Castle confusion
Families visiting Edinburgh Castle from this summer are invited to test their puzzle-solving skills with a new family trail.
My work on the trail began in autumn 2024 but it was based on recommendations I made in a report produced in the winter of 2023/24. Historic Environment Scotland had asked me that winter to carry out a review of the family experience at their three most visited castles. This included Edinburgh Csatle, their most visited site and one of the most visited attractions in Scotland.
Edinburgh Castle can be overwhelming for families. It is always busy, and it is far larger than most visitors anticipate. Families will struggle to see it all and it’s not obvious where they should concentrate their effort and spend their time. Families make up only around 10% of visitors to Edinburgh Castle so the main modes of interpretation (the audio guide and map leaflet) are not specifically aimed at them.
Edinburgh Castle family trail
A trail for the whole family
Based on the recommendations from my report, I was commissioned to produce a family trail of some sort. The trail was to:
- be aimed at families and allow the whole family to explore the castle together
- be extremely practical and not add to any confusion on entry
- assist with orientation and wayfinding for family groups
- encourage family engagement with the site
It could include some fixed infrastructure, but should avoid signage clutter at highlight points. It could include digital elements but these must be carefully considered.
Analysis of visitor data showed that a target age of 7+ would meet the needs of most families visiting and we decided to try to aim the trail older than usual, to engage teens up to age 13/14. We also decided not to make it primarily a digital trail because smartphones in family groups as usually the family’s main camera and younger children are unlikely to have a device per person.
The Mystery of the Missing Unicorn Horn
The outcome is The Mystery of the Missing Unicorn Horn. Families receive an A5 booklet which is designed to look like an old leather bound notebook. The booklet, designed and beautifully illustrated by Muddy Publishing, leads you through a series of clues set by former castle guide Jean McBride. The clues help you to track down a mysterious item possibly brought to the Castle by Mary Queen of Scots.
The trail guides visitors around the Castle, stopping off at Castle highlights and less well-known details. The clues are quite tricky and test the observation and puzzle-solving skills of the whole group. We tested the clues and navigation with families with children of different ages to ensure the level is just right. The trail takes between an hour and a half to two and a half hours, depending on the family’s choices.
Feedback on the pilot testing and in the first stage of evaluation this summer indicated that families responded really well to the level of challenge appreciated it not feeling ‘childish’. There is a sense of satisfaction in the puzzle solving and the challenges are embedded in a scenario that draws families into the adventure.
Digital reward
Although we chose to make the tail a paper booklet with space to enter your answers and work out the code by hand, there are digital elements to the experience.
Once families complete the puzzle grid they create a five digit combination to open a locked box. A QR code in the booklet links to a webpage to enter this code and discover if you are right. If you successfully enter the correct code, you are rewarded by an animation revealing the end of the story and an opportunity to create a digital souvenir with a team photo to remember your visit. The animation and digital reward were created by Pixel Stag.
Hints, answers and a large text version for accessibility are also available via QR code.
