New tourism initiative uses app to combine history technology and student creativity for a unique visitor experience in Ontario County

Rochester, New York – A new app blending history, technology, and student creativity is poised to transform how visitors experience the rich stories behind Ontario County’s landmarks. Through a unique collaboration between Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) and the Finger Lakes Visitors Connection, this innovative project is offering a fresh, interactive approach to local tourism by bringing the past into the digital age.

The Finger Lakes Virtual Museum app, set to launch publicly this fall, is the result of months of hard work by a multidisciplinary team of RIT students. Backed by a grant from New York State Empire State Development, the project began with a simple but powerful idea from the Finger Lakes Visitors Connection—the county’s official tourism promotion agency. They wanted to enhance the existing historic markers scattered across the region by giving visitors more than just the brief lines of text traditionally found on these signs.

By merging historical storytelling with emerging technology, the app offers users the chance to dive deeper into local history in ways that static plaques cannot. Visitors will be able to scan QR codes placed at historic sites throughout Ontario County, N.Y., unlocking curated digital content tied to the location. This content includes videos, photographs, audio clips, interactive features, and even augmented reality experiences, creating a far more immersive and memorable connection to the past.

Read also: Flea Market Mashups bring fun and community spirit back to the Rochester Public Market this weekend

“This is exactly the kind of hands-on, real-world experience that students need,” said Diane Linnet, project director of business development and adjunct professor at RIT. “It’s not hypothetical. They’re working with clients, managing deadlines, solving creative and technical challenges, and seeing the direct impact of their work on the community.”

The students involved worked across various disciplines to bring the app to life. Their tasks spanned everything from user experience design and content creation to 2D and 3D digital storytelling, augmented reality development, and location-based interactive activities. This real-world project not only provided students with invaluable industry experience but also allowed them to flex their creative muscles in ways traditional coursework often cannot.

One of the standout contributors was Jason Salazar Tobar, a fourth-year student from Mount Kisco, N.Y., majoring in individualized studies. His role focused on developing the app’s augmented reality features, which he says opened his eyes to new possibilities in combining technology with art, history, and performance. Earlier this year, Salazar Tobar, along with fellow student Max Stromfeld ’25 (graphic design), presented a prototype of the app at a conference in Dubrovnik, co-organized by RIT Croatia.

“This project gave me a whole new perspective on the museum world,” said Salazar Tobar. “I started thinking more like a curator and asking deeper questions like, ‘What are we trying to make the user feel?’ It pushed me to go beyond just making something cool and really considering the cultural impact of the experiences I was building.”

Read also: Standard and Poor’s affirms strong credit ratings for the City of Rochester highlighting financial stability and responsible leadership

Through their efforts, the students have crafted an experience that doesn’t just inform—it invites users to engage with history in a way that feels modern, relevant, and personal. The app will be available both through a web platform and as a downloadable mobile app, making it easy for tourists and locals alike to interact with history as they explore the region.

Linnet emphasized that beyond benefiting the tourism sector, the project is already helping students stand out as they move forward with their careers. “We’ve already seen students go into interviews where this project was a major conversation point,” she said. “That’s the kind of return on investment that benefits everyone—students, universities, and communities.”

As the Finger Lakes region continues to build its reputation as a vibrant tourism destination, projects like this show how a thoughtful blend of history, creativity, and technology can make that reputation even stronger. Visitors will soon have the opportunity to experience Ontario County’s rich stories in ways they’ve never imagined—all thanks to a combination of student talent and forward-thinking collaboration.