A Recap of the Murder at the Met Teen Event

«On Friday, April 20, teens came to the Museum in droves to participate in a special murder mystery event. I was really looking forward to it, and it did not disappoint!» From the moment I arrived, the Museum's galleries had a youthful and fun atmosphere as participants used a special mobile app to solve the mystery of Madame X's fictitious murder. Teens and Met staff were dressed in nineteenth-century costume, complete with fake mustaches and detective gear. It felt like we were going back in time to solve a real mystery.

At the beginning of the program, we watched a short video that provided the backstory about the night that Madame X was murdered. The video was adorable, and it got me really excited to start solving the case! After the video, I looked over to my friend Eli, and we both acknowledged how eager we were to begin. Eli and I joined four other teens, whom we didn't know but who were extremely friendly, to play the mobile game.

Once we arrived in the American Wing, the fun began! The works of art came to life as we gathered clues and testimonies from paintings, sculptures, and decorative arts to determine the murderer, the weapon, and the scene of the crime. After each stop, our group recorded notes about what we learned and discussed our suspicions.

Teens interview a witness to gather clues about a possible crime scene. See a slideshow of photos from the event.

After we interviewed all of the witnesses and inspected the evidence, we submitted our final accusations. We guessed two of the three elements correctly! The great thing about this game is that even if your accusations are correct the first time, you can come back and play the game two more times because there are three different paths to choose from. After the game, we went to a reception for all of the players, where we rated our experience, enjoyed refreshments, and talked about the event with friends.

Drawing by Katherine, a teen participant, of her favorite work of art in the American Wing. See a slideshow of all the teens' sketches.

Want to try out your own sleuthing skills? Bring your teen pass and a friend to the Met and play this mobile game for free! Visit www.metmuseum.org/madamexmystery on your mobile device to get started.

Related Links

Teen Pass for High School Students (Ages 15–18) (PDF)
Murder at the Met: An American Wing Murder Mystery
Now at the Met: "Murder Goes Mobile at the Met!"