About this app

Named after the primer layer artists use to prepare a canvas where stories are told, Gesso (pronounced: JEH-so) makes audio-first, geo-responsive digital guides that go under the surface of a city.

Gesso is an Audio AR platform, you can think of us as a next-gen audio guide to the world. We present hidden gems through exclusive original content, a curated selection of podcasts, and official audio guides through the storied cultural institutions and forgotten corners of the world’s most famous cities.

Special Features:

*Autoplay - Put on your headphones, enable autoplay, and let geotagged stories scattered throughout the city automatically play as you pass by historical statues, overlooked architecture, public art, and other neighborhood secrets. This feature is currently available for NYC.

*A Curated Touch - We’ve listened to hundreds of podcast episodes so you don’t have to. We make sure that the podcasts we recommend and the audio we produce are impactful, informative, and inspiring, allowing you to reward your curiosity and celebrate human creativity around the world.

Gesso In Action:

*Go For A Walk
Consider us your friend who can always show you the most interesting places to explore. Beginning with the streets of New York City and Brooklyn, we’re producing audio tours that uncover...
-Dive into the past, present, and future of Rockefeller Center
-Nature, mindfulness, and history in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park
-Hipsterism and the local businesses that defined one of Brooklyn's most fashionable neighborhoods, Williamsburg
-What the Brooklyn Bridge means to New Yorkers during its construction through to today
And more!

Every neighborhood has a story to tell. Our self-guided walking tours are also a great way to get outside and explore local neighborhoods.

*Visit A Museum
No need for communal devices or guessing what that painting means. Our exhibition audio guides are easy, accessible, and personal. Whether you’re visiting in person or exploring an exhibition remotely, you can access our digital audio guides at any time.

No robotic voices here, listen to the curators and artists themselves reflect on the paintings, photographs, and sculptures in front of you.

Hear stories from 50+ institutions including New Museum, International Center of Photography (ICP), Queens Museum, Oakland Museum of California, and Pollock-Krasner House.

*Discover Something New
Our audio content illuminates the nearby hidden history surrounding you.

With 500+ audio snippets and curated podcasts geotagged throughout New York City, you’ll have short-form and long-form options to hear about historic buildings, community activism, architecture, local legends, and more. Hear the stories of the city on-site or listen remotely!

You can also discover podcasts in 9 other cities including London, Paris, Los Angeles, and Washington D.C.

New features

Bug fixes and improvements

App Permissions

Allows applications to open network sockets.
Allows an app to access precise location.
Allows using PowerManager WakeLocks to keep processor from sleeping or screen from dimming.
Allows applications to access information about networks.
Allows an application to receive the ACTION_BOOT_COMPLETED that is broadcast after the system finishes booting.
Allows access to the vibrator.
Allows an application to initiate a phone call without going through the Dialer user interface for the user to confirm the call.
Allows an app to access approximate location.
Required to be able to access the camera device.