Museums Archives - Discover the Burgh

Phipps Conservatory’s Summer Flower Show – Van Gogh in Bloom

Last Updated On June 10, 2019

Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens in Oakland is one of the pride and jewels of Pittsburgh. Each season the conservatory unveils a new show that features impressive artistic displays as well as unique seasonal flowers that will have you coming back time and time again.

The Summer Flower Show in 2019 is themed “Van Gogh in Bloom” and features some of this master's wonderful works re-imagined with flowers as the medium!

As with previous shows, we do not like to give everything away in our reviews. Instead, we're only featuring a select few of our favorite rooms and are leaving the rest for you to enjoy on your visit!

Exploring the Historical Jail Museum in Downtown Pittsburgh

Last Updated On April 16, 2019

If you've spent some time walking around downtown Pittsburgh, odds are good you've seen the old Allegheny County Courthouse and Jail. This historical building is one of the most stunning in the city and even includes its own Bridge of Sighs walkway that connected the two buildings.

Today the jail has been decommissioned and converted into a Common Pleas court, yet many artifacts from the era exist and are available on display in the Old Allegheny County Jail Museum.

But if you want to check this one out you'll have to plan accordingly- it is only open from 11:30am to 1pm on Mondays, February to October!

Visiting the Donora Historical Society and Donora Smog Museum

Last Updated On March 26, 2019

One of the things we love about the boroughs in southwest Pennsylvania is that many of them have a historical society and museum dedicated to sharing the history of the area.

Some of these, like the Saxonburg Museum, are huge. Others, like the Harmony Museums, are spread out over multiple historical buildings that are all worth exploring.

In Donora, the museum managed by the Donora Historical Society is fairly small. But what it lacks in size it makes up for in sharing the borough's history and the Donora Smog environmental disaster.

Phipps Conservatory’s Spring Flower Show – Gardens of the Rainbow

Last Updated On March 25, 2019

As the cold of winter begins to leave Pittsburgh, there is one thing we always look forward to in order to ring in the start of spring – Phipps Conservatory's Spring Flower Show!

2019's Spring Flower Show has the theme “Gardens of the Rainbow” and highlights the colors of the rainbow as well as other unique aspects of color theory- making this one of the most vibrant shows in recent memory!

We were fortunate to visit Phipps Conservatory shortly after this show opened as guests of Phipps and we wanted to share some of our favorite rooms and exhibits with you today.

As with all of our museum posts, we're only sharing a selection of our favorites because you truly must visit for yourself to experience it all!

Westmoreland Museum of American Art – A Free Museum in Greensburg

Last Updated On June 9, 2019

The Westmoreland Museum of American Art is located just a few blocks away from the business district of downtown Greensburg, PA.

This free museum houses a rather impressive collection that you really should check out on your next visit to the city!

The Saxonburg Museum is a Wonderful Historical Gem

Last Updated On June 19, 2019

Prior to visiting Saxonburg, I only had heard a few stories about the borough's rich history.

It wasn't until I visited for a Burgh, Bits, and Bites food tour that I was able to learn more about the history due to the fact that the tour started out at the wonderful Saxonburg Museum!

If you're in the area during the museum's seasonal operating period, this one is most certainly worth a stop.

Touring the Historic Harmony Museum and Log Cabins

Last Updated On March 14, 2019

Harmony, Pennsylvania (30 minutes north of Pittsburgh) is one of our favorite boroughs for a number of reasons. It is quaint, historic, and is home to one of the best restaurants in the region- Harmony Inn.

When it comes to the history, Harmony is rather unique. To celebrate it, the borough has a robust museum that we were really excited to check out.

Phipps Conservatory’s Winter Flower Show – A Festive Tradition

Last Updated On March 14, 2019

When it comes to holiday festivities, one of the best places in Pittsburgh to visit is Phipps Conservatory. Their winter flower show, which begins the Friday after Thanksgiving and runs until early-January, is a celebration of the holiday season with festive art pieces, an array of gorgeous winter flowers, and some of the most beautifully decorated Christmas trees in Pittsburgh.

For our visit to the 2018 show we made our way to the conservatory at dusk to enjoy the outdoor Light Garden which is only open from 5pm onward when the sun sets over the city.

As with each flower show, we are drawn to some rooms more than others, both for their photographic beauty as well as the ambiance in general. From the 2018 Winter Flower Show, the following were a selection of our favorite displays.

Kentuck Knob Offers a Stunning House Tour in the Laurel Highlands

Last Updated On May 29, 2019

When it comes to Frank Lloyd Wright masterpieces in southwest Pennsylvania, odds are good you know of the iconic Fallingwater house. But did you know that Wright also commissioned a house just a few miles down the roads for friends of the Kaufmann family?

This house is Kentuck Knob- a large, Usonian house designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and built for the Hagan family (of local ice cream fame).

The Forbes Campaign in Western Pennsylvania at Fort Ligonier

Last Updated On June 9, 2019

When driving through the borough of Ligonier in the Laurel Highlands, you can't miss Fort Ligonier. This imposing, recreated fort is located right in the heart of the town and is a highlight all visitors must check out.

We've got to hand it to this one, it does an exceptional job of bringing the history of southwest Pennsylvania during the 1700s to life!