Bellmore Memorial Library sponsors an escape room that's out of this world

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“Alert! Incoming meteor!,” warned a sign in the Bellmore Memorial Library, where a group of teenagers rushed into a room covered in space-themed puzzles, riddles and posters on July 25. In a sequel to the library’s popular “escape room” program, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration recruited the young escapees for a special mission to destroy a meteor.

Patrons were challenged to solve several puzzles and riddles, all with a space-themed twist. One had Joshua Sheldon, 14, decipher a Morse Code message, and another had players decoding an alien language.

The Teen Night team, “Loading…,” saved the library by inserting four keys into “Mission Control’s” missile launcher, giving them access to the final launch code. The code, 1969, referenced the first moon landing 50 years ago.

The escape room — a sequel to January’s “Escape Dr. Frankenstein’s Laboratory” — was the result of months of planning and brainstorming by staffers. Martha DiVittorio, head of community management, helped plan the event with Jessica Permuto, head of the children’s department. Chris Ham, a library employee, helped lead the group to their escape.