August Wilson House

Preserving the legacy of Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright August Wilson in Pittsburgh’s historic Hill District.

Credit |
Ed Massery

About the House

Located in Pittsburgh’s historic Hill District, the August Wilson House (AWH) is a nonprofit cultural institution dedicated to honoring the legacy of Pulitzer Prize–winning playwright August Wilson. By preserving and activating Wilson’s childhood home, AWH serves as a vibrant space for learning, creativity, and community empowerment.

Wilson’s American Century Cycle, deeply rooted in the Hill District, gave a profound voice to the Black American experience. Today, this legacy defines our core values: access, equality, inclusivity, and enrichment for all.

As a Black-centered arts education center and historic landmark, AWH provides a sanctuary for artistic freedom and civic engagement. Our work intersects historic preservation, community development, and the arts, creating a hub where artists, scholars, and residents celebrate the Hill District’s rich African American heritage.

Through artist fellowships, community performances, and regional partnerships, AWH acts as a catalyst for reinvestment in the Bedford Avenue corridor. We stand as both a monument to the past and a living workshop for the next generation of storytellers and leaders.

Plan Your Visit

Experience the place where one of America’s greatest storytellers began his journey. A visit to August Wilson House invites you to step into the heart of the Hill District and explore the home that shaped August Wilson’s life and work.

House Tours
Your visit includes a guided tour of “Daisy Wilson’s Apartment,” the restored two-room home where August Wilson lived with his mother and five siblings. This intimate space offers a rare glimpse into the everyday world that inspired his artistry and fueled the creation of the American Century Cycle.

  • By Appointment: Private and group tours can be scheduled in advance.
  • Exhibition Wednesdays & Saturdays: Open tour hours for general visitors are available twice a week whenever exhibits are active.

Artists, scholars, students, neighbors, and visitors from around the world are welcome to experience the living legacy of August Wilson. Let August Wilson’s story inspire yours.

Upcoming Events and Performances

Art for August 2026 Exhibition | February 12-May 31, 2026

A curated collection of original, artist-led works inspired by the life and legacy of August Wilson. Through painting, sculpture, photography, and mixed media, artists explore themes central to Wilson’s storytelling—identity, memory, resilience, and the spirit of the Hill District.

Art for August Exhibition hours beginning the week of March 16, 2026 (no appointment necessary): Wednesdays: 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Saturdays: 12:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Tour Availability
By Appointment: Private and group tours can be scheduled in advance. Please submit requests at info@augustwilsonhouse.org

Annual August Wilson Birthday Block Party | May 9, 2026

The free annual August Wilson Birthday Block Party, held every April, draws thousands of visitors who come to enjoy diverse entertainment and a wide array of culturally rich foods, goods, and services. By 2024, the event had grown to include 150 vendors and more than 7,500 attendees.

“Jitney” (Italian Production) | May 8-10, 2026

A groundbreaking Italian-language production of August Wilson’s Jitney, presented in partnership with the Pittsburgh Playwrights Theatre Company, will be staged from May 8–10, 2026.

Italian director Renzo Carbonera made history by directing the first-ever Italian-language production of August Wilson’s Jitney, performed entirely in Italian and featuring an all-Black cast. In another groundbreaking moment, the August Wilson House, in collaboration with international award-winning theatre company Sardegna Teatro and other partners, will bring this landmark Italian production to the United States.

Backyard Theater Summer Play Series | August-mid-September 2026

August Wilson House partners annually with the Pittsburgh Playwrights Theatre Company to present an August Wilson play in its Backyard Theater. Past productions have included Seven Guitars and King Hedley II, as well as site-based performances at 1839 Wylie Avenue such as Gem of the Ocean, Jitney, Joe Turner’s Come and Gone, Radio Golf, and Fences.

BURNBABYBURN: an american dream | August 19-September 20, 2026

Set in Pittsburgh’s Hill District and Homewood neighborhoods, BURNBABYBURN: an american dream moves fluidly through time as a young woman, Sky II, embarks on a journey to heal herself and the generations who came before her.

Through photographs that flicker with memory and meaning, she reaches across decades to touch the lives of her ancestors. Four generations of women draw nearer to one another as they confront the truths of motherhood, love, loss, and a city that both holds and haunts their dreams.

In this tender, time—bending story, a.k. payne reminds us that memory is fragile, history is human, and as she writes, “cameras tells lots of lies i cannot make any promises of fact.”

Pictured |
Annual August Wilson Block Party
Pictured |
Annual August Wilson Block Party

If you're coming to town for the 2026 NFL Draft, August Wilson House invites you to either schedule a tour from the hours of 9:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. from Wednesday, April 22, 2026 to Saturday, April 25, 2026 and Sunday, April 26, 2026 from 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. or drop by at your convenience.

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