course, the adults weren’ t left out of the fun. The second CSI 101: Crime of Passion was held the very next week, on February 18, providing barkadas( group of friends) a unique and educational way to enjoy the Valentine’ s season without any of the cheesiness.
This year, Crime of Passion employed a different format for the competition: instead of going into a series of rooms and accomplishing tasks to obtain clues, each team had to really act like detectives and use their deduction skills to choose which of the stations( e. g. DNA, Autopsy, Ballistics, Fingerprints) would provide them with leads. Every station provided them with tasks to accomplish that would bring them closer to finding out the identity of the killer.
Because the teams were free to choose which stations they would proceed to, they had to strategize and manage their time efficiently to finish before the time was up! Their last step was to submit their police report to the lead investigator, so that the winning team could be decided. While only one team could win the competition, all the participants had a great time.
CSI Saturdays and Crime of Passion are just two of the many exciting programs that The Mind Museum has in store for its guests this year.
For more information on CSI 101, please email erin. mercado @ themindmuseum. org.
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