SPOTLIGHT: Historic Market Square

Friday, August 28 10:00 - 11:00 a.m. $25 per person This tour is limited to 20 participants. Purchase a ticket below. Tickets will not be available after 11:30 p.m. on August 27. Long considered Downtown Pittsburgh's living room, historic Market Square has survived for nearly 250 years, taking on different shapes of design and functionality over periods of time in history. Market Square, for example, was the site of the first Allegheny County Courthouse, a structure made out of wood in 1794 and demolished in 1852. Since then, the square has changed over time, adjusting to the nature of how Downtown was evolving and the square was designed to meet the needs of the people who lived, worked-in, and visited Downtown. A little over a year ago, city and county leaders, together with the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership, proposed yet another redesign of the square as a part of a grand spruce-up effort in Downtown in the lead up to the City of Pittsburgh's hosting of the NFL Draft in April. The redesign, they said, included long-term utility and accessibility enhancements as well as installation of steel and glass canopy as an homage to the design of the former market house that once was the defining feature of the square. Regardless of its shape or function, however, Market Square has endured as the spiritual heart of Downtown Pittsburgh. Our tour will be led in part together with the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership, which oversaw the re-design and construction of Market Square in 2025-2026. Tour meeting point: Corner of McMaster Way and Market Square, Pittsburgh, PA 15222, outside the Original Oyster House. Please be careful not to block the entrance to the restaurant. Tour ending point: Market Square Please arrive 15 minutes before start time in order to ensure that the tour gets underway on time. Accessibility: This tour is accessible to people with disabilities. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ All tour participants under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Children under the age of 13 may attend tours free of charge. By purchasing a ticket for this tour, you acknowledge that you are physically able to undertake the tour, assume all personal risk during the tour, consent to being photographed during the tour, and permit PHLF to use your image in our communications. All ticket sales are final.