This year, as our nation celebrates its milestone 250th birthday, local families can combine summer fun with a chance to learn about history.
The Pittsburgh area is filled with historic sites and award-winning museums where kids and grownups can get up-close with America’s past. Here are a dozen places where local families can step into the past for a day of learning and discovery during July or any time of year:
Our region will also be busy with Fourth of July celebrations that go way beyond hot dogs and fireworks. Check out these family-friendly events:
July 1: Little Historians Storytime: America’s 250th at the Heinz History Center
From 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. on July 1, little learners are invited to the debut of Little Historians Storytime, a brand-new kid-friendly series designed for children ages 0–5 and their caregivers. The first program will celebrate America’s 250th anniversary with patriotic stories, sing-along fun, crafts, and a very special visit from Abraham Lincoln himself.
July 4: Celebrate 250 Years of America at the Fort Pitt Lawn and Block House Yard
Join costumed re-enactors, local veterans, scouts, elected officials, and museum staff to raise a 36-foot American flag as part of a moving patriotic ceremony at 11 a.m. to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
The ceremony will take place in the Fort Pitt Block House yard, thanks to an ongoing partnership with the Fort Pitt Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution.
After the ceremony, step into the outdoor Artillery Park, presented in partnership with Fort Ligonier, and explore reproduction 18th-century cannons, mortars, and howitzers like those used at Fort Pitt during the French & Indian War and the American Revolution.
July 4: Fourth of July at the Heinz History Center
Celebrate Independence Day at the History Center from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. with patriotic, hands-on fun. Beginning at 10 a.m., build your own Moon rocket during an Artemis-inspired program. Kids and grownups will be imagining what the next 250 years of American innovation might bring.
At 11 a.m., educator Lloyd Black will host The Two Revolutions of 1776, exploring how democratic ideals and industrial innovation helped shape Pittsburgh and the nation. After, families can participate in a moving flag ceremony at 1 p.m. featuring the unfurling and folding of a giant 36-foot American flag in the Great Hall.
July 4: City of Pittsburgh Independence Day Celebration
The celebration will feature local food vendors, family-friendly activities, a veterans wellness space, stages with entertainment, a hot-air balloon and a vendor marketplace. As part of the National Flag Foundation’s Light to Unite, the city’s skyscrapers will be illuminated in red, white and blue at 9 p.m. A drone performance will take place prior to the fireworks spectacular at 9:35 p.m. Find more details here.
July 4: America 250 Celebrations at the Arts Landing downtown
The Dollar Bank Stage at Arts Landing (803 Penn Avenue) will be rocking with live music, including Hip Hip 250 Featuring INEZ and the Hip Hop Orchestra at 4:00 p.m. and the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra at 6:00 p.m.
July 9: Steeples & Stacks Heritage Weekend
Celebrate local history, art and community during Downtown Butler’s inaugural Steeples & Stacks Heritage Weekend. Inspired by the photography of Ben Hughes and held as part of the America 250 celebration, this free event brings together artists, performers, creators and neighbors to honor the stories, landmarks and industrial heritage that shaped the region. Explore downtown Butler, enjoy creative programming and experience a community-wide celebration of the people and places that make Western Pennsylvania unique. Find more info here.