Photo Credit: VisitPittsburgh
Cultivate your voice.
There’s a philosophy that says work keeps us alive, but arts are what we stay alive for. They reflect our culture and tell the story of the human experience through an infinite number of unique lenses.
From the globally recognized Andy Warhol Museum to the August Wilson African American Cultural Center to classic Americana at the Westmoreland Museum of American Art, Pittsburgh tells the stories of creative expression across a spectrum of shared experiences.
“Have a belief in yourself that is bigger than anyone’s disbelief.”
-AUGUST WILSON
Pittsburgh Arts & Culture at a Glance
$1 billion
Annually in Cultural District economic impact
19
Public libraries gifted by Andrew Carnegie, a Pittsburgh philanthropist
1,500
Performances annually in Cultural District
#1 city
Nationally in direct spending on the arts
32
World-class museums
3
Pro sports teams: Steelers, Penguins, Pirates
30
Concert venues
“Don’t think about making art, just get it done. Let everyone else decide if it’s good or bad, whether they love it or hate it. While they are deciding, make even more art.”
-ANDY WARHOL
Museums
Art lives here in venues as varied as traditional, stately museums built by Andrew Carnegie and in Randyland, one of America’s most colorful public art landmarks. Claim your 15 minutes of fame at the Warhol or feed your interest in contemporary art through the studio at the Mattress Factory Museum.
Andy Warhol Museum
The largest museum in North America dedicated to one artist, the Andy Warhol Museum serves as the official base for pop icon and Pittsburgh-native.
Carnegie Muesum of Natural History
Ranked among the five natural history museums in the country, 20 exhibit halls including Dinosaurs in Their Time, where visitors stand in awe gazing upon the colossal size of the dinosaurs that once roamed the earth.
Carnegie Science Center
Featured exhibits include the USS Requin submarine exhibit, the giant cinema, the Miniature Railroad & Village, SportsWorks, the planetarium, and more rotating exhibits.
Carnegie Museum of Art
Showcases fine art, architecture, sculpture, and photography with more than 35,000 objects, has been the place to experience some of the world’s greatest art for generations.
“Trust your passion, identify your dreams, and find the courage to share them with others, no matter how many times they call you a fool.”
-BILL STRICKLAND
RandyLand
Widely regarded as one of America’s most colorful public art landmarks, dedicated to outsider art.
Mattress Factory Museum
Dedicated to contemporary art installations, located in three historic buildings, exhibits change often.
Bicycle Heaven
World’s largest bicycle shop and museum, home to thousands of bicycles, has bikes used in a variety of Hollywood films and many dating back to the 19th century.
Senator John Heinz History CEnter
Pennsylvania’s largest history museum, an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution, chronicles the past 250 years of Pittsburgh’s history.
Old Economy VIllage
Step back in time with a visit to this five-acre 1824 settlement that’s been preserved and designated as a National Historic Landmark District.
Westmoreland Museum of American Art
A regional museum with a national presence, the Westmoreland museum slices Americana art and serves it to all audiences.
Art Crawls & Galleries
You can spend a night on the town during events like the Unblurred Penn Avenue art crawl — where you can check out a mix of photography, dance, painting, sculpture, music, and spoken word performances — or the quarterly Gallery Crawl in Downtown’s Cultural District, including premieres of multimedia artists, live music, theater and dance performances, film screenings, and hands on activities.
Gallery Crawl in the Cultural District (Downtown)
Free, quarterly, multi-venue showcase of diverse artistic offerings
Dozens of galleries, stages, storefronts, and unique public spaces host premieres of multimedia artists, regional visual art exhibitions, live music, theater and dance performances, film screenings, hands on activities, and special crawl after dark attractions.
UnBlurred Penn Ave Art Crawl (Bloomfield/Garfield)
Free, monthly art and entertainment crawl
Mix of photography, dance, painting, sculpture, music, and spoken word performances
Night Market in the summer
Galleries
- Wood Street Galleries
- SPACE
- Silver Eye Center for Photography
- Future Tenant
- BoxHeart Gallery
Theater
Broadway & Musical Theater, Opera, Ballet, Dance, Poetry, Film, Comedy, and more!
City of Asylum offers a broad range of literary programs, and perhaps most importantly, it offers sanctuary to writers who have been targeted and threatened for raising their voices.
If you like to write poetry and you’re competitive by nature, you might have the chops for the Steel City Poetry Slam. Or if you need a little liquid courage to share your verse, check out Poetry & Pints.
Performing arts venues:
- Benedum Center
- Kelly Strayhorn Theatre
- August Wilson African American Cultural Center
- City of Asylum
- Bricolage
- Lincoln Park Performing Arts Center
Lowest ticket price point for Hamilton in 2019/2020
Live Music
Your new favorite band just might be one of the 400 performing across more than 35 indoor and outdoor stages at the Deutschtown Music Festival. Or if cheap beer and nontraditional music is more your thing, check out the Pittsburgh Banjo Club or the Live Bluegrass Jam at the Park House on the North Side.
How do you like to kick up your heels? Early birds can still shake it at the In Bed by Ten dance party, and uber-traditionalists can explore their roots at the Tuesday Night International Folk Dance of Pittsburgh.
Pittsburgh Symphony orchestra
Grammy Award-Winning (and nominated in 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020) orchestra with a young professionals club
Deutschtown Music Festival
Award-winning, free, three-day music and arts festival featuring over 400 bands and over 35 indoor/outdoor stages.
Banjo Night (Elks Lodge) & BlueGrass Night (Park house)
Non-traditional, multi-generational scene. Free attendance and cheap beer every Wednesday night.
Stage AE
Indoor/outdoor concert venue that features everything from rock to metal to rap
Roxian Theatre
Recently restored music venue that originally opened in 1929
Mr. Smalls
Multipurpose theatre bringing some of the best to Pittsburgh for the past 15 years
Spirit
Brunches with live music and great pizza, cozy atmosphere to watch local and regional talent
Cattivo
Wide range of live music in one of the most popular entertainment districts
Interested in making the move?