The UniGuide application. Never heard of it? It’s a free app for your smartphone that gives you access to literally hundreds of museums, parks, and historical sights all across North America. Each location has audio guided tours which are given by historians, park rangers, museum curators, or just knowledgeable people eager to share their commitment to that site. It’s a wonderful app for history buffs.
Go ahead: download the UniGuide app from Google Play or the App Store. Once installed, it will show featured tours near your location and their distance from you, arranged by proximity.
You’ll discover sites of which you were never aware. There are attractions that are indoors, like the NYS Capitol in Albany or the Clark Art Institute in Williamstown, MA, and outdoors , like Landis and Lisha Kill. Each venue has one or more “stories” which are audio tours of that station. You can download tours in advance, either to prepare for your visit or to avoid problems in areas with spotty cell service.
The UniGuide’s tour of the Landis Arboretum indicates that currently there are 6 stories from which to choose. Story #1 talks about the Farmhouse, barn, and Van Loveland Gardens, then crosses the road and follows the Fred Lape Trail and gives information about the dawn redwood tree. Then story #2 has information about the conifers and other plants found further along the trail. The six stories will eventually lead you past the Meeting House and end at the Bog Garden.
Of course, you can visit Landis “virtually” without stepping foot on our grounds, but there is no substitute for a real life visit. Having UniGuide will greatly enrich your experience.
More information on UniGuide is available at www.uniguide.me.