Tour Central Park with this free virtual guide
Belvedere Castle; Courtesy of the Central Park Conservancy
Exploring the 840+ acres of Central Park and all of its historic sites just got easier, thanks to a free new digital guide. The Central Park Conservancy this week launched a new guide to the park on the Bloomberg Connects app. Although official tours and programs are on hold because of the coronavirus pandemic, green space lovers can still learn about the park’s natural habitats, historic statues, and landmarked structures through photos, audio clips, and video, easily accessed from their smartphones.
Users can take a self-guided audio tour of the Belvedere Castle, which underwent a $12 million restoration and repair project last year. Stops include the color colorful pavilion, first-floor terrace, and Vista Rock, the rock on which the mini-castle sits.
The app also includes detailed information of Seneca Village, the historic community of free, property-owning Black Americans that was razed to build Central Park in the 1850s, as well as its location on the map. The Conservancy also adapted information from the Seneca Village outdoor exhibit, which opened last summer.
You will also find specific maps for all interests, including maps of all the playgrounds, best running routes, fall foliage, bike paths, and accessibility points.
“The Conservancy is proud to be included in the Bloomberg Connects app, which provides digital access to the Park,” Elizabeth Smith, the president and CEO of the Conservancy, said. “That access has taken on new importance during the pandemic with the Park being a source of respite for so many. Through Bloomberg Philanthropies’ support, a greater number of people now have digital access to the restorative power of the Park.”
Download the Central Park Conservancy Digital Guide here. Find other virtual tours and programs related to the park here.
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