Airport scavenger hunt gives travelers a taste of Philly art

Matteo Iadonisi Image
Tuesday, August 8, 2023
Airport scavenger hunt gives travelers a taste of Philly art
Next time you travel from Philadelphia International Airport, keep your eyes peeled for hidden hearts that can win you a lovely prize!

PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania (WPVI) -- "You think about how museums probably have several thousands of people come through maybe in a year, but we have millions of people that come through the airport in a year from all around the world," said Leah Douglas. "So, it's a great opportunity to showcase the cultural vitality that the city has to offer."

For the past 25 years, it's been Leah Douglas' job to introduce the arts of Philadelphia to travelers from around the world.

Her canvas, of course, is Philadelphia International Airport and its Exhibitions Program.

"The mission is to feature Philly-area artists or artists from the Greater Philadelphia region," said Douglas. "And it's more than 500 exhibitions that we've done."

Recently introduced is the "PHL HeART Scavenger Hunt Challenge," which Douglas' team created in collaboration with artist Amberella and Eric the Puzzler.

25 black hearts with positive messages are scattered throughout Terminal A East and A West. Passengers can use their cell phones to scan a QR code that launches a browser dedicated to the task.

With the help of curiously-worded hints, users must type out the message contained within the corresponding heart.

There are two tiers of prizes that can be mailed out to participants depending on how many hearts they identify. Those include a similarly heart-shaped sticker and a pin that read, "Philly Got Heart."

This exhibit, paired with others that rotate in and out of other areas of the airport, are designed to give travelers a taste of Philly.

"Street art is definitely, like, a big staple in our community and I think it's nice that we have it in the airport because it really shows what the city's really about," said intern Elijah Carter.

To learn more about Philadelphia International Airport, visit their website.

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