Bern — Einstein's Lost Manuscripts
Uncover the hidden manuscripts Einstein lost in Bern's Old Town during his 1905 breakthrough. Decode clues across arcades and towers to reveal relativity's secrets before they vanish forever.
📱 1 to 10 phones · 1 team per phone · Independent codes
In 1905, in the shadowy arcades of Bern's Old Town, Albert Einstein penned his revolutionary papers on relativity and E=mc² from his modest apartment at Kramgasse 49
Bern — Einstein's Lost Manuscripts
You are a Swiss federal archivist in Bern, 1905, tasked with locating the initial sketches of the theory of special relativity, which have vanished from Einstein's House, Kramgasse
Delve into Bern's cobbled alleys and uncover the secret of the lost manuscripts of the 20th century's greatest mind, Albert Einstein.
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 quest for Albert Einstein's lost manuscripts begins at the Einsteinhaus, at 49 Kramgasse, where the physicist lived from 1903 to 1905. It was in this residence that he developed his theory of special relativity in 1905, a pivotal year for science. The museum, open since 1979 and classified as a Swiss historical monument, preserves the spirit of the era when Einstein worked as an examiner at the Swiss patent office. By exploring this site, you will discover the first digital clues hidden within the young genius's environment.
Leaving the Einsteinhaus, you walk along Kramgasse, a historic arcade about 350 meters long, typical of Bernese arcades from the 16th century. This commercial street, an integral part of Bern's Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1983, is home to the Bear Fountain (Bärenbrunnen) from 1546, adorned with a heraldic bear. Along this lively artery, where Einstein resided at number 49, AR clues will guide you towards the famous Zytglogge, the medieval clock tower.
The Zytglogge, a city gate built around 1250, houses a mechanical clock from 1530 with a sophisticated astronomical mechanism. Its 47 dials indicate hours, moon, and zodiac, while its 11 automatons chime every hour. Formerly a prison and the western entrance gate to the fortified city of Bern, this tower is a masterpiece of 16th-century engineering. Puzzles related to its mechanism will immerse you in the Swiss watchmaking precision, so dear to Einstein's era.
Your journey then takes you to the Bundeshaus, the Federal Palace inaugurated in 1902, seat of the Swiss Parliament. Its 64-meter-high dome, designed in a Neo-Renaissance style by Helmholtz, is a symbol of the Confederation. With over 400 different marble pieces in its construction, this edifice is a testament to Swiss architecture. Einstein passed by here during his walks in Bern's city center, and it is here that new puzzles await you, hidden in the details of this imposing monument.
Finally, your exploration will lead you to the Nydeggbrücke, a bridge built in 1844 over the Aare, 120 meters long, offering views of the Old Town towers and the Berner Münster. This bridge, replacing an older medieval wooden bridge from 1386, is a natural crossing point towards the Münster, Switzerland's tallest cathedral (100.8 meters, completed in 1893). By solving the last puzzles on this thematic circuit of Bern, you will unravel the mystery of the manuscripts and conclude this interactive visit, rich in Bern's heritage and history.
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 · 12€No calendar booking. Code sent immediately by email.
🔒 Secure payment · Code in 5 min · Free cancellation
Practical info
Why this route?
Scientific Discovery
Delve into the beginnings of modern physics and Einstein's ideas.
Misunderstood Genius
Follow in the footsteps of a man who changed our understanding of the universe.
Time Travel
Go back to the era of the Annus Mirabilis and the foundations of relativity.
Time is an illusion.
Will you uncover its secrets?
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, 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.
Avis des aventuriers
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Your turn to play
Delve into Bern's cobbled alleys and uncover the secret of the lost manuscripts of the 20th century's greatest mind, Albert Einstein.
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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