Another one of the Troy Hill Art Houses, Mrs. Christopher's was a home formerly owned by said-named…read morewoman until she died. After that, her kids sold the home and the buyer commissioned an artist to make their vision come alive. Currently on the ground floor is a diorama of Christmas Day 1960 -- although if you are form the '80s and '90s, it may feel reminiscent to you as well... ashtray and cigarettes on the table, cookies for Santa, Monopoly on the floor, TV in the background... Upstairs there is a room designed like a small hunting lodge -- yet created to both mock and put down idea of hunting while reminding us of species gone extinct with repeated images surrounding the room via wallpaper. In the attic is a wall of canned goods -- from produce to a snake to a jar filled with beads. On the other side is floor to ceiling boxes -- like an old Sucrets tin or a fancy jewelry box or an old chocolates box purchased for Valentine's Day long ago. Inside are various knickknacks like little figurines or painted leaves stating "mercury poisoning" or acorns. You are encouraged to open as many as you wish. Bottom line: This house is creative in the feelings it evokes, from reminiscing the old holidays, to starting to ponder the ethics of our hobbies, to wondering about how to preserve anything in a jar or other makeshift time capsule and come back to rediscover it with the joy of a kid. At least that was my experience.

This is the fourth, and newest of the Troy Hill Art Houses. If you are not familiar with the Troy…read moreHill Art Houses, they are all individual houses up on Troy Hill that have been turned into art exhibits. There is no admission fee to tour the houses, and you can reserve a time slot on the website. The newest is called "Mrs Christopher's House," and was named after the former owner of the house. The art inside the house was curated by artist Mark Dion, and just opened for public exhibition on October 26th, 2024. Although video and photography is now prohibited on the inside of the houses (It used to be allowed), I snapped a few photos from the outside, and found some online that I re-posted. Inside there are several rooms, and the theming is different in each room. I won't go into too much detail about the rooms, so I don't spoil the surprise, but they are well worth checking out, especially if you like art, and are of the curious sort, and like seeing interesting things . . . Cheers!

I've had friends who've lived in the lofts here as well as had their work in display. I like this…read moregallery and I like the various genres they have at any given time. Sculpture, oil paintings, water colors, fabric pieces, photographs. Just what you'd expect to find in an art space. Often I pop in when walking to Whole Foods on a Saturday afternoon. It's a lovely way to spend an hour or so on a beautiful day.

I like taking to artists and buying their artwork. This is a very beautiful space and the artists…read moreare all usually willing to chat. I came in on Saturday while walking home and ran into Ryan. In the past, I've met other talented artists. This loft works well in the early fall as a meet & greet as well as sophisticated gallery. You won't regret taking a tour. The people that come through are incredibly eclectic and friendly.

This is a gem in Pittsburgh -- a truly unique way to spend an hour. Check out these folks' home and…read morecollection of oddities. I could have spent hours there -- so maybe will someday return; an hour simply is only enough to capture the vibe, while I could see myself giving every item and character in their place a moment of its own. Bottom line: If you like the off-the-beaten-path adventures, this fits right in. Go! And don't forget not to be a cheapskate and tip your tour guide.

I have been here twice AND have interacted with Velda and Mr. Arm outside of their tour. I just…read morelove these people and the wacky maximalism they're living in. Velda is a superb tour guide. Be sure to give them a donation (suggested $20 for the hour) or alcohol or some weird oddity if you go! They have events like movie nights that I would love to attend. Many great dead things are waiting to meet you at the Trundle Manor. Parking on the street!

Another great collective lining the artists section of Penn Avenue in Garfield. It's a community…read moreorganization acting as an art gallery and performance environment for musicians, performers, painters and artists of the like. Unblurred is a great opportunity to check out their offerings.

A creative safe space that celebrates art and education. I absolutely love the crew here and the…read moreartwork that is showcased on a monthly basis.

This is a newish art gallery managed by the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust. Admission is free, and the…read morecurrent exhibition is the artwork of Danny Devine .... Soooo much cool stuff to look at in here, most of it Yinzer inspired ... BIG CHEERS!!!!!

Ryan Arts Center is a gem in the heart of McKees Rocks, and every community could only be as…read morefortunate as this one to have such a wonderful place to learn, grow, and explore their creativity! Jennifer was extremely helpful in providing information to my boyfriend and I since last night was our first time being here. I can say with confidence that it certainly won't be our last. Kevin Mosely was a speaker featured at Ryan Arts last night and he was speaking on Black history and his experiences as an activist. We started out socializing in the art gallery, which at the time was featuring art for the African American Celebration of the Arts. You could even vote for your favorite to be in the running to win a prize, but all the art was so incredible it's been tough to pick a favorite! The gallery had such a cozy feel to it that it almost felt like I was somewhere I'd been many times before. They had small bites of fruit, veggies, cheese and meat for guests to snack on, and even a few desserts. There was a table with some wine on it if you preferred something to sip on before Kevin took the stage for the night. Soon enough we headed into the auditorium, which was nice and spacious. After Kevin finished answering questions from the crowd, we were welcomed back into the gallery to take pictures and speak with him before we left. Jennifer gave us 2 packets of information on upcoming programs such as yoga, cooking classes, etc. She gave us 2 so I could share with a friend of mine that just moved to the McKees Rocks area which was super nice of her! From the outside it's hard to tell how big this place is, but it has the gallery, auditorium, ceramics studio, kitchen, area for painting, reading, and more. There is something for everyone here regardless of your age and artistic ability, and I can't begin to explain how welcomed we felt during our first visit. Can't wait to see what's in store for the rest of the year!

This is far more than a typical venue to see live performances or art exhibits. It's a place that…read moreallows a community to come together through art and music. Several programs and classes are available. There's a coffee shop where proceeds go back into centre. Part of FOR, also known as For Our Renewal which is a community initiative that has been a part of the McKeesRocks landscape for years. In addition to Ryan's they have a senior center, health center and more. Ryan's allows children to cultivate talents through dance, painting and more. A vital part of life in the Rocks.

What a sweet store in Robinson Mall! The artwork produced and laid throughout the store really…read morebrings an ambiance to it but what's even better is actually doing the artwork there. The owners - who are the sweetest - provide you direction and all the materials you need to make your glassware perfect! There are all the colors and types of products to make. I attended with a group and it was worth the cost!

We just hosted my daughter's 10 year old birthday party at Kolor-N-Kiln. It was an easy process and…read moreeveryone at the studio was so friendly and amazing!! The selection of pictures to paint was extensive. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!

This is a very unique organization and establishment. As a migrant from Brazil, we feel right at…read morehome with the staff, the bookstore, restaurant and stage. The programs are very unique and yesterday we were able to catch Brazilian music being presented in such a rich delicate style. There might have been 30 to 40 Brazilians in the house and we were so fortunate to have this venue to welcome us in such a warm and artistic way. I encourage everyone reading this review to check their program and have a seat at the restaurant or at the bar to enjoy one of the most diverse venues in Pittsburgh! Cheers and may Pittsburgh's City of Asylum remain a remain vibrant and fun establishment for all people

Yelp capitulated to management's pressure and removed my first review of this bookstore because I…read more"didn't include enough detail about my experience," so here it goes: I bought a Spanish children's book for my friends' son but they already had the book. Given that nowhere has asked me to see a receipt for a return in the past 25 years, I didn't have it when I tried to return it. I asked the cashier if there was any way to look it up in the system since I knew the date I purchased it, so she rolled her eyes and told me to "go away" so she could concentrate. I browsed some books and noticed that she had left her post to help set up for one of their pretentious events that featured writers reading their poetry in its original language, with no translation, of course, so no one in the audience could understand a word. But I digress. When she returned to the register she was flustered and told me she didn't have time to deal with me. I then asked if I could make an exchange instead but she said "the system won't allow it." I started to leave but realized I couldn't really do anything worthwhile with the book, so I asked to speak to a manager. The manager, who was maybe 20, treated me like a nuisance and spoke to me condescendingly, claiming that that's their policy. I asked if I could buy $100 worth of books if they let me return it, which irritated her more. I calmly pointed out the irony of running an establishment that seeks to break rules and then uses them when it's convenient, and she somehow claimed I was calling them racist, which was odd. The cashier then opened her purse, took out $8 and threw it at me. I said I didn't want the money and slid the book across the table and said to do whatever they want with it. I then wrote to the director comp of their behavior and received no response until now, 6 years later, when they flagged my review for removal. Maybe that was specific enough.