Press Release — DOORS OPEN Pittsburgh: Downtown 2022
Media Contact:
Bonnie Baxter
Founder/Executive Director
DOORS OPEN Pittsburgh
412-583-1424
bonnie@DoorsOpenPgh.org
DOORS OPEN Pittsburgh: Downtown Event Celebrates 7th Year
Saturday, October 1, 10 am – 4 pm
Pittsburgh, PA— DOORS OPEN Pittsburgh, a local nonprofit that hosts immersive tours and neighborhood events focused on regional arts, culture, and history, will present its signature Downtown event on Saturday, October 1, from 10 am – 4 pm.
Now in its 7th year, this event invites guests to go behind the scenes within some of Pittsburgh’s most iconic buildings, entering spaces not typically open to the public.
With nearly 40 buildings Downtown participating this year, guests can choose their own adventure and set their own pace to visit the buildings that sound most intriguing to them. And there will be plenty of variety to select from: churches, theaters, art galleries, government offices, luxury apartment buildings and hotels, shops, and more.
Docents will be on-hand at each building to share information about the architecture of the structures as well as stories regarding the people and organizations that have inhabited them.
Dollar Bank and Koppers Inc are both long-time participants as well as sponsors for the Downtown event.
New additions to the event this year include the Joinery Hotel, located in the former Salvation Army building on the Boulevard of the Allies, the Allegheny Law Library, which includes magnificent woodwork that will take guests back to the early 20th century, and the Pittsburgh Playhouse at Point Park University, renowned for the historical elements that were carefully preserved and reclaimed during its construction.
Coming back after a few years off the list due to Covid restrictions are the City-County Building and the Allegheny County Courthouse, as well as Industrious, a coworking space that offers panoramic views from the top of One PPG Place.
Also new this year: DOORS OPEN Pittsburgh will be offering an activity for kids to participate in during the event: a Photo Safari that will have children ages 5-12 on the lookout for simple architectural details that are common across Pittsburgh’s buildings. The first 25 who complete a bingo line on the Safari Card will win a special gift. This activity, an effort to get the City’s next artists, architects, and historic preservationists out to start exploring the many treasures of Pittsburgh, is being underwritten by the Grable Foundation.
Bonnie Baxter, Founder and Executive Director of DOORS OPEN Pittsburgh, says, “Pittsburghers are known for being nebby, and the Downtown Event invites you to be proud of this quality! So often we walk by buildings without looking up to really notice the details, or pass doors and windows we wish we could peek into. DOORS OPEN Pittsburgh feels that being curious is a good thing; by welcoming guests into these typically private spaces, we allow them to engage with and learn from the stories of all the people and places that came together to make Pittsburgh what it is today.”
Tickets will be available online beginning Sept. 5th -- $18 for general admission (discounted for kids and seniors).
For a full list of buildings and to purchase tickets: www.DoorsOpenPgh.org
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DOORS OPEN Pittsburgh, a nonprofit 501(c)3, is best known for presenting its large-scale, open-house event downtown each October that celebrates our city’s heritage and architecture by providing the opportunity to explore a diverse collection of buildings, often with behind-the-scenes access.
Since its inception in 2016, DOORS OPEN Pittsburgh has expanded to include: Neighborhood Events, Guided Walking Tours, Insider Tours, Virtual Storytelling, and Bus Tours, and has hosted over 20,000 tour-goers to date. We are supported, in part, by a generous grant from PA Department of Community and Economic Development/The Pennsylvania Tourism Office/ visitPA.com
You can read the complete story at https://doorsopenpgh.org/about/
DOORS OPEN Pittsburgh, Inc. (501c3).