How New York Claimed Culture
The monuments of Central Park reveal how a growing city decided what—and who—belonged.
A different way to see New York
Spend one good hour seeing New York differently.
Untourist is an iPhone app for self-guided audio walks, each built around one story worth following.
Free during TestFlight. App Store passes start at $9.99.
See pass options Featured walks
See all walks Choose a story to follow.
Chinatown Food Crawl
Fuzhou dumplings, fresh rice rolls, roast pork buns, Chinatown ice cream, and two kinds of egg tart.
The Village That Refused to Conform
Discover the Greenwich Village where artists, activists, and everyday New Yorkers challenged convention—and changed America.
One story at a time
We let the story shape the route.
Each walk starts with a question about New York. We find the places that help answer it and build a route you can follow on your own.
Most walks fit into an hour. Stop for a while if something catches your eye; you can pick up the audio again when you’re ready.
A closer look
How New York Claimed Culture
Why is Central Park filled with statues of writers?
Follow its literary landmarks to discover how generations of New Yorkers used the park to define what culture should look like, whose stories deserved to be celebrated, and ultimately, who got to represent the city.
Most people walk the Mall and see a collection of statues. Look closer and they form a record of New York’s changing ideas about culture, identity, and who deserves to be remembered.
The app
Take the story with you.
Save the route and audio before you leave. Listen as you walk, pause to look around, and pick up where you left off.
Early access is open through TestFlight.
Listen where it happened
Hear each part of the story near the place it describes.
Take a detour
Pause the audio and return to the route when you’re ready.
Save it before you go
Download the route and audio for offline use.
Passes
Choose how long you want to explore.
One pass gives you access to every walk available in the app for the full pass period.
TestFlight access is free during beta. These are the pass prices for the App Store release.
2-Day Pass
$9.99
Access every available walk for 2 days.
7-Day Pass
$19.99
Access every available walk for 7 days.
30-Day Pass
$29.99
Access every available walk for 30 days.
Prices are in US dollars.
Join TestFlightNotes from the sidewalk
Read the journal What we noticed along the way.
Look again at the places you pass.
Most people walk the Mall and see a collection of statues. Look closer and they form a record of New York’s changing ideas about culture, identity, and who deserves to be remembered.
Look past the storefronts.
Come hungry, share everything, and pay attention to what’s happening beyond the restaurant counters. The markets, suppliers, family businesses, and different regional food traditions are part of what makes Chinatown work.