Neighborhood Walking Tour: Oakland—Pittsburgh’s Original Cultural District

In 1889, Mary Schenley donated 300 acres of land to the City of Pittsburgh to create the park that bears her name. By the turn of the 20th century, construction of other amenities transformed Oakland into Pittsburgh’s original cultural district. This tour focuses on the section of Oakland that includes Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, Carnegie Museums of Art and Natural History, and the main branch of Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, which drew people from around the growing industrial city for respite, enlightenment, and aesthetic pleasure. Stops at additional sites around these landmark institutions will reveal not only how the neighborhood has continued to evolve, but also the mix of features that still attracts people to Pittsburgh’s original home of culture.