A Very Merry Pittsburgh

NOVEMBER 18, 2017 – JANUARY 15, 2018 Relive cherished memories at a new holly jolly exhibition that featured original artifacts from Kaufmann’s/Macy’s, Christmas decorations, historic toys, and more.

For more than 130 years, families made the trip to Downtown Pittsburgh to celebrate the annual Christmas tradition of visiting Kaufmann’s (and later, Macy’s) department store. Along with checking gifts off their holiday shopping lists, they came to marvel at the breathtaking lights and decorations, magical window displays, and of course, to pay a special visit to Santa Claus himself.

Relive those cherished memories at the History Center as part of A Very Merry Pittsburgh, a new holly jolly exhibition featuring original artifacts from Kaufmann’s/Macy’s, Christmas decorations, historic toys spanning the 1940s to the 2000s, and much more.

The A Very Merry Pittsburgh exhibit is on display through Monday, Jan. 15.

Meet Santa Claus

No trip to Santaland is complete without a visit from old Saint Nick, so every day through Christmas Eve from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., take photos with Santa Claus and see the original chair from Kaufmann’s Santaland display.

Exhibit Must-Sees

Ornate objects from Kaufmann’s Christmas window displays;
Classic toys from the 1940s through 2000, including toy soldiers, an original Slinky, Mrs. Potato Head, Barbie, Easy-Bake Oven, Rock ’em Sock ’em Robots, and a Red Ryder BB gun (made famous by the holiday movie, “A Christmas Story”);
An interactive kids’ area with a selection of classic toys for children to play with;
Giant Mr. and Mrs. Claus ornaments from Kaufmann’s;
The Santaland mailbox from Kaufmann’s, where thousands of Pittsburgh children mailed their Christmas wish lists to the North Pole; and
Original costumes and float materials from the Macy’s holiday parade in Pittsburgh.