Visit Hershey & Harrisburg unveils Harrisburg Arts District visitor resources

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Visit Hershey & Harrisburg recently launched new resources for visitor experiences in the Harrisburg Arts District. According to a media release, these include a new audio tour and updated maps to help locals, neighbors, and visitors explore the Harrisburg Arts District. The area features performance venues, art galleries, museums, theatres, murals, monuments, public art, special events, and unique places to eat, drink, and shop. 

“Harrisburg is full of arts and culture and gems The more tools we can offer to help people find and engage with these unique experiences, the more likely they will be to return and to encourage others to experience the city’s art scene, ” said Visit Hershey & Harrisburg president and CEO Sharon S. Myers in the media release.  

Updated Maps Include New Venues, More Monuments 

New trifold maps go beyond the 3rd St. cultural corridor to include recently-opened venues like Capital City Music Hall and the UPMC Stage at Coronet Park, along with more of Riverfront Park to showcase a series of monuments and gardens, according to the media release. In an increasingly digital world, many visitors still love having a physical map to help orient their travels or to share with friends and family. The trifold maps are available at locations across the city. 

New Audio Tour Highlights Riverfront Monuments 

The Riverfront Park Monument Walk highlights monuments and gardens between Market Street and the Harvey Taylor Bridge. The audio stories are embedded in the mobile app, going into more detail about not just the artists or sculptors commissioned to create a piece of art, but also historical moments that shaped the city and its arts and culture community.  

Visitors can use the mobile app to search by categories to find murals, performance venues, events, museums, galleries, monuments, shopping, and places to eat; take audio tours of colorful murals and historic monuments; and create and share a customized itinerary with planning and mapping features.  

The free mobile app is available for both iPhone and Android devices. Details are available at  hbgartsdist.com. 

Creative Communities grant 

Visit Hershey & Harrisburg is the recipient of a four-year Creative Communities Grant from PA Council on the Arts. According to the media release, the grant of $25,000 per year from 2026 to 2029 will be applied to placemaking efforts. 

VHH is in the process of exploring options for creative wayfinding signage or streetscape elements to guide visitors through the district’s galleries, studios, performance spaces, and public art to reinforce a cohesive sense of place, according to the media release. 

“Placemaking is more than an aesthetic amenity. It’s a critical piece of economic infrastructure that generates overnight stays, restaurant visits, retail activity, and lasting impressions that can turn first-time visitors into loyal advocates for the city, ” Myers said on the media release. 

Arts and culture tourism to Harrisburg plays an important role in the local economy. According to the media release, tourism generates $4.37 billion in economic impact across Dauphin County. 

Headquartered at 3211 North Front Street, Harrisburg, Visit Hershey & Harrisburg is the official non-profit 501c6 partnership-based Destination Marketing Organization serving Dauphin County.