Gettysburg — Orphanage of Shadows
Uncover the dark secrets of Rosa Carmichael's haunted orphanage. Decode clues from tortured spirits across Gettysburg's haunted landmarks to free the captive souls before their curse claims you.
📱 1 to 10 phones · 1 team per phone · Independent codes
In the blood-soaked streets of Gettysburg, where 51,000 souls perished in the Civil War's deadliest battle, a deeper horror lurks
Delve into the lingering shadows of Gettysburg, a town where every street whispers the poignant tales of the Civil War and orphaned souls.
Step into the shoes of Rosa J. Carmichael, the former orphanage director, returning to the places that shaped her life. Your mission leads you to 777 Baltimore Street, the National Soldiers' Orphanage Homestead, built in 1859, which served as General Oliver O. Howard's headquarters in July 1863 before becoming a children's home. You will follow a 1.5 km walking route, an exploration of approximately 135 minutes through the historic sites of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. At each step, open your phone: encrypted augmented reality messages appear on facades, digital ghosts of orphanage children emerge near the Soldiers' National Cemetery, and clues hidden on monuments of the Gettysburg National Military Park guide you to the truth. This quest will allow you to relive the tragic events that shaped this town and the fate of its inhabitants. More than an outdoor escape game: an interactive tour immersed in 160 years of history, with anecdotes revealed at each stop and confidential sites that classic guides overlook.
Les lieux que vous découvrirez
Les vrais lieux que vous explorerez au fil de l'aventure. Énigmes en réalité augmentée à chaque étape.
A game, a guided tour and a heritage guide — all in one
You're not just buying an escape game. You're carrying a living guide — historical anecdotes, forgotten legends, key monuments, hidden architecture — unfolding as you go.
At each stop, places ordinary guides miss — secret façades, sculpted crests, alleys steeped in history.
Every riddle is rooted in a real historical fact or local legend. You leave with dozens of stories to tell.
Learn to read buildings — flamboyant Gothic, Baroque, Art Deco — like a real art historian, while having fun.
Walk through the city like a novel's character — every alley becomes a stage, every square a theatre.
A voice walks with you at every step, tells the story of each place, reads clues, adds a cinematic feel.
Keep access to the guide & game for 1 year. Come back any time, share it with friends.
« You will not leave this city the way you entered it. »
How does it work?
Explore the city on foot solving puzzles based on real historical facts. No locked room — the city is your playground.
No app to download. Play directly from your browser. Guided step by step, at your own pace.
One purchase per phone is enough. Play with family, friends or as a couple — everyone participates.
Point your phone at the façade: a historical character appears and speaks to you in your language. Golden letters magically write themselves on the wall to reveal the puzzle answer.
Stuck? Progressive personalised hints. The character repeats the puzzle on demand — at your own pace.
French, English, German, Spanish, Italian + 27 other languages auto-translated by AI.
Want to go deeper?
Places tied to your adventure — optional entries, totally up to you · per person
The story that haunts this land
Your journey begins at the National Soldiers' Orphanage Homestead, located at 777 Baltimore Street, Gettysburg, PA. This building, erected in 1859 as a private residence, served as General Oliver O. Howard's headquarters during the Battle of Gettysburg in July 1863, and later as a field hospital. In 1869, it was transformed into an orphanage for about a hundred orphaned Union soldiers' children, managed until 1941. It was here that Rosa J. Carmichael directed the institution from 1872 to 1894, a period marred by rumors of abuse. This American Battlefield Trust site, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1970, is the first step in your investigation into the history of Gettysburg.
Approximately 0.6 km on foot, heading down Baltimore Street, you reach Lincoln Square, formerly Diamonds Square. This central square of Gettysburg was a nerve center during the battle of July 1863, witnessing civilian gatherings during the Confederate occupation. Surrounded by buildings dating from the 1800s, it offers a glimpse into the urban setting where Abraham Lincoln finalized the Gettysburg Address. From there, you head towards the David Wills House, a 19th-century building located at 34 Lincoln Square, where the president spent the night of November 18, 1863. David Wills, commissioner of the Soldiers' National Cemetery, organized the cemetery's dedication there the following day.
The Soldiers' National Cemetery, with its entrance about 1 km from the starting point, was the scene of Abraham Lincoln's famous address in 1863. This 8-hectare site, managed by the National Park Service since 1933, holds the graves of over 6,000 Union soldiers who died at Gettysburg. As you explore this place of remembrance, you face the scale of human sacrifice. It is a key point in your visit to Gettysburg, a reminder of the Civil War heritage and its lasting impact on Pennsylvania.
Your path then leads you to East Cemetery Hill, in the immediate vicinity of the National Soldiers' Orphanage Homestead. This site witnessed intense fighting on July 1 and 2, 1863, serving as a key artillery position for the Union defense during the Battle of Gettysburg. Part of the Gettysburg National Military Park, designated in 1895, this hill offers a strategic perspective on the events of the time. The tension and brutality of the clashes are palpable, reinforcing your immersion in this Civil War heritage.
Your journey concludes at the Soldiers' National Monument, the central monument of the cemetery, dedicated on November 19, 1863, and located 1.2 km from the starting point via the military park. This 13.7-meter-high monument, sculpted by Randolph Rogers, is dedicated to the 51,000 soldiers killed or wounded at Gettysburg. By completing your thematic circuit, you will have not only explored the historic sites but also felt the weight of Gettysburg's history. This augmented reality GPS scavenger hunt will have allowed you to discover Pennsylvania's heritage, understand the stakes of the Civil War, and connect with the individual stories that shaped this town.
The Route
8 stages through the city
The gameplay: AR, camera, hidden clues
At each stop, open your phone camera: an augmented reality character appears on the façade and speaks your language. Hunt the clue — it materializes as golden letters on the real wall or floats in front of you. When you find it, the phone vibrates, an AR chest opens and reveals your answer fragment. 8 stops, 8 clues to find with the camera, 1 final code.
The stops on your route are a surprise. You'll discover them one by one, guided by your phone, starting from the meeting point.
How does it work with a group?
One phone = one team. Pick the number at checkout (1 to 10).
Solo, or a group sharing the screen. One team, one code.
Family, couple, or 2-3 teams competing. Each phone has its own code and its own score.
Friends, bachelor/bachelorette, small office outing — each their own code, each plays at their own pace. Tiered pricing then €6 flat per phone from the 6th.
- ✓All codes are independent — play at the same time OR separately, each team advances at its own pace.
- ✓Leaderboard between your teams + global game leaderboard — each score appears in the public ranking.
- ✓More than 10 phones or need a personalized quest? Discover custom tours.
Ready to live this adventure?
Get my code · 15€No calendar booking. Code sent immediately by email.
🔒 Secure payment · Code in 5 min · Free cancellation
Practical info
Why this route?
Spectral Encounters
Interact with the tormented spirits of children and the shadow of Rosa J. Carmichael, who still haunt the premises.
Secrets of the Dungeon
Delve into the macabre depths of the "dungeon" where children were chained, revealing chilling truths.
Quest for Justice
Your journey is a mission to bring justice to forgotten souls and soothe their eternal rest.
The past is never really dead. It's not even past.
William Faulkner
9 features nobody else has
OddballTrip combines gamified play, augmented reality and AI. All our competitors deliver 1 or 2 of these angles. We deliver all 5.
AR treasure chest
A golden chest floats in front of the monument. Tap → opening animation → reveals a secret message.
AR narrator character
Point your phone at the façade: a knight, witch, monk, sailor, detective or ghost appears full-screen and speaks to you in your language with their dedicated ElevenLabs voice (each character has their own unique voice) — your living guide.
Magic golden letters
At the puzzle climax, golden letters magically write themselves on the real wall — that's the puzzle answer. An unforgettable visual effect.
Written + audio narration
Every puzzle available as text AND voice-over: read at your own pace or listen eyes-free while walking. Great in groups and for accessibility.
360° radar + vibration
A mini-radar shows the target even behind you, and the phone vibrates when you aim in the right direction.
Heritage storytelling
Every puzzle weaves in real historical facts (architecture, era, anecdotes). You learn by playing — like a gamified audioguide.
Progressive AI hints
3 levels of AI-generated help: vibe → where to look → answer format. You're never stuck.
AR selfie memento
At the end of the game, capture a selfie with OddballTrip banner + mascot, shareable on Instagram, WhatsApp, TikTok.
Zero app to install
PWA technology: open the link, it plays in your browser. Same quality as an app, no App Store hassle.
Frequently asked questions
Q01Do I need to download an app?
No, never. You get a link, you click, it plays in your browser. That's the point of a PWA: same as an app, without the hassle.
Q02Does it work offline?
GPS yes (handled by your phone). Maps yes (tiles cached). AI and hints need an intermittent 4G connection.
Q03How long does a game take?
1 h 30 to 2 h 30 depending on your pace. The timer runs but only for the leaderboard — you play at your own tempo.
Q04What happens if I'm stuck?
You get 3 levels of hints per puzzle (increasing penalty). If truly stuck, you can skip the step (45-min penalty but you keep going).
Q05What's the age range?
From 12 without an adult, from 6 with an adult reading puzzles. Works for families, couples, friend groups, companies.
Q06What if my city isn't in the catalogue?
Pre-register or contact us — we'll email you as soon as your city is live.
Q07What is augmented reality exactly?
Point your phone at the façade: a historical character appears full-screen and speaks to you in your language. At the puzzle climax, golden letters magically write themselves on the real wall — that's your answer. After each puzzle solved, a treasure chest floats in front of you. Seeing is believing.
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Delve into the lingering shadows of Gettysburg, a town where every street whispers the poignant tales of the Civil War and orphaned souls.
1 purchase = 1 phone. Play several on the same device.
No calendar booking. Code sent immediately by email.
🔒Secure payment · Code in 5 min · Free cancellation
🪙+24 TripCoins granted with your booking
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