No matter where you are in Downtown Pittsburgh or Oakland, you are steps away from experiencing a work of art. Self-guided walking tours of art in public spaces are available courtesy of the Office of Public Art, in partnership with the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council and the City of Pittsburgh's Department of City Planning, in print or as downloadable PDFs (see below). The Office of Public Art also offers a comprehensive resource, Pittsburgh Art Places, for finding public art and arts venues in the Greater Pittsburgh region.
Downtown Walking Tour
The Downtown tour winds through four neighborhoods, focusing on remarkable artwork by nationally and internationally recognized artists. Since many of these artists were inspired by the Pittsburgh region when they created their pieces, the tour is also a great way to learn about Pittsburgh's place in history. Downtown tour: 60-90 minutes.
Get the Downtown Walking Tour
Oakland
Pittsburgh's Oakland neighborhood tour offers lovers of art and the outdoors photographs and descriptions of 35 works of public art in this historic neighborhood with architectural notes for select Oakland buildings. Created in partnership with Carnegie Museum of Art. Oakland tour: 75-120 minutes.
Get the Oakland Walking Tour
Cultural District Gallery Crawls
Art. Music. Architecture. Film. Fun. FREE! The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust's Gallery Crawl is a free quarterly showcase of art and entertainment in the heart of the Downtown Cultural District. All events take place at a variety of galleries and eclectic spaces. Keep an eye out for the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership's Night Market, happening alongside the crawl, featuring local artists and food vendors.
Art Within Art
It is very rare for a Convention Center to promote its public art as Art within Art but the David L. Lawrence is a very rare meeting/exhibition venue. Home to more than 25 works of art, valued at $2 million, including seven commissioned pieces that reflect the vitality, character and creative energy of the Pittsburgh Region.
A River of Glass
A river of glass now flows through Pittsburgh in the city's first all-glass public art installation. "Rivers of Glass: Diminuendo and Crescendo in Blue," located in the lobby of 11 Stanwix Street, an historic 1960s-era office tower in downtown Pittsburgh is now open for all to enjoy, weekdays, 9am-5pm. The Pittsburgh Glass Center is one of the partners in this extraordinary work. See photos of the installation.
MLK Community Mural Project
The MLK Community Mural Project is the biggest and brightest art venture in the city's history, with murals scheduled to cover 26 walls throughout the city and already engaging hundreds of Pittsburgh's biggest and brightest residents. Currently, the project has produced more than a dozen murals along the MLK East Busway, spanning eight neighborhoods.
