Hermès Reveals an Escape Room-Like Experience in Manhattan

Hermès is bringing a fun, equestrian activity to New York City this summer, fit for everything from date night to an afternoon out with friends.

The French luxury brand, known for its unique craftsmanship and equestrian focus, is hosting an escape room-like experience titled " this June. For the game, there are six rooms, and players have seven minutes in each room to find as many horses as possible. While searching through each space, players are led by the voice of equestrian detective, cheekily named Mr. Honore. (That’s a name that holds weight, as it is the unmistaken name of the street that housed the first Hermès brick and mortar store.) 

It opens on June 19 and runs through June 29 at Pier 36 in the city's downtown. The best part? Unlike the famously exclusive Hermès Birkin, this event is more accessible to fans. Mystery at the Grooms is free to guests. To join, tickets are available to claim on the Hermès website. Ages 7 and up are able to participate. In the event that all sessions are fully booked, walk ins are welcomed during certain times, to be listed on the website.

“It’s just to have fun and spread joy,” Hermès' U.S. President Diane Mahady told WWD of the reasoning for the experience. “Nothing is for sale. It’s just a free experience to share the playful nature of the brand. We want people to just laugh for an hour for escapism."

The gamified installation began in Shanghai late last year. After New York, Hermès' Mystery at the Grooms is headed to Tokyo, then to Singapore, and then, finally, to Paris.

“Playing means being together. Play is movement, freedom, imagination, fantasy, lightness... and the horse is our first companion in the playground of creation," Artistic Director of Hermès Pierre-Alexis Dumas added.