History · Pittsburgh · United States
8 historic sites to see in Pittsburgh
The places that tell the story of how the city came to be.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Piotrus, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Start with Duquesne Incline, Carnegie Museums of Natural History and Art and Cathedral of Learning. Together the 8 picks below take roughly 19–26 hours across 7 areas; 2 are free.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 8
- Free entry
- 2
- Time to see them all
- 19–26 hours
- Areas
- Mount Washington, Oakland and Downtown
Historic sites in Pittsburgh
Experience · Mount Washington
1.Duquesne Incline
The upper station has a small museum of the incline's machinery and history and an observation deck over the three rivers.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- Views
- History
- Kids
- After dark
Museum · Oakland
2.Carnegie Museums of Natural History and Art
The natural history side is famous for its Jurassic dinosaur skeletons, including the original Diplodocus carnegii, and the Hillman Hall of Minerals and Gems; the art museum has Impressionist paintings, contemporary galleries and the Hall of Architecture's huge plaster casts of European monuments.
- Time needed
- 3–4 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Art
- History
- Rainy day
- Iconic
Architecture · Oakland
3.Cathedral of Learning
Its vaulted ground-floor Commons Room is open to visitors, and the Nationality Rooms are working classrooms decorated in the styles of the cultures that built Pittsburgh, from Scotland to China.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Architecture
- History
- Rainy day
Park · Downtown
4.Point State Park and Fort Pitt
The park traces the outlines of Fort Pitt, and the Fort Pitt Museum and the 1764 Fort Pitt Block House, the oldest building in Pittsburgh, tell the story of the French and Indian War.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Outdoors
- Views
Museum · Strip District
5.Senator John Heinz History Center
The Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum inside covers the Steelers, Pirates and Penguins.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Kids
- Rainy day
Museum · North Shore
6.Carnegie Science Center
On the Ohio River next to Acrisure Stadium, this hands-on science museum has a planetarium, a robotics hall, a big miniature railroad and village, and the USS Requin, a Second World War submarine moored outside that you can walk through.
- Time needed
- 3–4 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Rainy day
- History
Museum · Point Breeze
7.The Frick Pittsburgh
The lawns and café make it a relaxed half-day.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Art
- Architecture
- Off the beaten path
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Theme park · West Mifflin
8.Kennywood
Its Potato Patch fries are a local institution.
- Time needed
- Full day
- Cost
- Expensive
- Kids
- Active
- History
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Mount Washington | Duquesne Incline | 1 hour |
| Oakland | Carnegie Museums of Natural History and Art and Cathedral of Learning | 3–4 hours + 1 hour |
| Downtown | Point State Park and Fort Pitt | 1–2 hours |
| Strip District | Senator John Heinz History Center | 2–3 hours |
| North Shore | Carnegie Science Center | 3–4 hours |
| Point Breeze | The Frick Pittsburgh | 2–3 hours |
| West Mifflin | Kennywood | Full day |
Booking and timing
Of these 8, 2 free, 2 low cost, 3 mid-priced, 1 expensive. None needs booking far in advance. The longest visit is Kennywood; group the rest by area to save travel time.
How to fit them into 6 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (Mount Washington and Oakland): Duquesne Incline → Carnegie Museums of Natural History and Art, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 2 (Oakland and Downtown): Cathedral of Learning → Point State Park and Fort Pitt, at least 2 hours.
- Half-day 3 (Strip District): Senator John Heinz History Center, at least 2 hours.
- Half-day 4 (North Shore): Carnegie Science Center, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 5 (Point Breeze): The Frick Pittsburgh, at least 2 hours.
- Half-day 6 (West Mifflin): Kennywood, at least 6 hours.
The quietest months for queues
- February: highs of 4°C (39°F), about 13 rainy days, very quiet crowds. Still wintry, but the conservatory and museums make good indoor days; prices stay low.
- January: highs of 2°C (36°F), about 15 rainy days, very quiet crowds. Cold and grey, with regular snow showers; a quiet month for museums and low hotel prices.
- November: highs of 11°C (52°F), about 12 rainy days, quiet crowds. Grey and chilly, with the holiday season launched downtown late in the month.
The neighbourhoods they are in
- Downtown — The Golden Triangle of office towers, theatres and Point State Park between two rivers
- Strip District — Old produce warehouses turned into food shops, markets and new apartments
- North Shore — Stadiums, the Warhol and riverfront parks across the Allegheny
- Oakland — Universities, hospitals and the Carnegie museums around Schenley Park
- Mount Washington — Clifftop streets with Grandview Avenue's skyline views
More of Pittsburgh
All things to do in Pittsburgh · Where to stay · When to go.
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in Pittsburgh?
Duquesne Incline. Opened in 1877 to carry workers up Mount Washington, this funicular still runs in its original wooden cars, climbing about 120 metres from West Carson Street to Grandview Avenue.
+Which of these are free in Pittsburgh?
Cathedral of Learning and Point State Park and Fort Pitt.