Press Release — May Tours Announced
Media Contact:
Bonnie Baxter
Founder/Executive Director
DOORS OPEN Pittsburgh
412-583-1424
bonnie@DoorsOpenPgh.org
Feeling Nebby? Come Check Out these Springtime Tours with DOORS OPEN Pittsburgh
PITTSBURGH, May 2, 2022 – Tour season is in full swing at DOORS OPEN Pittsburgh, with Guided Walking Tours and one-stop, Insider Tours offered on weekends now through October.
DOORS OPEN Pittsburgh has been inviting people to go behind the scenes of some of Pittsburgh’s most treasured buildings since 2016, and they’ve cultivated a tour series this year that has something to meet every person’s interest.
On Saturday, May 7, in conjunction with the DOORS OPEN: Northside Neighborhood Event, there will be a Guided Walking Tour of the Northside’s Manchester neighborhood, a nationally recognized Historic District. Tickets are also available for multiple Insider Tour sessions on Sunday, May 8 in renowned local artist Ron Donoughe’s personal studio to learn more about his 90 Pittsburgh Neighborhoods project and watch a live painting demonstration by the artist himself.
“We have some fantastic tour hosts partnering with us this year who are true experts in their fields. This isn’t your standard textbook tour; you’ll get a full sensory experience in these spaces, and you’ll likely pick up some curious and quirky tidbits of information along the way,” said Bonnie Baxter, Founder and Executive Director.
The weekend of May 14 and 15 brings back a beloved Guided Walking Tour, Antique Skyscrapers: Rooftops and Views, that is known for selling out quickly. Mark Houser, author of MultiStories: Antique Skyscrapers, will take guests up to the rooftops of iconic buildings in downtown Pittsburgh, supplementing breathtaking views of the city with historic anecdotes about the buildings and their past residents.
Also the weekend of May 14-15, DOORS OPEN is offering two unique tours in the Hill District. On Saturday, travel through the Hill with Fifth Avenue by the Numbers, a Guided Walking Tour which will tell the story of how Pittsburgh numbers racketeering got its start. And at Red or Blue Wire: Click, Click, BOOM! on Sunday, May 15, the Pittsburgh Bomb Squad will showcase some of the devices from actual calls the unit has been a part of as well as samples of the tactical equipment required to defuse a threat.
The following weekend offers three Guided Walking Tour opportunities. First up is Squirrel Hill by the Numbers on Saturday, May 21, where historian and folklorist David Rotenstein will this time highlight Jewish numbers barons, a great follow-up to his similarly-themed tour in the Hill District the weekend prior. On Sunday, May 22, choices include Historic Hazelwood: A Tour of Pittsburgh’s Melting Pot and Roots of Pittsburgh, a downtown tour featuring stories you ought to know about how Pittsburgh came to be. Roots of Pittsburgh will also be offered on Saturday, May 28.
Rounding out the month of May, check out a comprehensive tour on May 28 of the diverse buildings and architectural styles found on the Carnegie Mellon campus with architect and planner Paul Tellers, or discover Choderwood: A Secret Riverfront Oasis, in Highland Park on Sunday, May 29.
All tours require pre-registration, which closes at 5 pm the day prior to the tour. Please visit https://doorsopenpgh.org/ for more information.
Guided Walking Tours are typically 90 to 120 minutes. Tickets prices vary from $15-$30. For more information: https://doorsopenpgh.org/guided-walking-tours-2/
Insider Tours typically last 45-60 minutes. Ticket prices vary from $15-$20. For more information: https://doorsopenpgh.org/insider-tours-2/
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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).