all text in nyc

"all text in nyc" is a search engine that finds text in New York City's Google Street View images. Search for any word or phrase to see where it appears across the city—in shop signs, graffiti, advertisements, and protest signs.

Using optical character recognition (OCR), the project turns Street View documentation into an exploration tool. Each search creates an unplanned route through the city, revealing patterns in how text shapes our urban environment.

Drawing from Street View imagery between 2007 and 2024, "all text in nyc" covers all five boroughs, with most searchable text in English or other Latin-alphabet languages.