5 Wits facts for kids

5 Wits is a fun entertainment company. It creates interactive adventure experiences. Think of them like a mix between a movie and a video game! There are five locations in the United States.

These adventures are similar to escape rooms. However, they are designed for you to play them again and again. There are no strict time limits or super hard puzzles. 5 Wits opened in October 2004. Some people say it was the first "escape room type" attraction in the world.

What Are 5 Wits Adventures Like?

Each 5 Wits location has exciting adventures. Themes include exploring under the sea or going on a spy mission. You can also visit outer space, ancient Egypt, or a medieval castle.

A group of 2 to 12 people goes on each adventure. You work together as a team. You solve puzzles and face challenges. You move through different rooms to complete your mission.

The adventures use cool computer-controlled lights and sounds. There are also optical illusions. You'll find many physical and mental puzzles. Special effects make the experience real.

Your group can succeed or fail. Each adventure has different endings. The ending changes based on your team's choices. It also depends on how well you play.

Computers control all 5 Wits adventures. There are no human operators inside. Each attraction resets itself. This happens automatically after each group finishes.

Exciting Adventures to Explore

• Deep Space (Syracuse, West Nyack, Albany, Buffalo) - This is a futuristic journey. You get teleported to an abandoned spaceship. You must work together to find out what happened to the crew. But be careful, things are not always as they seem!
• Drago's Castle (Syracuse, West Nyack, Albany, Buffalo, Arlington) - Step into a medieval fantasy world. You help a magical princess. Your mission is to catch a fire-breathing dragon. Stop it before it destroys her world and yours!
• Espionage (Syracuse, Arlington) - Become a secret agent in this spy adventure. You must sneak into an enemy base. Your goal is to stop a dangerous event.
• Tomb (Syracuse, West Nyack, Albany, Buffalo, Arlington) - This adventure is like a famous explorer movie. You must answer riddles from an ancient pharaoh. If you fail, you might be trapped forever!

Where Did the Name "5 Wits" Come From?

The name "5 Wits" comes from old writings. These include works by William Shakespeare and Stephen Hawes. They wrote about the "five inward wits."

These five wits were: common sense, imagination, estimation, fantasy, and memory. The name also connects to the five senses. Every 5 Wits adventure uses these inward wits. They are designed to fully immerse you. It's a "5 senses themed" experience.

The Story of 5 Wits

Matthew DuPlessie founded 5 Wits. He started the company in 2003. His original idea was called the Puzzle Room. He entered his business plan in a competition. This was at Harvard Business School in early 2003.

The first 5 Wits location opened in October 2004. It was in Boston, Massachusetts. This location featured "TOMB," their first adventure. In 2006, 5 Wits started a sister company. It was called Box Fort. This company designs and builds walk-through adventures. It also helps museums and theme parks.

In 2007, 5 Wits opened "Operation Spy." This was an hour-long adventure. It was inside the International Spy Museum. In August 2010, a new 5 Wits location opened. It was in Foxboro, Massachusetts, at Patriot Place. This location had "Espionage" and "20,000 Leagues." Since then, many new locations have opened. Most are in New York state. 5 Wits continues to grow.

Where Can You Find 5 Wits?

You can find 5 Wits at five different places:

• Syracuse, New York, at Destiny USA
• West Nyack, New York, at Palisades Center. This location opened in 2016. It used to be an IMAX movie theater.
• Albany, New York, at Crossgates Mall. This location is very similar to the West Nyack one.
• Buffalo, New York, at Walden Galleria
• Arlington, Virginia, at Ballston Quarter. This location opened in February 2019.