The History Center and the Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum are conveniently located at 1212 Smallman Street (Map Address) in Pittsburgh's historic Strip District, known for its retail food markets, unique shops, ethnic restaurants, and lively nightclubs.
Hours
Admission
Group Tours
Reviews
Visitor Guide
Parking
Directions
Public Transportation
Brochures
Accessibilty
Food
Staff Directory
Visitor Information Center
Hours
The Library & Archives, located on the History Center's sixth floor, is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. Other hours are by appointment.
The Fort Pitt Museum and Museum Shop are open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Fort Pitt Museum is closed New Year's Day, Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas Day. Click here for complete visitor info.
For Meadowcroft Rockshelter and Historic Village hours of operation and visitor info, please click here.
For more information, please contact the History Center at 412-454-6000. For a staff directory, please click here.
Senator John Heinz History Center
Adults: $15
Senior Citizens (62+): $13
Retired & Active Duty Military: $6
Students with a valid school ID: $6
Children ages 6-17: $6
Children ages 5 and under: Free
History Center Members: Free
All rates include admission to the Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum, the Detre Library & Archives, and all exhibitions at the History Center. Admission to the Library & Archives is free for researchers with valid school ID including students, teachers, and staff.
Memorial Day, May 27, through Labor Day, Sept. 2, 2013, the History Center, Fort Pitt Museum, and Meadowcroft Rockshelter and Historic Village are pleased to offer free admission to all active duty military personnel and their families as part of the Blue Star Museums program, a collaboration among the National Endowment for the Arts, Blue Star Families, the Department of Defense, and a record-breaking 2,000 museums across America.
Fort Pitt Museum
Adults: $6
Senior Citizens (62+): $5
Students with a valid school ID: $3
Children ages 6-17: $3
Children age 5 and under: Free
History Center Members: Free
Group tours are available for all our exhibits. To schedule a group tour please contact Margaret Kerr at 412-454-6428 or makerr@heinzhistorycenter.org.
Read reviews of the History Center on TripAdvisor.
Visitor Guide
Short on time? Have an hour to spare? Don’t miss these must-see areas:
Don't Miss Tour Guide
Visiting with children or grandchildren? Then check out just a few of the areas designed for pint-sized history lovers:
Kids Tour Guide
Click here for a printable parking map.
For History Center visitors, convenient parking is located across the street from the museum at the 12th and Smallman Street Parking Lot.
Regular, full-day price is $8 per day. Convenient debit/credit card machine installed for parking fee payment. Please Note: Parking rates fluctuate depending upon Convention Center-related activities.
History Center members receive a flat discounted $4 rate, subject to availability. Members are required to show their membership card to the lot attendant in order to receive the discount.
A variety of adjacent parking locations are also available, including:
13th and Smallman Streets Parking Lot
$6.00 per day.
15th and Smallman Streets Parking Lot
$6.00 per day
16th and Smallman Streets Parking Lot (behind the Produce Terminal)
$3.00 per day
Convention Center Garage
0-2 hours = $5.00
2-4 hours = $8.00
4-6 hours = $8.00
6-8 hours = $11.00
8-15 hours = $13.00
Night rate (after 4 p.m.) = $5.00
Over 15 hours = $20.00
The garage is closed on weekends and holidays, except for special events. The event rate is a flat $10.00.
Grant Street Transportation Center Garages (located at the confluence of 11th Street, Liberty Avenue, Penn Avenue & 12th Street)
Day Rate - Monday thru Friday, 6:00 a.m. to 3:59 p.m.:
0-2 hours = $ 4.50
2-4 hours = $ 6.00
4-6 hours = $ 8.00
6-24 hours = $13.00
Night Rate: Monday thru Friday, 4:00 p.m. to 5:59 a.m.
Weekend Rate: Saturday & Sunday all day
0-1 hour = $2.00
1-2 hours = $3.00
2-24 hours = $5.00
From the North and West (via Ohio and PA Turnpikes):
From Exit 28 (Cranberry, old Exit 3) on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, take Interstate 79 South to Interstate 579 (the Veterans Bridge). Drive across the bridge and follow signs for Seventh Avenue. Turn right onto Grant Street. Go one block, get in the left lane and turn left onto 11th Street. Go two blocks and turn right onto Smallman Street.
*Alternatively, stay on I-279 S. Get in the left lane as you cross the bridge and take the left-most exit, following overhead signs to the Convention Center and Strip District (via the 10th Street Bypass). At the red light go straight, traveling under and around the Convention Center, then take the first left turn onto Smallman Street.
From the South and West (via Interstate 79 and Parkway West):
Take Interstate 79 North to Interstate 279 North toward Pittsburgh. Go through the Fort Pitt Tunnel.*Stay in right lane across Ft. Pitt Bridge and curve right to access Interstate 376 East. After about a quarter mile, exit Grant Street on the left. Follow Grant Street, and after the Seventh Avenue intersection, get into the left lane. Turn left onto 11th Street. Go two blocks and turn right onto Smallman Street.
*Alternatively, get in the left-most lane through the tunnel. After exiting the tunnel, move to the far left lane of the bridge. Take the left-most exit, following overhead signs to the Convention Center and Strip District (via the 10th Street Bypass). At the red light go straight, traveling under and around the Convention Center, then take the first left turn onto Smallman Street.
From the East (via Pennsylvania Turnpike and Parkway East):
Take Exit 57 (Pittsburgh, old Exit 6). Follow signs to Pittsburgh via Interstate 376 East. Take the Grant Street exit. (Exit from the left lane.) Stay on Grant Street and after the Seventh Avenue intersection, get into the left lane. Turn left onto 11th Street. Go two blocks and turn right onto Smallman Street.
*Alternatively, take Exit 57 (Pittsburgh, old Exit 6). Follow signs to Pittsburgh via Interstate 376 East. Take the Ft. Duquesne Bridge/North Shore exit. *Stay in right lane across the bridge, following signs to Interstate 279. After crossing the bridge, stay to the right and take exit 7C, to PA 28 North. Immediately after this exit, take the Chestnut Street exit. Take a right and cross the 16th Street Bridge. After the bridge, take the first right on Penn Ave. Take a right on 14th Street. and the next left is Smallman Street.
Public Transportation
Port Authority Transit offers bus service to the Strip District and nearby downtown. Call 412-442-2000 for bus schedule information.
Brochures
Click below for easy-to-use, printable brochures:
Senator John Heinz History Center
Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum
Library & Archives
History Center exhibits, including the Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum and Library & Archives, are fully accessible. A limited number of wheelchairs and baby strollers are available to visitors on a first come, first served basis. Sign-language interpreters are available for tours and programs with advance notice to ensure availability. To schedule a sign language interpreter, please contact Maggie Satler, group tour coordinator, at 412-454-6304 or masatler@heinzhistorycenter.org.
For more information about the History Center's accessibility for visitors with hearing loss, please call 412-454-6326 (TTY) Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (except holidays).
The History Center welcomes all visitors with assistance dogs including guide dogs for the blind and visually impaired, hearing dogs for the deaf and hard of hearing, and working or service dogs for people with disabilities other than those related to vision or hearing. Assistance dogs should always be on a leash or in a harness. All water and dog food must be dispensed in the Great Hall only.
Click here for a downloadable menu.
Click here for nutritional information.
Staff Directory
For a complete list of History Center staff members, please click here.
Visitor Information Center
Information about regional attractions can be found at the History Center's Visitor Information Center, located on the first floor.



