Tour audio Pittsburgh’s Cultural District

You are near Pittsburgh’s Cultural District, right in the heart of downtown. The 14-block area is famous for its elegant theaters, art galleries and installations, public parks, and for its many shops and restaurants, all conveniently bundled together for an exciting day or night on the town. But it wasn’t always so pristine or family-friendly. This area was actually a blighted red light district until the 1970s, when Henry John Heinz II – the CEO of the Pittsburgh-based H.J. Heinz Company – began an effort to revitalize the neighborhood as a cultural arts center. To achieve that goal, he recruited other prominent arts patrons, which included Heinz’s son, Pennsylvania Senator H. J. Heinz III. And to head up the effort, they formed an organization called the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, which is responsible for much of the recent development here. The district continues to grow and flourish because of the support of philanthropic Pittsburgh citizens, the dedication of the artists, performers, and retailers working here, and, of course, visitors like you.

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Photo “Pittsburgh Cultural District” by ctj71081 is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0