Senator John Heinz History Center

The Heinz History Center is yet another great museum in PGH. If you're a history buff, an out-of-towner, or new to PGH, I'd strongly suggest visiting. I've been here three or four times, and although most of the exhibits are permanent, I always have a great time.

In terms of exhibits, my favorite is the special collections (5th floor?), which is a hodgepodge of artifacts of historical interest. No matter who you're perusing with, there's always so much to talk about in this exhibit! If you go through it methodically, you can easily spend an hour here alone. The artifacts run the gamut from beds to cars to confessionals to things whose purpose you have no idea of until you read the description.

Another favorite exhibit of mine is Pittsburgh through the ages, which allows you to see how the city has changed over the years, and some of the people who've influenced it greatly. When I came here with my parents, they were very impressed at how versatile PGH is, and how many talented people are from here! Also, don't forget to stop by the Pittsburghese exhibit located nearby for a laugh.

I'm not much of a sports buff, so I don't get as much out of the Western PA sports exhibit as many people do, but it also provides some interesting background about the history of sports in PGH. Even if you're not very into sports, I'd recommend taking a quick spin through this section unless you're pressed for time.

I agree that the layout of the exhibits can be somewhat unintuitive (I've unknowingly skipped exhibits)--I'd recommend starting from the top floor and working down. This museum is located in the Strip District, which is a great section of PGH for shopping and eating, so when you're finished at the museum, I'd strongly recommend exploring the area. 4.5 stars.

The Senator John Heinz History Center is a must visit if you like history as this museum is an affiliate of the Smithsonian; therefore, expect informative yet exceptional exhibits. This is very much the case here. I was glad to have visited during my visit to Pittsburgh.

Senator John Heinz History Center is located on the border of the Strip District and downtown Pittsburgh. The museum is located in an old warehouse, with the layout being very easy to navigate, moving on from one exhibit to the next. There are six floors here of exhibits and many are interactive. The main floor even has exhibits, as well as a gift shop. For resting, there were plenty of places to sit on each floor and there's an elevator.

My favorite exhibit here was the Mr. Rogers exhibit, seeing the stage set and puppets from the show. I love Mr. Rogers, so this was such a treat for me. However, I really enjoyed the many other exhibits here, which gave me a better understanding of western Pennsylvania's history. It's easy to spend hours here if you want to thoroughly go through all the exhibits. For anyone visiting Pittsburgh who wants to learn more about the region and enjoys history, I can't recommend checking out the Senator John Heinz History Center enough.

This is such a fun place to go with kids, if you're visiting Pittsburgh, or just want something to do. There are 6 floors, yes 6! Of interactive exhibits and walk-through areas.
If you are a big sport buff especially all things pittsburgh (penguins, steelers, and pirates) then the hall of fame showcase is spectacular. All the superbowl trophies are on exhibit as well as the rings won associated with them. The penguins have a hugeeeeeee display and even showcases the penguin pennies (womans hockey team) which I didn't even know pittsburgh had.
It was such a neat experience to go through all of pittsburgh history. I truly did enjoy this and it is well worth it. Also if you have and government assistance your ticket is only $1!!! Take advantage of that!

Great convenient location with plenty of parking across the street
Admission is ok.
The male employee at the check in desk had a major major attitude!!! Everyone noticed! Yikes
This museum is extremely interesting and informative! Great displays and easy to navigate!
Definitely recommend

Highly recommend this awesome one-stop shopping for what Pittsburgh was, is and forever will be. Philanthropy is alive and well in this wonderful city so rich with history.
Absolutely beautiful inside, plenty of signage and Docents to help you along the way and completely worth the modest admission to witness six floors creatively packed with rich history that reflects Pittsburgh's contribution to the United States and beyond!

We stopped in our recent visit to the area and what a fun afternoon! We were lured in by the giant ketchup bottle outside and were pleasantly surprised to see how many varied exhibits there are. We especially enjoyed the exhibit on Mr. Rogers and the glassmaking. There was so much to see and we didn't plan enough time for all of it. Hopefully we can make it back. It's a fun museum.

The Heinz History Center focuses on the history of Western Pennsylvania. It is an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution and is the largest history museum in Pennsylvania.

Over the past decade, I have visited this museum multiple times. Most recently, in December 2023, I purchased two tickets online for $20 per adult. At the front entrance, an employee scanned my emailed tickets. (Please note that tickets may be used for *two consecutive days* for the History Center as well as the Fort Pitt Museum or the Meadowcroft Rockshelter!)

My husband and I spent ~1.5 hours touring the Heinz History Museum. The museum consists of six floors--five floors of exhibits and one floor for a library and archives. We saw exhibits about vintage vehicles, local sports teams, the H.J. Heinz Company's products, local glass manufacturers, the French and Indian War, African Americans' slavery and freedom, etcetera.

At the end of our tour, we stopped in the gift shop on the first floor. The gift shop offered merchandise such as books, t-shirts, and stuffed animals. I purchased a pack of greeting cards, and the cashier said a friendly hello and thank you and accurately processed my transaction. The first floor also has a cafe, but my husband and I did not eat there.

Great museum, and it's really an all day things. Several floors with just so much cool information from sports memorabilia to a Mr. Rogers exhibit to a giant ketchup bottle made of ketchup bottles. It's fun for kids but also really fun and engaging for adults.

It should have been busier than it was, but maybe it's off season when I went. It's recommended to start at the first floor (with a cool streetcar you can enter and watch of the history of streetcars in Pittsburgh) but all the exhibits are great. Make sure to check the map to see that you hit every exhibit you wanted to see per floor, because it's so big it's possible to miss them. You can also see a nice view of the river from the area between exhibits.

There's also a cafe if you get hungry and a pretty good gift shop. Save the receipt if you want to visit Fort Pitt the same or next day for a discount!

--Location/Parking--
Located near the waterfront, close to the convention center. I am sure how safe the neighborhood is, but I recommend Ubering or driving there since there is a lot of construction going on.

--Ambience--
This very interactive museum with display you can view out of an amusement park. The creativity of each historical display of Pittsburgh jumps right out of a textbook. It is not a child museum but explains Pittsburgh history simply through interesting and creative ways. There are 5 floors to the museum.

--Service/Staff--
There were various staff such as the museum shop to the museum café. Friendly guides around the museum help point out where the stamp machines were which is a fun "hunt" throughout the museum and forces you to traverse each floor of the museum.

--Food/Products--
The museum shoppe had various touristy items that represent Pittsburgh and the Heinz legacy. I highly recommend shopping to get a feel of what Pittsburgh is known for.

--Capacity--
Plenty of space since the museum is five stories.

--Overall--
I would come back if brought along family and friends who have never been to the museum. I have to wait until there is unveiling of a new exhibit for me to attend again.

This museum was voted as one of the three best in the country. As part of their regonization, in Readers Digest, this was one of three places that offered free admission for August.

Thanks to my friend Colleen O, checked this place out this past Wednesday August 30, 2023
Five floors filled with stuff for kids, Pittsburgh history, cool Mr Rodgers exhibit and Heinz history... dating back to 1847 .

Fun fact Pittsburgh has a pickle festival, and as part of there step challenge, you pick up a card and at the end get a prize, a little pickle pin. Well worth checking out for a raining day, or if your passing through Pittsburgh.

Be sure to check out the Pittsburgh Strip district, full of vendors, bakeries and the famous PA Macaroni Company, dating back to 1902.

Three floors full of Pittsburgh history! If you're from Pittsburgh, it gives you a great sense of nostalgia. If you're visiting, this is the best museum to learn about the city's history, in my opinion. Check online before you go for any events or special exhibits that may be happening!

Key attractions: History of Heinz, Mr Roger's Neighborhood, Pittsburgh Specific Innovations, Pittsburgh Spots, western PA cultural collections

Admission: $20 adults, $18 seniors, students $11 and kids free

Street parking is available and paid parking lots are also near museum.