By Pam Wright
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
The story of the Buxton Historic Site and Museum has a new platform.
Organizers recently opted to join Driftscape – one of Ontario’s premier tourism apps – in an effort to make the Chatham-Kent landmark more accessible.
“We map their stories and show off Ontario’s hidden gems,” said Pooja Chitnis, Driftscape’s director of marketing and customer success.
The app has many features, including the leveraging of
360-degree technology, Chitnis said, which allows users to explore places virtually, creating an “immersive experience.”
People can use the app to explore sites in real life or from home, Chitnis explained.
The app features the narration of some stories and also highlights points of interest that might otherwise go unexplored.
All of the stories are mapped and curated by the respective partners, Chitnis said, with Driftscape providing the platform and the support to get them up and running.
Chitnis said Buxton officials are planning on developing a scavenger hunt that will be featured on the app that people will be able to do from their homes or on site.
“It’s a great way to increase visibility,” Chitnis explained, adding use of the app can promote a deeper exploration of sites in Ontario.
The Toronto-based company has been in operation since 2017. Driftscape currently features a wide variety of 5,000 stories and historic sites including Indigenous history and the Underground Railroad.
