NYC Revolutionary Trail. Photo Credit Sugar Creative
NYC Revolutionary Trail: A New Free Walking Tour Brings the American Revolution to Life (With AR)
If you’ve ever done the Freedom Trail in Boston or walked around Philly hitting the big Revolutionary sites, you know how much easier it is for kids to feel like they’re part of history when they follow a simple route. Now, New York is getting its own version. The NYC Revolutionary Trail, a new 90-minute, 3-mile downtown Manhattan tour, uses augmented reality and Assassin’s Creed visuals to bring Revolutionary-era New York to life—just in time for America’s 250th anniversary.
At a Glance
A new free AR walking tour launches in Lower Manhattan in June 2026, designed to make Revolutionary-era New York feel vivid and easy to follow.
The tour uses immersive visuals inspired by the Assassin’s Creed universe, so it’s built to feel more like a story you’re walking through than a lecture.
Expect about 90 minutes of walking, starting near the Battery and ending around Federal Hall, with stops along the way.
Launching in June 2026, NYC Revolutionary Trail: Echoes of Revolution is a free, 90-minute, 3-mile walking tour through Lower Manhattan that uses augmented reality (AR) and geolocation to recreate Revolutionary-era New York right in today’s city streets.
The part kids are most likely to care about is that it uses visuals and characters from Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed world. It’s meant to feel like stepping into the story, keeping it interesting and fun for kids who so easily tune out when adults start talking about historical significance.
America’s 250th anniversary is coming in 2026, and cities all over the country are gearing up for commemorations. Find out all that is going on in New York and beyond in America’s 250th Birthday: An NYC Family Guide.
New York Played a Big Role in the Revolution
Boston and Philadelphia usually get top billing when we talk about the American Revolution. But according to the team behind the project, that leaves out something major: New York City was central to the war.
The creators point out that New York saw both the war’s first big battle and the British evacuation, events that bookend the conflict in a way most people don’t realize. The trail is meant to set that record straight and show New York as a central part of the country’s founding story.
What the Walking Tour Will Look Like
Echoes of Revolution begins at The Battery and finishes at Federal Hall, winding through Lower Manhattan with stops that include Bowling Green, Wall Street, and other key sites where important Revolutionary-era events took place
Over the course of the walk, there will be:
Audio narration that tells the story of each site
Character profiles that make history feel like a story
Videos and links for those who want to learn more
A digital overlay showing colonial New York on top of today’s streets
The tour is mobile and uses geolocation, so content appears as you reach each spot, designed to feel like you’re walking through the story. Echoes of Revolution will also connect with the Museum of the City of New York’s upcoming exhibit “The Occupied City.”
If you’ve got kids who are even slightly into history, tech, gaming, or New York itself, this trail can be a fun and educational weekend event, and since it’s free, you can go as many times as you like!
Learn more about the NYC Revolutionary Trail.
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