Heinz History Center

09/03/2026

Six floors. 20+ exhibits. 60,000+ objects. Millions of pages of archival materials.

But really, who’s counting?

09/02/2026

On this day in 1948, Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Terry Bradshaw was born.

Selected by the Steelers with the first overall pick in the 1970 NFL Draft, Bradshaw was known for his powerful arm and tendency to call his own plays. He spent all 14 seasons of his NFL career with the Black & Gold, leading the Steelers to four Super Bowl championships in six years (1974, 1975, 1978, and 1979).

Bradshaw was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1989, his first year of eligibility.

📸 Terry Bradshaw, 1970s. While this photograph appears to be a mirror selfie, it was actually captured by press photographer Morris Berman. Morris Berman Photographs, Detre Library & Archives at the Heinz History Center.

08/31/2026

On this day 25 years ago, the final episode of “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” aired.

With his trademark cardigan and sneakers, Mister Rogers invited generations of children and adults into a world of kindness and imagination. He closed the series with a simple message that still resonates: “I’m proud of you.”

Step into Mister Rogers’ world and see the original sets and artifacts from the show in the Special Collections Gallery at the History Center.

08/29/2026

Summer days are winding down. How are you spending them? ☀️

For generations, Pittsburghers have spent warm days at North Park, which was created in the 1920s as part of the Allegheny County Parks system.

Spanning more than 3,000 acres, North Park is the largest park in the county, and its 75-acre lake is the largest man-made body of water in Allegheny County.

The park’s landscape was designed by Paul B. Riis, who had previously worked with the National Park System and helped develop Yellowstone National Park. Many of the features visitors know today date back to North Park’s early years, including the familiar boathouse which was built in the mid-1930s and is still in use today.

08/28/2026

On this day in 1963, hundreds of thousands gathered in Washington, D.C. for the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, led by civil rights leaders including Martin Luther King Jr. and John Lewis. The historic march showed the nation the incredible strength of a movement uniting people of all backgrounds in the fight for civil rights.

Among them was student activist Dianne Marshall of Western Pennsylvania, who traveled to the capital with a local group to exercise their Constitutional rights. After the march, she found a discarded banner reading “W. Penna. March on Washington.”

More than 50 years later, Marshall donated the banner to the Heinz History Center, where it is now preserved as part of the museum’s permanent collection.

📸 Marchers participate in the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, 1963. Courtesy of Library of Congress.
📸 W.Penna. March on Washington banner. Heinz History Center.

08/28/2026

Save the date, Washington County Community Foundation Gives Day returns Thursday, Sept. 10!

08/27/2026

Test your knowledge of Pittsburgh’s past and pop culture’s most memorable moments at Hidden History Trivia Night on Thursday, Sept. 10!

Sip from the cash bar, grab some complimentary snacks, and get a head start by exploring the museum before the game begins—you might just discover a clue or two that gives you a competitive edge!

It’s a trivia night in Pittsburgh!

08/25/2026

Just after the turn of the century, in a small pharmacy east of Pittsburgh, the banana split first tempted customers.

In 1904, a Latrobe, Pa. drug store apprentice searched for a delicious dessert to drive customers to Tassel Pharmacy, a soda fountain and ice cream parlor. After several attempts, pharmacist David Strickler concocted a tasty treat by cutting a ripe banana lengthwise and smothering it with ice cream, marshmallow, pineapple slices, and crushed nuts, then topping the whole thing with sweet syrups.

Soon the delectable indulgence became a hit in diners, soda shops, and ice cream parlors across the country. More than 100 years later, the Western Pennsylvania-born banana split is still the quintessential American dessert – with a cherry on top!

📸Isaly's banana split ice cream packaging, undated.

08/24/2026

When creating a piece for the My America exhibition, artist Tara Zalewsky-Nease turned to the Detre Library & Archives for inspiration, exploring photographs that capture faces from Pittsburgh’s past.

From the History Center’s collection, she selected 36 historic photographs to recreate as watercolor portraits. Swipe to see some of the archival images alongside the finished works they inspired.

In the exhibit, the historic portraits are paired with 36 sketches of present-day History Center visitors, bringing together faces from the past and present to explore who we were, who we are, and what we share.

See all 72 portraits together in My America: An Illustrated Experience on the museum's fifth floor.

08/23/2026

Happy birthday to Pittsburgh’s own Gene Kelly!

Born on this day in 1912, Kelly grew up in East Liberty and got his start teaching dance and performing in Pittsburgh before heading to Broadway and eventually Hollywood, where he became one of the most celebrated performers of his generation.

Today, his legacy lives on in Pittsburgh through the Gene Kelly Awards, which celebrate the region’s next generation of high school musical theater performers each year.

From Pittsburgh stages to “Singin’ in the Rain,” here’s to a hometown legend whose influence is still felt today.

📸 Costume worn by Gene Kelly in the 1952 musical film “Singin’ in the Rain.” History Center collection.