If you haven’t personally participated in the huge escape room trend, chances are you have a friend or family member who can attest to the fun and excitement they offer. While it may seem like the escape room is a brand new way to pass an afternoon, their origins are much older. Let us share a brief history of the escape room and you’ll have a bit better idea of how they came to become the popular pastime they are today.
- The Labyrinths – Remember the Greek myth of the Minotaur in the Labyrinth where the hero had to kill the beast, escape the maze to be able to return to reality? There are similar stories in the mythologies of many countries. While there may not have been a true minotaur at the end of the maze, there was likely some form of reality this was based on–somewhere.
- Hedge Mazes – A bit less violent were the hedge mazes in 16th century England (and onward.) These were natural mazes constructed as challenges for the well-to-do to find their way out of in a controlled environment.
- Video Game Quests – Once video games become popular in the 1980’s, the “escape scenario” was often seen in role-playing and adventure games. Many of the same types of puzzles you’ll find in modern escape rooms got their starts in video games, and are now found in reality.
- Asian Escape Rooms – Escape rooms first came about in Japan and then spread to other Asian countries before gathering steam in other parts of the country. The creator of the first real-life escape room is Takao Kato–in 2007. Once they hit US soil, they developed a huge popularity and now see many of the wild varieties available today.
Now that you know a bit about the history of escape rooms, if you’d like to learn more about escape rooms in Jacksonville, Florida, reach out to us at Mind Bender Escape Rooms. We would love to tell you a bit more about our current offerings and help you plan the perfect outing for your family, friends, team, co-workers or any other group you may think about bringing for an escape room challenge.