Audio Tours of Grand Central

Didn't know Grand Central Terminal provided Audio Tours just like museums do.

From the internet website:

MTA Metro-North Railroad, which operates the Terminal, has teamed up with Orpheo USA, one of the world's most experienced producers of audio tours, to give tourists, travelers and locals alike a history of the terminal filled with interesting details and insights.

Orpheo's state-of-the-art audio device and headset comes with a map of the terminal for just $6 for adults with discounts for seniors and the disabled at $5 and students at $4. Children under 12 pay only $2.

The tour also has an introduction by New York City's own mayor, Michael Bloomberg.

In addition to the headset tour, visitors will also be able to download the tour to their personal MP3 players, iPhones and in the near future to smartphones using Android for $4.99 at www.myorpheo.com. The audio tour is available seven days a week, 365 days a year at specially-marked "GCT Tour" windows on the Main Concourse. Hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., but may be extended during the holidays.

The tour focuses not only on the architectural highlights of the Terminal but provides a real story about little known secrets, anecdotes, archival material and the History of the Terminal, with a capital H. Visitors will not see Grand Central with the same eyes after taking the tour.

Listeners can take the "local" or "express" tour. And if visitors are interested in more in-depth information, there are options for additional material at the push of a button. The self-guided tour can last as little as 30 minutes to just over an hour.

The tour is available in English, French, Spanish, Japanese, Italian, and German.