Beginning Wednesday, August 26, visitors to Austin’s Ann Richards Congress Avenue Bridge will experience a new, more interactive way to engage with one of the city’s most popular natural attractions.

Developed by Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Skip Hobbie (Deep in the Heart: A Texas Wildlife Story, narrated by Matthew McConaughey) Bat City is created in partnership with Merlin Tuttle’s Bat Conservation, Austin Bat Refuge, Bat Conservation International, The Trail Conservancy and Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation. The new visitor experience will transform the popular Statesman viewing area into an interactive educational destination.

For decades, more than 1.5 million Mexican free-tailed bats have emerged nightly from the bridge at dusk, drawing thousands of visitors during bat season. While the spectacle is one of Austin’s most visited natural events, there has been limited on-site educational context for visitors.

New signage at the south viewing area will feature QR codes linking to a digital platform hosted by The Trail Conservancy and accessible at BatCity.info, offering videos, bat facts, and interactive content in English and Spanish.

“Bats are secretive, nocturnal animals that don’t always get the attention they deserve, yet in the heart of downtown Austin we have one of the most extraordinary wildlife spectacles in North America,” said filmmaker Skip Hobbie, who grew up in Austin and has spent his career making wildlife films around the world. “This project brings that work home and helps people better understand these incredible animals in my own city.”

At the center of the experience is a series of short educational videos narrated by “Bootsy the Bat,” a handmade textile puppet voiced in English and Spanish by Austin musician Carrie Rodriguez. The content addresses common bat-watching questions, dispels myths, highlights the work of Dr. Merlin Tuttle and Austin Bat Refuge, and explores the ecological role of bats as pollinators, seed dispersers, and natural pest control. In Texas alone, bats save farmers an estimated $1.4 billion annually in reduced crop damage and pesticide use.

Visitors can also engage with a “Fact or Fiction” trivia game, a bat-themed scavenger hunt, and other bilingual educational activities designed for all ages. The experience will extend into classrooms across Texas through TEKS-aligned lesson plans developed with Texas educators.

“The Trail is a natural sanctuary in the heart of Austin, where people, wildlife, and the shoreline are all connected,” said Julie Fisher, The Trail Conservancy. “What happens along the Trail impacts the health of the lake and the habitat it supports. Austin’s bat colony is one of the most visible examples of how urban ecology enriches both our natural environment and our community. The new interpretive signs will help visitors better understand that connection, creating opportunities for education, stewardship, and a deeper appreciation for one of Austin’s most iconic natural assets – our bats.”