Pittsburgh travel guide: it’s time for this seriously cool city to shine

You could be forgiven if you haven’t really considered Pittsburgh for your next holiday. Located in western Pennsylvania, it has been long overlooked for trans-Atlantic city breaks, but this is about to change. 

Decades ago Pittsburgh was best known as a soot-stained industrial hub, producing the coal and steel needed to build a growing country. Now, after its industry widely closed down, it has a new multi-faceted identity as a student town with wonderful architecture, world-class galleries and gourmet food – all served with a down-to-earth attitude that is warm and welcoming. This is Pittsburgh’s time to shine, and it is a seriously cool city to visit.

The Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh

Jin Wu

Museums in Pittsburgh 

He once said everyone would experience 15 minutes of fame, but Pittsburgh native Andy Warhol has long exceeded those expectations. At the Andy Warhol Museum, which is the largest gallery dedicated to a single artist in America, you can learn about his life, and it is home to some of his most famous works.

At the Carnegie Museum of Art, you can see more traditional masters like Claude Monet or Edgar Degas, as well as scientific discoveries such as the first Tyrannosaurus rex ever uncovered.

Opened on 15 October, one of Pittsburgh’s newest attractions is the Moonshot Museum, which is connected to local aerospace technology firm Astrobotics. Here visitors can watch real scientists and engineers work on pieces of technology that are going to travel 400,000 miles to the moon.

Hire at bike and ride the Great Allegheny Passage

What to do

If you believe the best way to get to know a city is through your stomach then look no further than ‘Burgh Bits and Bites food tours. You can explore areas across the city, but the Strip District tour will give you an insight into how immigration shaped Pittsburgh’s food scene, with tastings as varied as Italian deli meats and Mexican tamales.

When visiting Pittsburgh one thing you cannot escape is the passion for sport. All of the major teams wear black and gold, and when a big game is on the entire city stops. The biggest spectacle is reserved for the Pittsburgh Steelers NFL team, and if you can get a chance to take in a game it is worth checking it out. If you want to blend in, pick up T-shirts, caps and other merchandise from the stalls that pop up in the Strip District.

Article source: https://www.theweek.co.uk/arts-life/travel/958286/pittsburgh-travel-guide-museums-attractions