Overview

Meaningful, Relevant, Educational Programs

Year-round, PHLF offers a variety of educational programs that bring the Pittsburgh region’s rich history and architecture to life for people of all ages and abilities.

PHLF involves more than 12,000 people each year in learning about the region’s significant architectural heritage through guidebooks, illustrated lectures, hands-on workshops, artifact kits, tours, poetry and art, architectural design challenges, career awareness programs, and after-school enrichment, and Architecture Apprenticeship, and special events.

In the process, participants develop a sense of hometown pride, learn to value diversity (because it’s the different styles and ages of buildings that make a city distinctive), and have the chance to imagine, inquire, investigate, explore, create, and share.

“We are able to offer a full range of meaningful, relevant, hands-on educational programs because of the generous contributions we receive from many foundations and donors,” said Executive Director Louise Sturgess. “We can do that because we have a terrific group of docents who aid our staff by volunteering more than 2,000 hours each year to lead tours and to present lectures.”

A Pittsburgh Public School teacher summed up the satisfaction that many thousands of people feel after participating in one of PHLF’s award-winning educational programs: “A million thank-yous. The knowledge that my students and I acquired today will last a lifetime.”