If there’s one thing we’ve learnt in our years building for attractions, it’s that things can get damaged! Many times, we have been approached by clients who have made their own props, or maybe they’ve worked with a design company without much attractions experience, and they haven’t had to wait long before their props broke!
Building features to last is vital at venues like escape rooms, where forcing something open might seem the logical approach for players. It’s a similar case at museums, where a child might see an interactive lever as the perfect bar to swing from!
At Dead Walk Designs, we keep this in mind every step of the way. We will recommend the best materials to ensure longevity, and our team of experienced craftspeople can ensure sturdiness when it comes to building.
CASE STUDY: Tank Museum interactive lever
At the Tank Museum in Dorset, we created a tank cockpit to show visitors how cramped it could be. This included a lever for triggering sound effects, which was prone to being pulled with great force. The length of the handle, with the small pivot point, made breakage a possibility, so we installed a bracket at the top to limit overly enthusiastic usage.
When we have revisited the Tank Museum, we haven’t been able to get near the lever because kids have been all over it—and the lever has stayed intact throughout!
CASE STUDY: Temple of the Forbidden Idol, Eltham Escape Rooms
Any escape room owner will know breakage is a constant risk. When players are trying any means necessary to crack a puzzle (sometimes literally), they can end up spending a lot on replacements if their props aren’t made properly.
At Eltham Escape Rooms, we built many of the puzzles into the set, so they were fixed and solid. Other features couldn’t be reached at all, only visible through windows and controlled by strong buttons and levers. Our team’s experience in escape room design allowed us to plan these features in a way that added to the fun and sense of immersion, rather than took from it.
Need something built for long-term use? Get in touch today!