A Very Merry Pittsburgh
A Very Merry Pittsburgh: History Center’s New Holiday Exhibit Opens this Saturday
- The exhibition will feature beloved holiday traditions, nostalgic artifacts from popular Pittsburgh department stores, visits from Santa, and more -
PITTSBURGH, Nov. 14, 2019 – Beginning this Saturday, Nov. 16, visitors to the Smithsonian-affiliated Senator John Heinz History Center can relive cherished holiday memories and make new ones inside the A Very Merry Pittsburgh holiday exhibition.
The festive exhibit will explore how Western Pennsylvanians have celebrated Christmas, Chanukah, Kwanzaa, and other major winter holidays through the years. A collection of family keepsakes, artifacts, film, and imagery will depict holiday traditions in the region.
Nostalgic artifacts from Pittsburgh’s most popular department stores will be on view, including Santa’s original chair from Kaufmann’s Santaland and the mailbox where thousands of children mailed their Christmas lists to the North Pole.
In addition, a special section will explore the history of gift-giving in Western Pennsylvania through a display of vintage toys dating back to the 1840s and an interactive play area for kids and kids-at-heart.
Visit Santa at the History Center this Holiday Season
No visit to Santaland is complete without a visit from old Saint Nick!
The one-and-only Santa Claus will be inside the History Center’s A Very Merry Pittsburgh exhibit from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on select dates this holiday season:
Saturday, Nov. 16 and Sunday, Nov. 17
Saturday, Nov. 23 and Sunday, 24
Friday, Nov. 29
Sunday, Dec. 1
Saturday, Dec. 7 and Sunday, Dec. 8
Saturday, Dec. 14 and Sunday, Dec. 15
Saturday, Dec. 21 through Tuesday, Dec. 24
Santa visits are included with regular museum admission.
Nov. 21: Behind the Scenes of A Very Merry Pittsburgh
On Thursday, Nov. 21 at 7 p.m., the History Center will host a panel discussion featuring the curatorial team that brought the A Very Merry Pittsburgh exhibit to life.
Team members will discuss how they chose what stories to tell in the exhibit, which stories they wish they could have shared, and the strengths and weaknesses of the History Center’s collections relating to local holiday traditions.
This program is free and open to the public and includes access to the A Very Merry Pittsburgh exhibit.
Uniquely Pittsburgh Gifts at the History Center Museum Shop
The History Center Museum Shop is a one-stop shop for one-of-a-kind Pittsburgh gifts. From quirky Heinz products and Pittsburgh-proud T-shirts to award-winning books and artwork, the Museum Shop offers something for everyone on visitors’ holiday shopping lists.
The History Center Museum Shop is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily with no admission fee. Visit shop.heinzhistorycenter.org to access the same compelling books, eye-catching artwork, and out-of-the-box gifts online.
The holiday exhibit is included with regular museum admission: $18 for adults, $15 for senior citizens (62+), $9 for students with a valid school ID, $9 for children ages 6-17, and free for History Center members and children ages 5 and under.
The A Very Merry Pittsburgh exhibition was made possible with support from the Bozzone Family Foundation, The Heinz Endowments, Richard King Mellon Foundation, The Burke Family Foundation, The Gockley Family, Gerald & Diane P. Holder, William M. and Sandy Lambert, Gerald E. and Audrey McGinnis, and Martin and Susan McGuinn.
A Very Merry Pittsburgh will be on display through Sunday, Jan. 5, 2020.
For more information, visit heinzhistorycenter.org/holidays.
The Senator John Heinz History Center, an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution and the largest history museum in Pennsylvania, presents American history with a Western Pennsylvania connection. The History Center and Sports Museum are located at 1212 Smallman Street in the city’s Strip District, and are open every day from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The History Center’s museum system includes the Sports Museum; the Fort Pitt Museum in historic Point State Park; and Meadowcroft Rockshelter and Historic Village, a National Historic Landmark located in Avella, Pa. in Washington County. More information is available at www.heinzhistorycenter.org.