Reimagining the Longwood Visitor Journey
Phunware's Mobile Experience Platform seamlessly layers into Longwood Gardens' existing digital infrastructure — transforming 1,083 acres of world-class horticulture into a connected, data-driven guest experience.
1.6M+
Annual Visitors
1,083
Acres of Property
80K
Member Households
$250M
Recent Expansion
Explore the Gardens
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Your Visit Today
Wayfinding — New Conservatory
8 min walk · Turn-by-turn directions
Member Benefits Active
2 guest passes available · Dining discount
Tonight: Fountain Show
7:30 PM · Reserve your spot
#1
Most visited paid public garden in North America
32K ft²
New all-glass conservatory opened Nov. 2024
17 acres
Newly reimagined visitor experience zones
$121M
Annual revenue — a mission-driven enterprise at scale
The Opportunity
A World-Class Garden Deserves a World-Class Digital Experience
Longwood's $250M reimagination has elevated the physical experience to new heights. Phunware bridges the gap between that extraordinary physical environment and the digital layer guests increasingly expect.
🗺️ Navigation Complexity at Scale
With 1,083 acres, multiple districts, a brand-new 32,000 sq ft conservatory, and seasonal exhibits, guests frequently struggle to discover and navigate the full breadth of the property — reducing dwell time and per-visit spend.
🎟️ Ticketing System Modernization Underway
Longwood recently migrated to a new ticketing platform, creating a natural integration window. Phunware's APIs connect directly to ticketing, membership, and CRM systems to create a unified guest profile.
📊 Untapped Behavioral Data
With 1.6M annual visitors and 80,000 member households, Longwood has enormous potential to leverage location and engagement data — currently uncaptured — to optimize programming, staffing, and revenue.
📱 Mobile-First Visitor Expectations
Today's garden visitor arrives with a smartphone and expects real-time information, personalized recommendations, and seamless digital-physical integration throughout their visit.
Technical Integration
How Phunware Connects to Longwood's Existing Stack
Phunware's modular SDK architecture integrates non-disruptively with Longwood's current systems — no rip-and-replace required. Each layer communicates through secure APIs, preserving existing investments while adding new capabilities.
Legend: ■ Phunware Platform ■ Existing Longwood Systems ✦ New Capabilities Unlocked
Platform Modules
Every Module Mapped to a Longwood Use Case
Phunware's modular platform means Longwood can start with the highest-impact capabilities and expand over time — without rebuilding from scratch.
Interactive Mapping & Wayfinding
Blue-dot indoor/outdoor navigation across all 1,083 acres, including the new conservatory, Bonsai Court, Cascade Garden, and Meadow Garden. Guests navigate with confidence, discover more, and stay longer.
Proximity-Based Engagement
As guests approach a garden district or exhibit, contextual content is automatically delivered — plant identification, curator notes, audio guides, and event reminders — all triggered by BLE beacons.
Personalized Visit Planner
Based on visit history, membership tier, and stated interests, the app builds a personalized itinerary — highlighting what's in bloom, upcoming performances, and dining reservations.
Event & Performance Integration
Real-time event schedules, fountain show countdowns, and performance reminders are surfaced contextually within the app, driving attendance to revenue-generating programming.
Accessibility Navigation
Dedicated accessible routing across the property, with real-time information on elevator availability, accessible entrances, and rest areas — serving Longwood's commitment to inclusive access.
Multi-Language Support
With international visitors and Longwood's globally recognized education programs, the platform supports multi-language content delivery — expanding reach to non-English-speaking guests.
Implementation Roadmap
A Phased Path to Full Integration
Phunware's implementation approach is designed to deliver value quickly while managing complexity — starting with high-visibility wins and building toward a fully connected guest experience.
Foundation & Discovery
Technical discovery with Longwood's IT team to map existing systems, APIs, and infrastructure. Property mapping and BLE beacon placement planning. Initial integration architecture design and security review aligned with Longwood's PCI compliance framework.
Core Platform Launch
Launch of the branded Longwood Gardens mobile app with interactive mapping, wayfinding, and basic content management. Integration with the new ticketing platform and membership database. Beacon deployment across primary visitor zones including the new conservatory and Main Fountain Garden.
Engagement & Interpretation Layer
Activation of proximity-triggered content, audio interpretation guides, and exhibit overlays managed by Longwood's interpretation team. Launch of segmented push notification campaigns for the marketing team. Analytics dashboard deployment for Longwood's data systems team.
Optimization & Expansion
Data-driven optimization of the full visitor journey based on behavioral analytics. Expansion to Longwood at Granogue (505-acre Brandywine River property). Integration of AI-driven personalization, predictive visit planning, and advanced revenue optimization features.
Expected Outcomes
Measurable Impact Across Every Dimension
Based on Phunware deployments at comparable large-footprint cultural attractions and hospitality properties, these are the categories of measurable improvement Longwood can expect.
+23%
Increase in Dwell Time
Guests who use wayfinding and proximity content stay longer, discover more of the property, and engage with more exhibits per visit.
+18%
Per-Visit Revenue Lift
Contextual upsell prompts for dining, events, and the Garden Shop — delivered at the right moment — drive measurable increases in per-visitor spend.
+31%
Member Engagement Rate
Members with access to the app show higher renewal rates, more frequent visits, and greater utilization of member-exclusive benefits.
−40%
Wayfinding Staff Burden
Reducing the volume of directional questions fielded by guest services staff frees them to deliver higher-value hospitality interactions.
1st-Party
Behavioral Data Ownership
Longwood gains ownership of rich first-party visitor data — independent of third-party platforms — to inform programming, staffing, and strategic planning.
2-Site
Scalable to Longwood at Granogue
The same platform architecture scales seamlessly to the newly acquired 505-acre Granogue property, protecting the technology investment long-term.
Next Steps
Ready to Bring This Vision to Life?
Schedule a personalized demonstration with the Phunware team to see how this integration would work specifically for Longwood Gardens' infrastructure, visitor base, and strategic goals.
Questions? Contact Phunware at [email protected] · (855) 521-8485