Accessibility

The Heinz History Center is committed to providing exhibits, programs, and public spaces that are inclusive and accessible for all visitors.

View accessibility information for:

Heinz History Center and Sports Museum

Accessibility Details

  • Accessible parking is available in the surrounding parking lots.
  • The History Center galleries are wheelchair accessible.
  • Many exhibits have videos with closed captioning and induction loops.
  • Service animals are always welcome. Please see below for our service animals policy.
  • A map of the History Center is available at the admissions desk.
  • Accessible restrooms are located on floors 1, 2, 3, and 6.
  • Visitors are welcome to nurse anywhere they feel comfortable. A private nursing room is located on the 6th floor.

Additional Services

Wheelchairs: A limited number of manual wheelchairs and baby strollers are available to visitors on a first come, first served basis located in the first floor coat room.

Sensory Bags: Sensory bags containing fidgets, noise reducing earmuffs and earplugs, sunglasses and a flashlight are available to borrow (at no cost by leaving an ID) on a first come, first served basis in the Museum Shop.

Assistive Listening Devices (ALDs): The History Center offers personal amplification systems for all General Public and Adult tours as well as all Public Programs such as talks and lectures. Our ALDs consist of a single earpiece and a receiver and are also compatible with T-coil equipped hearing aids. ALDs are available to borrow at no cost by leaving an ID.

Sign language: Sign language interpreters are available for tours and programs with advance notice to ensure availability. To schedule a sign language interpreter, please contact the group tour coordinator at 412-454-6304 or reservations@heinzhistorycenter.org.

Support staff: The History Center will grant free admission to any therapeutic staff support, counselor, doctor, therapist, or nurse that accompanies a visitor.

Service Animal Policy

Service animals are always welcome at the Heinz History Center, Fort Pitt Museum, and the Meadowcroft Rockshelter and Historic Village.

Dogs are the only animals recognized as service animals by federal and state law. Service animals are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities and must be under control at all times by the owner. Service animals must be harnessed, leashed, or tethered, unless these devices interfere with the service animal’s work or the individual’s disability prevents using these devices. In that case, the individual must maintain control of the animal through voice, signal, or other effective controls. The owner of a service animal may be asked to remove the animal from the premises if they do not take effective action to control the animal.

The Heinz History Center, Fort Pitt Museum, and the Meadowcroft Rockshelter and Historic Village abide by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) definition of service animals. However, animals such as “comfort animals,” “therapy animals,” “companion animals” or “emotional support animals” are not service animals as defined by the ADA, because they are not trained to perform a specific task for an individual with a disability. Therefore, these animals are not permitted entry into our family of museums.

For more information, please contact visitorservices@heinzhistorycenter.org.

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Fort Pitt Museum

The Fort Pitt Museum is located within Point State Park in downtown Pittsburgh. View accessibility information for Point State Park.

Accessibility Details

  • Accessible parking is available in the surrounding parking lots.
  • An ADA push button door opener is installed at the museum’s entrance.
  • The Fort Pitt Museum galleries are wheelchair accessible.
  • An elevator is located next to the stairwell on the museum’s first floor. 
  • Two videos with closed captioning, one on the causes of the French and Indian War and another on the American Revolution in the West, are located in the museum’s second floor gallery.
  • Service animals are always welcome. Please see below for our service animal policy.
  • Accessible restrooms are located on the first floor.
  • Visitors are welcome to nurse anywhere they feel comfortable. 

Additional Services

Wheelchairs: A manual wheelchair is available to visitors on a first come, first served basis. It is located in the 1st floor coat room.

Support staff: The Fort Pitt Museum will grant free admission to any therapeutic staff support, counselor, doctor, therapist, or nurse that accompanies a visitor.

Service Animal Policy

Service animals are always welcome at the Heinz History Center, Fort Pitt Museum, and the Meadowcroft Rockshelter and Historic Village.

Dogs are the only animals recognized as service animals by federal and state law. Service animals are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities and must be under control at all times by the owner. Service animals must be harnessed, leashed, or tethered, unless these devices interfere with the service animal’s work or the individual’s disability prevents using these devices. In that case, the individual must maintain control of the animal through voice, signal, or other effective controls. The owner of a service animal may be asked to remove the animal from the premises if they do not take effective action to control the animal.

The Heinz History Center, Fort Pitt Museum, and the Meadowcroft Rockshelter and Historic Village abide by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) definition of service animals. However, animals such as “comfort animals,” “therapy animals,” “companion animals” or “emotional support animals” are not service animals as defined by the ADA, because they are not trained to perform a specific task for an individual with a disability. Therefore, these animals are not permitted entry into our family of museums.

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Meadowcroft Rockshelter and Historic Village

Meadowcroft Rockshelter and Historic Village is committed to providing exhibits, programs, and public spaces that are inclusive and accessible for all visitors.

Accessibility Details

  • Accessible parking is available directly in front of the Visitor Center.
  • The Visitor Center is wheelchair accessible, although there are no automatic doors on site.
  • Service animals are always welcome. Please see below for our service animal policy.
  • A map of the Meadowcroft site is available at the admissions desk.
  • Accessible restrooms are located in the Visitor Center.
  • Visitors are welcome to nurse anywhere they feel comfortable.

Meadowcroft Rockshelter

The Meadowcroft Rockshelter is located in the sandstone cliff face almost 50 feet above Cross Creek. Current access to the site is provided by a set of stairs that lead to the main observation platform (65 steps) and another set of stairs which lead to a smaller observation area at the north end of the excavation (25 more steps).

For our visitors who are unable to ascend the steps, the video program shown at the Rockshelter is also available upon request in the accessible Visitor Center. In addition, an interactive kiosk in the Visitor Center allows visitors to virtually explore the archaeological excavation in great detail using GigaPan image technology.

Additional Services

Wheelchairs: A limited number of manual wheelchairs are available to visitors on a first come, first served basis located in the Visitor Center.

Support staff: Meadowcroft will grant free admission to any therapeutic staff support, counselor, doctor, therapist, or nurse that accompanies a visitor.

Service Animal Policy

Service animals are always welcome at the Heinz History Center, Fort Pitt Museum, and the Meadowcroft Rockshelter and Historic Village.

Dogs are the only animals recognized as service animals by federal and state law. Service animals are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities and must be under control at all times by the owner. Service animals must be harnessed, leashed, or tethered, unless these devices interfere with the service animal’s work or the individual’s disability prevents using these devices. In that case, the individual must maintain control of the animal through voice, signal, or other effective controls. The owner of a service animal may be asked to remove the animal from the premises if they do not take effective action to control the animal.

The Heinz History Center, Fort Pitt Museum, and the Meadowcroft Rockshelter and Historic Village abide by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) definition of service animals. However, animals such as “comfort animals,” “therapy animals,” “companion animals” or “emotional support animals” are not service animals as defined by the ADA, because they are not trained to perform a specific task for an individual with a disability. Therefore, these animals are not permitted entry into our family of museums.

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