THE HUM Immersive Sound Installation Opens in Times Square
THE HUM transforms music into physical sensation, creating a playful, immersive experience designed to help guests reset, recharge, and restore mind and body.
By: Chloe Rabinowitz Jan. 12, 2026
A musically driven wellness installation has opened to the public in Times Square. Called THE HUM, the experience is a first of its kind: a full-body sound journey that uses advanced haptic technology to deliver sound wave vibrations across 28 mapped points throughout the body. Inspired by ancestral sound practices and informed by modern science, THE HUM transforms music into physical sensation, creating a playful, immersive experience designed to help guests reset, recharge, and restore mind and body in less than 5 minutes. Bridging wellness, the science of sound, and cutting-edge haptic and sensorial technology, THE HUM offers an experience that is as entertaining as it is transformative, unlike anything currently available in the wellness or experiential landscape. Tickets are priced at $19.99 for one session and $29.99 for two sessions / two people and are available for purchase online.
THE HUM reconnects music and the body in a way most people in modern society have never experienced, operating beyond hearing alone and engaging the body as a whole. During a five-minute musical journey, guests are invited to sit in a custom-designed musical chair that reclines into a zero-gravity position. Wearing an eye mask and headphones, participants are encouraged to surrender to “listening” with their entire body as twenty-eight precision-mapped haptic devices translate the music's sound waves, defined by their frequencies, into gentle physical vibrations they can feel. These vibrations move through muscle and tissue, creating a one-of-a-kind musical massage as sound waves travel throughout the body.
Because sound travels approximately four times faster in water than in air, and the human body is nearly 70 percent water, soundwaves move efficiently through the body, reaching places human touch cannot. The body itself becomes a receptor, much like the ears, allowing music, long known to reduce stress and ease mental pressure—to engage the body and nervous system directly through vibration and sound. The result is a distinctly New York way to pause, reset, and recharge before stepping back into the rhythm of the city.
Two musical experiences are currently available, and guests are strongly encouraged to experience both, in the following order, for maximum benefit:
- Option I: Pulse of the Jungle
Inspired by the rhythms of nature, this experience uses deep, grounding beats that move through the body. Vibrations travel through the legs and feet, helping release physical tension and restore balance. Ideal for guests seeking a strong physical reset, an energizing boost inspired by nature, and those familiar with sound-based experiences who want a deeper physical connection to sound. Especially effective after long days of walking or standing.
- Option II: Vortex
Created exclusively for the Times Square installation, Vortex is a spatial sound journey that allows the mind to fully let go. Sound moves around and through you like waves, creating a one-of-a-kind sensation that is felt throughout the body, not just heard. As the music flows, it gently guides you into a deep state of relaxation, inviting your thoughts to soften and your awareness to expand. Vortex feels like stepping into another world, one where the mind slows down, the body releases, and sound becomes an immersive space to wander, reset, and reconnect.
Rooted in ancient wisdom, but designed for modern life, THE HUM is a fast “on the go” and impactful experience that requires no special preparation, and welcomes all participants, including the D/deaf and hard-of-hearing community, and is suitable for adults and kids. Particularly well-suited for those navigating the city on foot, or anyone who just needs to “let go”, THE HUM offers deep relaxation for tired legs and feet after long days of walking, while helping guests feel grounded, energized, and mentally clear. Other benefits include:
- Elevated mood and emotional balance
- Increased release of oxytocin, supporting feelings of connection and calm
- Increased release of dopamine, enhancing pleasure and motivation
- Stimulation of imagination and creative flow
- The reduction of stress and anxiety
- Relaxes muscles
- Supports recovery from jet lag and hangovers
THE HUM is the brainchild of Gen Cleary. THE HUM was born from the idea that our relationship with music has become almost entirely ear-based, despite the body itself being a powerful receptor. By allowing sound to move through muscle, tissue, and the nervous system rather than overwhelming the ears, the experience works faster and more deeply on the body as a whole. Designed to exist in the most chaotic environments, THE HUM is intentionally affordable, accessible, and available to people who may never have the time or resources to seek out traditional wellness spaces. At its core, THE HUM uses sound as a simple, effective tool to help people reconnect with themselves, release anxiety, and support mental health in a way that is genuinely inclusive.
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