Senator John Heinz History Center, Pittsburgh

I spent five and a half hours exploring this museum today (and I skipped the Sports Museum). The docents in the temporary Prohibition exhibit were helpful. There was a lot of history to explore, related to a lot of different eras and topics. Anyone who likes history should be able to find something to explore here. I was also impressed with how many spots are designed to actively involve kids. Some of the range of topics: 1920's dresses, visible storage of artifacts, set pieces from Mr. Roger's Neighborhood, glass, the history of Heinz, vintage vehicles, Prohibition, slavery, the French and Indian War, the Lewis and Clark expedition, and more.

The museum is really cool. We went for the Mister Rogers exhibit, which was underwhelming (but still cool). It's worth the trip. Be prepared to pay something like $10 or $15 for parking in addition to the $16 ticket price for adults. My three year old LOVED this museum, there are some good things for kids and adults both there.

My wife and I were walking around Pittsburgh on my birthday in February and decided to stop for a few minutes at the history museum because we heard about the sports museum. Well, a few minutes turned into a very enjoyable afternoon as we toured every level!! The displays were entertaining and we especially liked the prohibition museum on the first floor. Don't miss Mr. Rogers on the 4th floor or the underground railroad!!! Pleasantly surprised and a great way to spend an afternoon before a Penguins game!!

This is a LARGE museum, and you can definitely visit more than once and not cover everything. That said, the layout if very unique and engaging, but also confusing at times. The map they provide is a big help, but there doesn't seem to be an established direction to flow through the exhibits. Everything is just kind of there, and you wander through. Maybe it's intentional, and it isn't a huge detractor from enjoying your visit but I found it frustrating every so often. I would definitely return, and I would also recommend a visit to others.

The curation here is excellent. They constantly update their permanent exhibits and have smart, engaging, and interactive temporary stuff. Worth more than one visit for sure. I've been going regularly for years and I'm never bored. Plus, if you use the stairs and stamp a card on every floor, they give you a free pickle pin!