New iPhone App Helps Navigate National Mall

WASHINGTON - Ever feel lost walking around the National Mall? Now you can use your smart phone to find your way around the nation’s capital!

The U.S. Department of the Interior released a statement on Wednesday announcing a new app developed by the National Park Service. The NPS National Mall app is now available to download free from Apple’s iTunes App Store.

The app includes a map of popular destinations, displays the user’s current location and provides walking directions to more than 70 featured sites.

It also comes preloaded with tour suggestions, allowing visitors to customize their own tours of the National Mall.

“Today’s visitors are more technologically attuned than every before,” said Superintendent Bob Vogel. “The public increasingly relies on interactive maps and GPS for navigation, and we want to use this technology to enrich our visitors’ experiences.”

According to the National Park Service, the app project aims to provide its users with clear directions to all of the monuments, including some of the lesser-known sites.

“The Trust applauds the National Park Service for making the leap to integrate the latest technology into this historic space,” said Caroline Cunningham, President of the Trust for the National Mall.

To download the app, visit the National Park Service’s Web site , or search “National Mall” in the Apple App Store.

The National Park Service expects to release the Google Android version in Fall 2011.