History Goes Mobile In Pennsylvania

You can use your smart phone to connect to Pennsylvania history. The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission’s web site has gone mobile. You can now use it when you’re on the road to find and explore nearby state-owned historic sites.

Spokesman Howard Pollman says you just need to put  www.patrailsofhistory.com your mobile browser and you’ll be directed to the site. He says they made a commitment to develop a mobile optimized web site.  He says it makes it easier for people to find state-owned historic sites near them, and find out how to get to them.

Pollman says it uses geolocation to find the nearest site closest to the users.  It will allow them to plot turn by turn directions to the site. He says since many visitors like to do things thematically; the site is divided into categories such as military or industrial sites.

Pollman says they are also able to put in events at the sites in real time.  He says they realize this is a tool people will use while they’re on the road.

As a bonus, the commission is offering 2 dollars off general adult admission at its sites this month if you show the mobile site on your phone at check in.

Pollman says they chose not to do an app; they wanted to make it as accessible as possible. He says they didn’t want someone to have to download something.  He says if you put the address into your mobile phone, it will automatically redirect to the mobile site.