Fort Pitt Museum

06/19/2026

in 1959, Pittsburghers officially crossed the Fort Pitt Bridge for the very first time! 🌉

An engineering marvel of its time, the Fort Pitt Bridge was the world’s first computer-designed double-decker bowstring arch bridge and quickly became one of the most recognizable gateways into Downtown Pittsburgh.

📸 The Fort Pitt Bridge under construction from Mount Washington, c. 1958.

06/13/2026

the Fort Pitt Museum is home to one of the few surviving American Revolution rattlesnake flags?

As America prepares to celebrate its 250th anniversary, this powerful symbol of Revolutionary-era resistance serves as a reminder of the fight for independence and the role Western Pa. played in the nation's founding.

Learn more about the Revolutionary War in Western Pa. while exploring Pittsburgh's Revolution, Fort Pitt Museum's newest exhibition.

Plus, experience history in action during live cannon firings on the Fort Pitt lawn at noon and 2 p.m. (weather permitting). 💥

06/09/2026

Celebrate the Fourth of July where Pittsburgh’s story began! 🇺🇸

Join costumed re-enactors, local veterans, scouts, elected officials, and Fort Pitt Museum staff for a moving patriotic ceremony commemorating the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

The event will feature the ceremonial raising of a 36-foot American flag in the yard of the historic Fort Pitt Block House.

Presented in partnership with the Pittsburgh Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, this annual Pittsburgh tradition takes place at the oldest surviving building in Western Pa., built in 1764.

After the ceremony, stick around for an afternoon of Revolutionary-era excitement featuring booming cannon firings, martial music, living history demonstrations, and family-friendly activities throughout the site. Best of all, Fourth at the Fort activities are free!

Join the Fort Pitt Museum to commemorate America’s 250th anniversary!

06/04/2026

History is BOOMING at Fort Pitt!

Join us this Saturday, June 6 to travel back to 18th-century Pittsburgh! Experience military drills and watch the Fort Pitt Cannon Crew fire the museum’s reproduction British six-pounder cannon in Point State Park.

The cannon firings will take place at noon and 2 p.m., weather permitting.

Demonstrations are free to attend in the park. Regular admission applies to enter the museum.

05/29/2026

in 1763, three men reached Fort Pitt with news that American Indians had raided Col. William Clapham's plantation on the Youghiogheny River, near what is now West Newton.

This uprising, later called Pontiac's Rebellion after the Ottawa chief who played a key role, brought together tribes from the Great Lakes and Ohio regions. They aimed to push the British army and settlers back across the mountains to keep control of their land. A few days after the raid on Clapham's plantation, Native American forces began a siege of Fort Pitt, which lasted until early August.

📷 A painting by Nat Youngblood that shows the picketed Ohio Bastion with the burned remnants of the Lower Town (destroyed in hopes of denying cover to the attacking force) in the background.

05/20/2026

Back in 1992, the Fort Pitt Museum’s roof came alive with living history during a Colonial Fair, filled with reenactments and demonstrations that brought the 18th century to life. Three Rivers Stadium stands in the background, capturing a different chapter of the city’s skyline.

The tradition of bringing history to life continues today at the Fort Pitt Museum. Make it part of your summer plans and experience 18th-century life with outdoor rifle demonstrations, cannon firings, and more right in Point State Park!

05/16/2026

Raise a glass to history this !

This rare 18th-century copper still on display at Fort Pitt tells the story of the Whiskey Rebellion, a flashpoint moment in early American history.

In 1794, a federal tax on whiskey, approved by George Washington and championed by Alexander Hamilton, placed a heavy burden on small distillers across Western Pa. While larger operations could absorb the cost, smaller producers struggled to stay afloat.

Frustration quickly boiled over into protests and violence, as farmers and distillers pushed back against what they saw as an unfair tax.

This still, modeled after 18th-century European designs, is one of only a handful of surviving copper examples and offers a powerful glimpse into the people and tensions behind the rebellion.

05/14/2026

to big ideas in miniature! 🌆

Long before Point State Park became the scenic landmark we know today, it started as a vision gathered around a small-scale model in 1945.

Civic leaders and business minds came together to reimagine the Point, transforming it from an industrial hub into a space for public life, reflection, and connection.

📷 (L to R) H.J. Heinz II, head of the Heinz Company; County Commissioner John J. Kane; Edgar J. Kaufmann, head of Kaufmann's department store; City Councilman Frederick G. Weir; Mayor-elect David L. Lawrence; Mayor Cornelius D. Scully; Robert E. Doherty, President of the Carnegie Institute of Technology; Arthur E. Braun, banker and publisher; Tom Killgallen, President of the City Council; and Park H. Martin, executive director of the Allegheny Conference.

05/08/2026

Join the Fort Pitt Museum tomorrow, Saturday, May 9, for a program exploring Native diplomacy and power on the 18th-century frontier.

Sarah Donovan, a Ph.D. student at William & Mary, will discuss how the Seven Years’ War sparked conflicts over who controlled relationships with Native nations, and how groups like the Paxton Boys challenged authority in the years that followed.

The program is included with admission and takes place in the Fort Pitt Auditorium on the museum’s first floor.

Join the Fort Pitt Museum to explore Native diplomacy and power struggles.

05/05/2026

Step into the story of a revolution that started right here in Pittsburgh! ⚔️

Fort Pitt’s new exhibition, Pittsburgh’s Revolution, explores the region’s critical role in America’s fight for independence. Set at the Forks of the Ohio, this was a place where military strategy, diplomacy, and conflict shaped the course of a nation.

Discover rare and fascinating artifacts, from an original 1775 Westmoreland Battalion flag bearing the iconic “Don’t Tread on Me” motto to weapons, letters, and personal items that tell the human stories behind the Revolution.

This immersive experience highlights the people, alliances, and tensions that defined the Revolutionary War on the frontier, reminding us that the road to independence was shaped right here in Western Pa.

Plan your visit now and see where Pittsburgh’s story and America’s story changed forever!

It happened right here.