BrainXcape Is the Downtown Escape (Room) You Didn’t Know You Needed

We’ve officially made it to the part of the year when freezing temps are no longer fun or festive and many New Yorkers are looking to escape. Even if you can’t get away for a long weekend down south, there’s always another way you can escape — or try to — albeit under slightly different circumstances. Hidden in plain sight on the third floor at 160 Broadway is BrainXcape, a private escape room experience where you and your group can test your teamwork and survival skills (just another day in New York City, amirite??). 

BrainXcape has several themed rooms that range from creepy but family friendly (i.e. the Haunted Hotel; Rikers, 1932) to downright scary (i.e. the Bloody Circus — you’ve been warned!). Each is an elaborately designed scavenger hunt of logic puzzles which, if solved within the hour, can facilitate your escape. But there’s no need to hit the gym beforehand — the challenges rely on mental fortitude rather than physical strength. Without giving too much away, know you’ll have to do some light mental math, search high and low around the room, be on the lookout for patterns and keep your eyes peeled for clues along the way. But rest assured, you’re not totally on your own: Your gamemaster will be watching your every move, offering clues as needed throughout the hour depending on the level of difficulty you choose at the beginning.

Most rooms accommodate two to 10 players, and prices vary depending on the number in your group. All of the escape room experiences are private, meaning you’ll only be working with the team you bring — so maybe don’t invite that guy from accounting who never bothers to read your whole email.

You can try to escape seven days a week, Monday to Friday 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. or Saturday and Sunday 10:45 a.m. to 10:50 p.m. Make reservations ahead of time here and pray that you consume the appropriate amount of caffeine beforehand, which would be “enough to notice something is off about that prop, but not so much that you’re jumping out of your skin every time you hear a noise.”

photo: We escaped!