AND PITTSBURGHERS ALIKE. THE VISIT PITTSBURGH WELCOME CENTER IS OPEN FOR BUSINESS AND IS READY TO SHOW OFF THE STEEL CITY. WE’RE SEEING ABOUT 350,000 PEOPLE A YEAR COME HERE TO THE HISTORY CENTER. NOW THAT THE WELCOME CENTER’S HERE AND SOME OF THE NEW OFFERINGS THAT WE’RE GOING TO HAVE, WE’RE EXPECTING TO SEE ABOUT 500,000 PEOPLE A YEAR. THE CENTER IS INSIDE THE HEINZ HISTORY CENTER AND IS OPEN JUST AHEAD OF THE 2026 NFL DRAFT, WHERE THOUSANDS ARE EXPECTED TO COME TO PITTSBURGH. LEADERSHIP WILL VISIT PITTSBURGH, SAY ALL THOSE PEOPLE WILL NEED SUGGESTIONS ON WHERE TO GO. THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A VISIBLE PRESENCE FOR TRAVEL CONSUMERS AT ALL TIMES, BUT ESPECIALLY AHEAD OF THE NFL DRAFT. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE’S GOOD, STRONG RESOURCES IN THE MARKET FOR ALL OF THOSE TRAVELERS WHO ARE COMING INTO PITTSBURGH THAT ARE GOING TO NEED A LITTLE BIT OF ADVISEMENT ON HOW TO GET AROUND, WHAT TO DO AND THINGS TO EXPLORE. THIS IS OUR CHANCE TO TELL THE WORLD HOW GREAT OUR CITY IS, AND THE EXPERIENCE THAT THEY’RE GOING TO SEE WHEN THEY’RE HERE IS SOMETHING WE GET TO DO EACH AND EVERY DAY. THE KIOSKS AVAILABLE CAN HELP VISITORS CURATE THEIR STAY, USING THE ITINERARY FEATURE AND THEN, OF COURSE, USING AI. IT WILL GO THROUGH A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS OF WHAT IT IS THAT YOU’RE LOOKING FOR, SPECIFICALLY. SAY YOU WANT DINNER. THEN IT’LL TAKE JUST A COUPLE OF MINUTES AND IT’LL GIVE YOU AN ENTIRE ITINERARY BASED ON THE INTEREST THAT YOU PUT INTO THE SYSTEM. THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH, AT THE TOUCH OF YOUR FINGERTIPS. WHEN ALL OF THESE VISITORS ARE HERE. HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF THEM. NOW, THERE’S A CENTRAL LOCATION WHERE YOU CAN TELL YOU NOT ONLY PITTSBURGH STORY, BUT PLACES YOU CAN ALSO VISIT WHILE YOU’RE IN PITTSBURGH FOR THOSE DAYS. NOW, A SECOND VISIT PITTSBURGH LOCATION IS EXPECTED TO OPEN AT THE NEW LANDSIDE TERMINAL AT PITTSBURGH INTERNATIONAL, BUT FOR NOW COVERING ALL
Visit Pittsburgh opens welcome center inside Heinz History Center
Updated: 9:27 PM EST Nov 20, 2025
The Visit Pittsburgh Welcome Center has officially opened at the Heinz History Center in the Strip District, providing a space for communication, relaxation and discovery for visitors and Pittsburgh residents alike.Andy Masich, president and CEO of the history center, believes the addition of the space will give the center a boost.”We’re seeing about 350,000 people a year come here to the history center. Now that the welcome center is here, and some of the new offerings that we’re going to have, we’re expecting to see about 500,000 people a year,” Masich said. The center opened ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft. Visit Pittsburgh says all the people visiting the city for the draft will need suggestions on where to go.”This is an opportunity for us to make sure that we have a visible presence for travel consumers at all times, but especially ahead of the NFL draft,” said Jerad Bachar, president and CEO of Visit Pittsburgh. “We want to make sure that there’s good, strong resources in the market for all of those travelers who are coming into Pittsburgh that are going to need a little bit of advisement on how to get around, what to do and things to explore.””This is our chance to tell the world how great our city is, and the experience that they’re going to see when they’re here is something we get to do each and every day,” said Mayor-elect Corey O’Connor.Kiosks at the welcome center can help visitors curate their stay in Pittsburgh using the itinerary feature.”Using AI, it will go through a couple of questions of what it is that you’re looking for specifically — say you want dinner — and it will take just a couple of minutes, and it will give you an entire itinerary based on the interests that you put into the system,” Bachar said.”When all of these visitors are here, hundreds of thousands of them, now there’s a central location where it can tell you not only a Pittsburgh story, but places you can also visit while you’re in Pittsburgh for those days,” O’Connor said.A second Visit Pittsburgh Welcome Center location is expected to open at the new landside terminal at Pittsburgh International Airport.
PITTSBURGH —
The Visit Pittsburgh Welcome Center has officially opened at the Heinz History Center in the Strip District, providing a space for communication, relaxation and discovery for visitors and Pittsburgh residents alike.
Andy Masich, president and CEO of the history center, believes the addition of the space will give the center a boost.
“We’re seeing about 350,000 people a year come here to the history center. Now that the welcome center is here, and some of the new offerings that we’re going to have, we’re expecting to see about 500,000 people a year,” Masich said.
The center opened ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft. Visit Pittsburgh says all the people visiting the city for the draft will need suggestions on where to go.
“This is an opportunity for us to make sure that we have a visible presence for travel consumers at all times, but especially ahead of the NFL draft,” said Jerad Bachar, president and CEO of Visit Pittsburgh. “We want to make sure that there’s good, strong resources in the market for all of those travelers who are coming into Pittsburgh that are going to need a little bit of advisement on how to get around, what to do and things to explore.”
“This is our chance to tell the world how great our city is, and the experience that they’re going to see when they’re here is something we get to do each and every day,” said Mayor-elect Corey O’Connor.
Kiosks at the welcome center can help visitors curate their stay in Pittsburgh using the itinerary feature.
“Using AI, it will go through a couple of questions of what it is that you’re looking for specifically — say you want dinner — and it will take just a couple of minutes, and it will give you an entire itinerary based on the interests that you put into the system,” Bachar said.
“When all of these visitors are here, hundreds of thousands of them, now there’s a central location where it can tell you not only a Pittsburgh story, but places you can also visit while you’re in Pittsburgh for those days,” O’Connor said.
A second Visit Pittsburgh Welcome Center location is expected to open at the new landside terminal at Pittsburgh International Airport.