A system for providing a tour of a venue includes a central computer for
creating the tour, at least one venue server computer, communicatively
connected to the central computer remotely at the venue, for storing the
tour, and at least one portable device, communicatively connected to the
venue server computer at the venue, for obtaining the tour from the venue
server computer. The at least one portable device includes a GPS receiver
or other geographic location identifier. Particular "point of
interest"-specific content of the tour is output by the portable device
whenever the device is located at the geographical location of the
coordinates for the point of interest. The specific content of the tour
so output by the portable device includes multimedia, including, for
example, text, graphics, audio, video, and others. The portable device is
carried by a tourist or other user and provides interactive multimedia to
guide during the tour. Tours are created and edited at the central
computer, and then communicated to the venue server computer. The venue
server computer is located at or near the venue of the tour, and thereat
writes the relevant tour or tours to the portable device. The venue
server computer includes security, control and payment systems for access
to use the portable device. The portable device logs usage information
for the device, and this information is communicated back to the venue
server computer and on to the central computer.