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| - The Heinz History Center is yet another great museum in PGH. If you're a history buff, an out-of-towner, or new to PGH, I'd strongly suggest visiting. I've been here three or four times, and although most of the exhibits are permanent, I always have a great time.
In terms of exhibits, my favorite is the special collections (5th floor?), which is a hodgepodge of artifacts of historical interest. No matter who you're perusing with, there's always so much to talk about in this exhibit! If you go through it methodically, you can easily spend an hour here alone. The artifacts run the gamut from beds to cars to confessionals to things whose purpose you have no idea of until you read the description.
Another favorite exhibit of mine is Pittsburgh through the ages, which allows you to see how the city has changed over the years, and some of the people who've influenced it greatly. When I came here with my parents, they were very impressed at how versatile PGH is, and how many talented people are from here! Also, don't forget to stop by the Pittsburghese exhibit located nearby for a laugh.
I'm not much of a sports buff, so I don't get as much out of the Western PA sports exhibit as many people do, but it also provides some interesting background about the history of sports in PGH. Even if you're not very into sports, I'd recommend taking a quick spin through this section unless you're pressed for time.
I agree that the layout of the exhibits can be somewhat unintuitive (I've unknowingly skipped exhibits)--I'd recommend starting from the top floor and working down. This museum is located in the Strip District, which is a great section of PGH for shopping and eating, so when you're finished at the museum, I'd strongly recommend exploring the area. 4.5 stars.
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