'Urbanist trivia meets the NYC marathon' — Citywide scavenger hunt is back

A citywide scavenger hunt will send teams of New Yorkers to all five boroughs to find water-based clues, from stormwater-diverting rain gardens to the Brooklyn Navy Yard or locations best accessed by the NYC Ferry system.

The all-day hunt on Saturday is organized by Open House New York, the nonprofit organization that promotes access to unusual aspects of New York City. This is their seventh scavenger hunt – past iterations have been themed around art deco, zoning, or libraries, but this year’s edition aligns with the group's broader “Water Works” initiative, which examines the systems that move, clean and deliver New York City’s water.

“Think of it as urbanist trivia meets the New York City marathon,” Open House New York executive director Kristin LaBuz said.

The hunt is open to teams of up to six people, who need to stick together rather than split up.

“When they get to a clue site, they take a selfie with a mascot,” LaBuz said.

Past mascots have included a plush pigeon, a pizza rat and a copy of “The Power Broker.” LaBuz said more than 200 participants have already signed up, with team names including “Reservoir Dogs” and “Water We Doing.”

The day kicks off with a list of clues released at 10 a.m. Points are awarded throughout the day until the 6 p.m. close, and teams that avoid using cars get 50 bonus points. Harder and farther-flung locations are awarded more points. LaBuz recommends spending a bit of time planning once the clues are released: “Five minutes of strategy can save 30 minutes on the ground.”

Participation costs $30 per person, with all proceeds going to support Open House New York. This year’s event comes amid a funding setback: The group recently lost a $25,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts after the Trump administration issued new priorities for what it will fund.

Losing the grant was “disappointing but not surprising,” LaBuz said. In response, the group launched a grassroots fundraiser which has already raised $5,000 in its first 24 hours from small dollar donations, she said.

The grand prize of the scavenger hunt will include, among other things, a “golden ticket” that allows first pick of any site during the organization’s signature event, OHNY Weekend, when dozens of spaces that are normally closed off to the public open up for free or cheap tours.

“We say urbanist trivia, but it’s really an open book test,” LaBuz said. “Part of the fun is figuring out the answer to the clues, but the real joy comes from the journey of getting to these sites across the five boroughs.”

The scavenger hunt is May 17. It costs $30 per person for teams of up to six. You can learn more and register here.