Museum of Natural History, meet Google Earth.
The city yesterday opened a new tourism Web site and a visitor center in Midtown, aimed at boosting revenue by making a trip to the Big Apple more user-friendly.
The renovated NYC Information Center lets tourists plan trips – from restaurants and museums to off-the-beaten-path spots – at interactive kiosks that offer Google maps and other Internet services.
The city also announced a new Web site, NYCgo.com, which provides a calendar of events in the city and partners with Google and Travelocity.
“The city is a technological city just as well as a tourism city, just as well as a media capital and fashion capital,” Mayor Bloomberg said.
The $1.8 million center, located several blocks from Times Square, at 810 Seventh Avenue, was funded by advertising revenue and membership dues from NYC & Company, the city’s marketing and tourism agency.