Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh invite the community to “crash” their historic Oakland campus for a free weekend celebration marking their shared 125th anniversary. Attendees will enjoy free admission to Carnegie Museums of Art and Natural History, live performances, historic tours, a building-wide scavenger hunt, hands-on artmaking, special storytimes, science demonstrations, and more.

Crash the Carnegies
WHEN:    Saturday, November 6 & Sunday, November 7; 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
WHERE:  4400 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213

Carnegie Library and the four Carnegie Museums will be joined by cultural organizations from around the city to fill museum and library spaces with entertainment and activities. A growing list of participating groups includes: Kidsburgh, Kelly Strayhorn Theater, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Protohaven, Yoga Motif, Pittsburgh Cultural Trust – Trust Arts Education, Pittsburgh Arts & Lectures, Carnegie Hero Fund Commission, Queen’s Gambit Chess Institute, Steel City Lego Users Group, Pittsburgh Glass Center, Buzzword Pittsburgh, Haley Clancey – A Poem’s Purpose, Write Pittsburgh, Saturday Light Brigade, Pittsburgh Opera, Pittsburgh Youth Chorus, and Attack Theatre.

“This is a special opportunity to not only celebrate the continued impact the Library and Museums have on communities in Pittsburgh, but also the strength of our partnerships with other cultural organizations and institutions for learning,” said Mary Frances Cooper, president and director of Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh. “It’s always powerful to be reminded of the interconnectedness of literature, art, science, and other fields, and how they work together to enrich and strengthen individuals, families, and entire communities.”

“Andrew Carnegie regarded these institutions as his signature gift to the people of Pittsburgh, but it’s a gift that Pittsburghers have repaid in countless ways across the many decades since,” said Steven Knapp, president and CEO of Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh. “For 125 years, they have graced our library spaces and museum galleries, and their generous support ensures that others will follow them for at least the next 125! Inviting Pittsburgh to ‘Crash the Carnegies’ is one small way to celebrate that legacy.”

The two-day event will include a sensory-friendly space, as well as spaces and activities for teens. Walk-ins are welcome, but patrons are asked to RSVP by reserving a timed ticket on the crashthecarnegies.org website so that COVID-19 capacity limits can be maintained throughout the day. Appropriate COVID-19 safety protocols will be followed, with masks required of all visitors age 2 and above as well as for all staff members and volunteers.

History of the Historic Oakland Campus
On November 5, 1895, philanthropist Andrew Carnegie dedicated “Carnegie Institute,” his gift of a library, an art and natural history museum, a lecture hall, and a grand music hall (the first home of the Pittsburgh Symphony)—all in one building—to the people of Pittsburgh. More than 2,000 people attended the dedication. Carnegie’s dream of a cultural hub for Pittsburgh had sparked the largest architectural design competition held in America up to that time: 97 firms competed, and the winning group was Longfellow, Alden & Harlow. Years later, Carnegie would profess: “The success of Library, Art Gallery, Museum, and Music Hall—a noble quartet in an immense building—is one of the chief satisfactions of my life.”

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