5 Major Updates to Our Audio Tours

Mount Vernon’s audio tours received a much-needed update, and the new version launches September 7. Here are the highlights of the new version:

1. New stops, no order

Visitors previously selected an audio tour that guided them on a prescribed path to a limited number of stops. The new version includes 29 stops, and visitors can select which stops they’d like to visit in any order they choose.

2. Casual, interesting content

At each stop, guests listen to the narrators converse in plain language and learn about the site through their dialogue. The content is written in an approachable manner and lasts about two minutes.

3. "Learn More" option

Several stops offer additional material at the click of a button. Should a visitor want to learn more, they can play a biographical story about Mount Vernon's residents or a curator's insight about the objects in a room.

4. New devices

The previous audio wands required users to punch in a number and travel with an extra map. The new devices are smaller and much easier to operate: point the device at a beacon and the content plays automatically.

5. Map My Visit feature

While exploring the estate, the device tracks the stops the guest visits. When turning in the device at the exit desk, the user can visit a kiosk, scan their device, and enter their email address to receive a recap of the stops they visited and information about the stops they missed.