Heinz History Center

10/08/2026

History Center President and CEO Andy Masich joined local leaders today for the Pittsburgh Business Times Corridors of Opportunity event to discuss the past, present, and future of the Strip District.

Andy shared insights into the Strip’s rich history and offered a look at the History Center’s upcoming expansion, which will help shape the next chapter of the neighborhood.

10/08/2026

Happy National Pierogi Day, Pittsburgh! 🥟

These photos from 1980 capture the pierogi-making pros at St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Church on the South Side hard at work. Talk about a yinzer assembly line!

10/07/2026

These objects tell the story of Franco’s Italian Army, a legendary fan group that formed during Franco Harris’ rookie season in 1972, when a group of second- and third-generation Italian Americans from East Liberty rallied around the Steelers running back.

Complete with military-inspired gear, clever signs, and lavish tailgates filled with Italian food and w**e, the Army brought their spirit, superstitions, and swagger to Three Rivers Stadium just as the Steelers were beginning their rise to dominance.

Tonight, join the Franco Harris Sports Museum and Italian American Program as original Franco’s Italian Army members and special guests share stories from the 1970s and explore how this legendary fan group became part of the football fever that swept Pittsburgh during the “City of Champions” years.

Register now: https://www.heinzhistorycenter.org/event/game-changers-francos-italian-army/

10/06/2026

On this day in 1846, George Westinghouse Jr. was born. An innovator whose contributions transformed the way we live and work, Westinghouse founded over 70 companies and was granted over 361 patents in his lifetime.

For it is Westinghouse, we have to thank for safe and efficient train travel, natural gas replacing coal as a leading fuel, and a system for electricity that set the course for the modern world.

Learn more about Westinghouse and his incredible influence on the world in the Pittsburgh: A Tradition of Innovation exhibition on the museum’s second floor.

📸 George Westinghouse at work, c. 1910. George Westinghouse Museum Collection, Detre Library & Archives at the Heinz History Center

10/06/2026

10/04/2026

Franco’s Italian Army, a Pittsburgh Steelers fan group that cheered on rookie running back Franco Harris in the 1970s, did not just consist of Pittsburghers – it also included one of the most popular entertainers in the world, the Chairman of the Board, Frank Sinatra.

It all started when broadcaster Myron Cope was given a mission from Franco’s Italian Army ahead of a Steelers' trip to the West Coast: “Find Sinatra.”

As fate would have it, Cope ran into Sinatra at dinner and invited him to practice the following day to join the army as a 1-star general. Sinatra accepted, and Cope called commanders Tony Stagno and Al Vento to get on the next flight to Palm Springs. The next morning, in a ceremony complete with w**e, cheese, and prosciutto, Frank Sinatra was officially inducted into Franco’s Italian Army.

The following Sunday, the Steelers beat San Diego and won their first division title. The week after that, Franco made sports history with the greatest play in NFL history, the Immaculate Reception.

Want to hear more stories like this? Join us this Wednesday, Oct. 7, for a special program, Game Changers: Franco’s Italian Army. Hear firsthand stories from the legendary fan group and discover how they helped fuel the rise of Steelers Nation while celebrating Italian American pride in Pittsburgh.

Register now on our website: https://www.heinzhistorycenter.org/event/game-changers-francos-italian-army/

10/01/2026

Family-friendly frights, haunted history, and Halloween fun await at our family of museums this October! 🎃👻

From spooky trivia to our spooktacular Halloween bash, we’ve got up a full lineup of programs at the History Center and Fort Pitt Museum.

💀 Oct. 10 | Speaker Saturday: Braddock’s Defeat – Explore the peculiar phenomenon of battlefield macabre tourism through the story of Braddock’s Defeat with the Fort Pitt Museum.

🧙 Oct. 15 | Little Historians: Halloween – Bring your tiny witches and wizards for spell-binding stories, sweet treats, spooky crafts, and more. Costumes encouraged!

🏚️ Oct. 22 | Haunted History: What Happened in Your House? – Every house has a history. Are you brave enough to find out what happened in yours? Uncover your home’s past during a special program with the Detre Library & Archives.

🍬 Oct. 25 | Haunted History Center Halloween – Bring your little ghouls and goblins for tricks, treats, a haunted scavenger hunt, a Spooky Slime Lab, the Bethany College Bone Lab, and more.

🧠 Oct. 29 | Hidden History Trivia Night: Spooky Edition – Put your spooky knowledge to the test with creepy pop culture, ominous Pittsburgh tales, classic horror films, and more.

Dig into the details and reserve tickets (before they disappear)...

Family-friendly frights, haunted history, and Halloween fun await at our family of museums this October!

09/30/2026

On this day in 1972, during a game against the New York Mets at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh Pirates legend Roberto Clemente hit a double for his 3,000th and final regular season hit.

The milestone happened during the bottom of the fourth inning off Mets starter Jon Matlack, the eventual National League Rookie of the Year. At the time, only 10 other players had joined the 3,000-hit club. Clemente became the first Latin American ballplayer to reach 3,000 hits.

📸 Pittsburgh Pirates baseball card with Roberto Clemente, c. 1963. Gift of Gregg Ficery, Heinz History Center.

09/29/2026

Ah, the good ol’ days when a cup of joe was $2! ☕🐝

In honor of , check out this original menu sign from the Beehive Coffeehouse, the eclectic East Carson Street hangout that kept Pittsburgh buzzing for nearly three decades.

The Beehive opened in 1991 and quickly became the spot for Gen X artists, musicians, filmmakers, and students. With thrifted furniture, pinball machines, and walls covered in local art, it was part coffee shop, part creative clubhouse, and unmistakably South Side.

📸 Menu sign from the Beehive Coffeehouse. Gift of Steve Zumoff and Scott Kramer.

09/28/2026

Last chance to trace your railroader roots!

Join us tomorrow, Sept. 29, for Blue-Collar Ancestry: Tracing Your Railroader Roots and discover the records that can help uncover the stories of your family’s railroad past.

Professional genealogist Kate Townsend, CG®, will share research strategies and explore resources including employment and union records, accident reports, pension files, historic photographs, company newsletters, and more.

Take a deep dive into the lives of your railroader ancestors.