Cindy V.

As a New York State-registered benefit corporation, we are legally required to annually review our social and environmental impact measured against our mission.

Cindy VandenBosch has been creating interactive museum programs and neighborhood tours throughout NYC for a decade. She founded Turnstile Tours in 2012 as one of New York State's first benefit corporations, a tour company dedicated to working in partnership with non-profits to research, document, and create tour experiences based on sites and stories underrepresented in the public record. Current Turnstile Tours include programs about the Brooklyn Navy Yard, Brooklyn Army Terminal, the street food industry, and a Latin American public market in Brooklyn. She volunteers her time with the Museum Access Consortium, an association dedicated to increasing accessibility for people with disabilities. Cindy formerly spent many years bringing the city to life for children who have physical and intellectual disabilities. She has worked with many cultural organizations on their visitor experiences, including the Singapore Tourism Board, Brooklyn Historical Society, and the Tenement Museum.<br /> Food Cart Tours of Midtown and the Financial District, Culinary Tours of Brooklyn's Moore Street Market, and tours of Brooklyn's industrial waterfront, including of the Brooklyn Navy Yard and Brooklyn Army Terminal. We are a for-profit social enterprise that specializes in documenting and sharing stories about people and places in Manhattan and Brooklyn that are underrepresented in the public record. Our tours range thematically from the World War II history of New York Harbor to sustainable architecture and design to street food and the stories of New York's immigrant entrepreneurs.<br /> <br /> Turnstile is structured as a benefit corporation, meaning that we measure our performance financially, socially, and environmentally, and all of our tours are offered in partnership with nonprofit organizations. We contribute at least 5% of all ticket sales to support local nonprofit partners.<br /> <br /> Because part of our mission is document stories, all of our tours are based on original and ongoing research conducted by our staff, meaning that our tour leaders possess a true passion for and depth of knowledge about the stories we share. Beyond sharing knowledge, we are just as focused on providing a well-rounded, enjoyable experience that elicits participation and adapts to the needs and interests of visitors. We conduct extensive training with staff to offer tours that connect the past with the present and cultivate an atmosphere of mutual respect and inclusivity.