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Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania City Guide

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Pittsburgh Meeting Planning

Pittsburgh Skyline

Home to stunning architecture, ground-breaking museums, a rich heritage and a superior setting, Pittsburgh is a remarkable city. In 2008, Pittsburgh celebrated a monumental birthday and 250 years as a leader in industry and culture. With a skyline dominated by steel structures and skyscrapers, this thriving city features a wealth of cultural, recreational and entertainment opportunities. Additionally, Pittsburgh hosts numerous events throughout the year including the annual Pittsburgh Wine Festival, Three Rivers Film Festival and Dragon Boat Festival.

Not only does Pittsburgh offer a plethora of enticing activities, it also offers many alternatives to traditional meeting space. Invite up to 200 guests to convene under the Carnegie Museum of Natural History's recently opened Dinosaurs in Their Time Exhibit, featuring intact dinosaur skeletons including two T-Rexes posed mid-fight. Offer attendees exclusive views of animal habitats when you entertain at the wildly popular Pittsburgh Zoo or PPG Aquarium. Up to 500 guests can mingle with gorillas at the Safari Plaza, while 30 guests will delight in views of the polar bears from the Water's Edge Conference Room. For an authentic Pittsburgh experience, host an event like a true Pirates fan at one of the indoor or outdoor spaces at the 970,000-square-foot PNC Park, a striking testament to the city's love for its hometown team. For a lesser-known but no less prominent venue, the Mattress Factory, a unique contemporary art museum, is sure to make for an unforgettable evening of dinner or cocktails for up to 150 guests.

David L. Lawrence Convention Center

Hosting a tradeshow, convention or multi-day conference? The city's David L. Lawrence Convention Center opened in September 2003 to rave reviews. The $375 million, 1.5-million-square-foot convention center sits on 7.9 acres of land, offering spectacular views of the cityscape and the Allegheny River. As the first and largest LEED-certified convention center in the world, the David L. Lawrence Convention Center's modern, sprawling architecture is not only remarkable, but also efficient. The center utilizes natural lighting and ventilation, as well as cutting edge water and energy conservation throughout its 313,400 square feet of exhibit space, 31,610-square-foot Spirit of Pittsburgh Ballroom, 53 meeting rooms and two 250-seat lecture halls.

Pittsburgh practices the perfect balance of celebrating its heritage while modernizing its landscape. September 2008 marks the opening of the city's Great Allegheny Passage Trail, a 335-mile-long bicycle and hiking trail that joins Pittsburgh to Washington, DC and takes riders and hikers past the historic C&O Canal National Historic Park in Cumberland, Maryland. The 36-acre magnificent Point State ParkPoint State Park
Point State Park is in the midst of a total restoration, during which the city will restore its river promenade and connect the park to the Great Allegheny Passage and Three Rivers Heritage trail, a 21-mile-long bicycle and hiking trail that runs beside the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers.

Planners can rest assured that the city's great attractions are more accessible now than ever before with the recent upgrade of two of its light rail transit lines. The public transportation system also purchased 28 new light rail vehicles and remanufactured 40 existing light rail vehicles. Funding discussions for the construction of the North Shore Connector, a 1.6-mile-long light rail extension that will service the city's North Shore neighborhood and David L. Lawrence Convention Center are currently underway. Plus, visitors from 20 major U.S. cities, including CharlotteCharlotte
Charlotte, Cincinnati and New York CityNew York
New York City, are fewer than 90 minutes away from touching down at the high-ranking Pittsburgh International Airport.

Pittsburgh's economy rests on retail, technology, finance and medicine. Several corporate giants hold their headquarters in Pittsburgh, including Dick's Sporting Goods, H.J. Heinz Company, PNC Financial Services and Mylan Laboratories. Higher learning also holds a strong presence within the city, as it is home to Carnegie Mellon University, Duquesne University and the University of Pittsburgh.

Key Statistics

About Pittsburgh / Additional Info

Pittsburgh, also known as "Steel City" due to its once prominent steel making industry, enjoys a world-class reputation that's as strong as its nickname implies. Named America's Most Livable City by Places Rated Almanac in 2007, Pittsburgh's modern allure stems from its friendly atmosphere, breathtaking surroundings and intriguing attractions. It's also the location of many important firsts, including Heinz ketchup, which was first created in Pittsburgh in 1876. George Ferris constructed the world's first Ferris wheel in Pittsburgh in 1893. His creation was a towering 264-foot-high rotating structure that could hold more than 2,000 people at a time.

Pittsburgh was established in November 1758 after the French and Indian War when General John Forbes led his army to the region and captured the French outpost at Fort Duquesne. Named after British Secretary of State William Pitt, Pittsburgh is located at the fork of three rivers: the Allegheny, Monongahela and Ohio. Pittsburgh became a major industrial center in the 19th and early 20th centuries, specializing in steel, iron, aluminum and glass, much to the detriment of its environment. But by the 1960s, Pittsburgh reinvented itself with a focus on clean water, clean air and a strong commitment to community.

Andy Warhol Museum

Pittsburgh's population of 334,563 people is spread among 89 distinct neighborhoods that range from the upscale, funky Shadyside to the traditional Little Italy district in Bloomfield. Pittsburgh's artsy Lawrenceville neighborhood features charming art galleries and coffee shops, while the Strip District is a melting pot of specialty grocers, restaurants, shops and vendors celebrating Asian, European, Middle Eastern, Latin American and Caribbean cultures. The city's South Side is an urban neighborhood full of live music, art exhibits and furniture shops within a 20-block stretch, while the North Side is the city's cultural and entertainment capital, serving as home to the Andy Warhol Museum, Mattress Factory, Pittsburgh Children's Museum and Carnegie Science Center, just to name a few.

Pittsburgh is also a cultural mecca, as literally hundreds of unique sites, museums and performing arts centers, including four world-renowned Carnegie museums, are located within the city's 58.35 total square miles. Marvel at more than 12,000 Warhol creations at the Andy Warhol Museum. Visit the Carnegie Museum of Natural History to journey back to the past by observing 2,500 ancient Egyptian artifacts. Catch a glimpse of Jupiter's clouds and Saturn's rings at the first-class observatory in the Carnegie Science Center.

Pittsburgh's extensive restaurant scene includes such neighborhood favorites as the Original Fish Market, which serves upscale fare made from fresh seafood and shellfish flown in twice daily. The chic, Mondrian-inspired Ibiza Tapas Restaurant and Wine Bar serves more than 45 international tapas selections within its rich Red Room, glass-paneled Wine Room and Bar, stark White Room and stone waterfall-accented patio.