YORKTON, Sask. — A Halloween-themed escape room at the Western Development Museum in Yorkton has sold out, a sign of growing interest in interactive experiences that connect visitors with Saskatchewan history in new and engaging ways.
The museum's "Paranormal Pursuit: The Log House Mystery" will take place Oct. 30 after regular museum hours. Participants will use flashlights to navigate the galleries, solving puzzles and uncovering clues as part of a paranormal investigation tied to a missing fortune.
"This year, we're doing it in the evening while the museum's closed, and it is an escape room by flashlight," said Jailyn Corbin, programs and volunteer coordinator at the WDM Yorkton. "It's kind of set up a bit like an adult scavenger hunt, so there's lots of puzzles to solve and clues to find."
The one-night-only event is the museum's second Halloween escape room. Corbin said last year's inaugural event proved popular, prompting organizers to bring it back for 2026.
"It was very successful last year," she said. "We're really excited that it sold out. We're very excited for it and can't wait to do it."
The storyline places participants in the role of paranormal investigators searching for treasure hidden somewhere within the museum. Clues come from ghostly characters encountered along the way, while participants use special devices as "ghost-hunting tools" to uncover information needed to solve the mystery.
Behind the scenes, the event requires the help of eight to 10 volunteers, including actors who portray characters and staff and volunteers who reset clues between groups.
"We'll have two groups going at a time," Corbin said. "Every group is timed, so we're giving 40 minutes, and there is a prize for the best time."
While the escape room offers plenty of Halloween fun, Corbin said events like Paranormal Pursuit also help visitors engage with the museum's collections and Saskatchewan's past.
"Well, it teaches a little bit of Saskatchewan history through some of the puzzles," she said. "It gets you seeing our artifacts in a different sort of way."
She noted that while younger visitors have long enjoyed scavenger hunts at the museum, the escape room offers an opportunity for older youth and adults to explore the galleries in a more immersive fashion.
"This is something that's a little bit more the same idea for older people to see what we actually have, because we have so many things here," said Corbin.
Beyond showcasing artifacts, the event also helps strengthen community connections through a shared seasonal experience.
"It's a chance to build community and enjoy some Saskatchewan culture of Halloween," she said.
Although tickets for this year's Paranormal Pursuit are no longer available, Corbin encouraged residents to keep an eye on upcoming museum programming throughout the year.
The WDM Yorkton regularly hosts family activities, seasonal events and educational programs designed to highlight Saskatchewan's agricultural, transportation and social history. Corbin said the strong response to Paranormal Pursuit demonstrates that residents are eager for creative ways to experience the museum beyond a traditional visit.
"We have so many things here," she said, "and events like this give people a chance to discover them in a different way."
