Join us for an unforgettable sound-based journey through Durham’s Black Wall Street! This latest experience from Aya Shabu of Whistle Stop Tours offers a fresh, immersive approach to digging into Durham’s history. This event is more than just a walking tour. Developed in collaboration with Duke-affiliated documentary artists and sound designers Aaron Kutnick and Lauren Neefe, this tour is an opportunity to hear, feel, and connect with the echoes of Durham’s past in new and surprising ways.

After a brief introduction, participants will embark on a self-guided interactive history dig using the Goosechase app (download in advance). Together with your team, you’ll tackle sound-based missions, uncover hidden stories, and engage in creative challenges like singing, writing poetry, and performing. You’ll then reconnect with the other teams for discussion and competition results over a warm beverage.

This 2.5-hour experience (including 90 minutes of gameplay) begins and ends at the 21c Museum Hotel in downtown Durham. Through these missions, you will have the opportunity to explore, reflect on, and embody Durham’s rich history.

The tour is accessible and welcomes participants of all abilities.

This Duke Arts Create workshop is hosted in the spirit of Sam Green’s immersive documentary and sensory experience, 32 Sounds.

Meet the Instructors

Lauren Neefe

Lauren Neefe is an MFA student in Experimental and Documentary Arts. She practices at the intersection of poetry, sound, place, and the built environment, often in collaboration with performance artists, …

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Aya Shabu

Aya Shabu is a courageous storyteller and collaborator who uses site-specific performance, art, and ritual to remember African American ancestors and preserve neighborhoods. The Creator and Conductor of Whistle Stop …

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Aaron Kutnick

Aaron Kutnick is a new media artist, filmmaker, and educator based in Durham, NC. His interactive work is a practice in digital taxidermy, breathing a sense of urgency and presence …

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