This summer I’ve had the privilege of working on the Crime Scene Neanderthal interactive activity at the American Museum of Natural History in New York. CSN casts visitors in the role of a detective who must seek out the origin of mysterious bones unearthed during a construction project. Along the way, visitors learn about the latest scientific discoveries regarding Neanderthals, perform forensic investigations, and explore the Museum’s Hall of Human Origins.

My primary role was in using my playtest-running skills to gather and analyze visitor feedback. Testing games that aspire only to be great games, and activities that need to be both entertaining and educational, had a lot in common. I was very glad to be able to contribute, and I’m looking forward to seeing the final results when CSN formally launches later this year.

If you’re in the New York City area, you can find CSN at a cart in the Museum’s Hall of Human Origins on many weekdays. It’s absolutely free, and will telescope to suit your schedule: you can play for five minutes or for more than 40, as you prefer. Give it a look!