WALLA WALLA — A criminal is on the loose at Fort Walla Walla Museum and they need your help to catch him.

“Escape From the Territorial Prison” is a family-friendly game that takes place at the museum July 15 and 16, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days.

The game follows the rules of a simple treasure hunt: follow the trail of breadcrumbs left behind to get the reward at the end. The evidence has been left by the notorious and seasoned criminal escapee Orvy “Whipstitch” Horvath, who is known to keep company with lowlifes and horse thieves.

The wanted poster might lead you to a newspaper clipping detailing Orvy’s escape, which might lead you to the horse Orvy stole, and onward.

Orvy has escaped from the Washington Territorial Prison, and in doing so he has made an obvious trail of careless clues through Fort Walla Walla. You will have to bring your wits and observation skills to trace Orvy’s criminal evidence through the grounds — and ultimately discover the criminal in his hiding spot.

Visitors who bring him to justice as the new deputy to the Pioneer Village Sheriff, Bud Bogan, will be rewarded in the museum store.

But it won’t be easy — Orvy is sinister and conniving.

Volunteers and living history reenactors frequent the Pioneer Village during this event in costume and in character to offer help or hindrance for Ovy’s capture.

Visitors will also be able to enjoy the regularly scheduled living history performance at 2 p.m. Sunday when Lettice Millican Clark Reynolds, pioneer settler and community leader, will be portrayed by Pam Myers.

The museum

Fort Walla Walla Museum is located within Fort Walla Walla Park at 755 NE Myra Road. The museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $10 adults, $9 seniors/students, $5 children ages 6-12 and free for children under 6. Museum members receive free admission.

To see a full calendar of events, visit fwwm.org/all-events. For more details, call 509-525-7703 or visit fwwm.org.

Looking ahead

Sunday, July 23: Living history — The Baker Boyer Four, 2-3 p.m. In this performance, Dorsey Baker, Sarah Boyer and John Boyer are interviewed by journalist Nellie Day about the early days of their mercantile business and the evolution of the Baker Boyer Bank.

Thursday, July 27: Museum After Hours — Happy Canyon, the Century-Old Indian Pageant and Wild West Show, 5-6 p.m. Author Becky Fletcher Waggoner will present this program. She is a fourth-generation Happy Canyon participant, who has acted in the show since she was 3 years old.

Sunday, July 30: Living history — Cushing Eells, Protestant missionary, 2-3 p.m. Whitman College professor Rogers Miles presents this program about pioneer missionaries Cushing and Myra Eells, who founded the Whitman Seminary (today known as Whitman College).