Trust Arts Public Art Walking Tour in the Cultural District
by Janet Jonus Image by Couleur from Pixabay
If you are itching to get and about again, take a Self-Guided Walking Tour of the Trust Arts Public Art Works in the Cultural District.
There are eight works of Pubic Art in the Cultural District in Downtown Pittsburgh. Take a self-guided walking tour around the Cultural District, and then stop in at Giovanni’s Pizza at 123 6th Street for Family+FunPittsburgh’s favorite pizza in Downtown Pittsburgh. (And we tried all of them!)
Start at the Corner of Penn Ave and 9th Street. You will find The Water Cube, an artist-designed public art installation that dispenses clear and sparkling water (though the sparkling water isn’t too effervescent in Family+FunPittsburgh’s experience). Fill a water bottle from this unique piece of art that debuted at the 2016 Dollar Bank Three Rivers Arts Festival.
Head down Penn Avenue toward Point State Park. Take a right onto Tito Way where you will find five framed posters from the Marx@200 exhibit.
Take a right onto Liberty Avenue. Look up one block down to see Flow – a series of lights on the Wood Street T Station. Just around the corner is another smaller light display called 168 Lightbulbs. The box of lights start out as an abstract design and then coalesce into the shape of Claude Shannon the “Father of Information Theory”.
Head back down 7th Street towards The Benedum Theater. Just across from The Benedum is the 7th and Penn Parklet. This parklet is a quiet spot in the crush of the city. It features Magnolias for Pittsburgh with two bronze magnolia trees and five live magnolia trees. It is great place to see a bit of nature in the heart of the Cultural District.
Turn right along 7th Street and a half block down you will find the Trust Oasis. This space has Pop-Up art installations that rotate throughout the year. Stop by and see what you find.
Once you leave the Trust Oasis, turn left and cross the street to get to the Katz Plaza. The Plaza has numerous large sculptures that double as seats and a tall fountain. The Family+FunPittsburgh Kids loved the plaza as a place to run and play when in the city. The Plaza hosts live concerts throughout the summer. (It may not during 2021 due to the ongoing pandemic.)
Head down Penn Avenue to 6th Street. Turn right and go past the Byham Theater. Turn right at the corner of the Byham and look up. The Fort Duquesne Boulevard Facade of the Byham features the Hass Mural, a tribute to the historical industry of Pittsburgh painted by Richard Haas in 1993.
202021: a new constellation is currently set up around the Cultural District. This work features twelve artists. It celebrates new hope for a better year in 2021. Check here for more information: https://trustarts.org/pct_home/visual-arts/public-art/202021-a-new-constellation
Once you have checked out the Hass Mural on the Byham, head back onto 6th Street and grab a piece of pizza or a pasta dish at Giovanni’s. Family+FunPittsburgh loves to stop in when we are in town for an event. https://ilovegiovannis.com/
