History Center explores holiday season in “A Very Merry Pittsburgh”
Courtesy of the Heinz History Center
Courtesy of the Heinz History Center
PITTSBURGH – The simple act of saying “happy holidays” has become a flashpoint in the culture wars, but the exhibit “A Very Merry Pittsburgh” illustrates that making that broad-based wish is wholly appropriate in this region.
A diverse melting pot in its industrial heyday, and still home to people of variegated origins, Pittsburgh and its surrounding communities have residents who celebrate Diwali, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah and St. Nicholas Day along with Thanksgiving and Christmas. A newly opened exhibit at the Senator John Heinz History Center, “A Very Merry Pittsburgh,” looks at how the bumper-crop of year-end holidays are commemorated by Southwest Pennsylvanians. While there’s plenty of cultural and social history to absorb, there are also plentiful doses of merriment: it contains toys that Pittsburghers might have discovered under the tree 60 or 70 years ago, and Santa’s original chair from the downtown Kauffmann’s store.
“A Very Merry Pittsburgh” comes on the heels of a traveling exhibit on the Vietnam War that the history center hosted for several months, and curator Anne Madarasz acknowledges that its tone is obviously much lighter.
“We wanted to have something for families during the holidays,” she explained. “That’s part of having a good rhythm of exhibits. We tell a story about our region.”
Since the history center has Kaufmann’s Santa chair, vintage toys and other seasonal artifacts in its collection, building a Christmas exhibit seemed like a natural move. But “we wanted to make it a little more inclusive,” Madarasz said, by looking at the range of traditions Southwest Pennsylvanians observe at this time of year.
“That’s one thing we wanted to bring to the forefront,” she said. “This is a very diverse population.”
The history center is planning on making “A Very Merry Pittsburgh” a seasonal staple. They are also hoping that residents of the region will come forward with additional holiday artifacts that can be used in 2020 and beyond. For instance, Madarasz said, the history center does not have a dreidel, a four-sided spinning top with a Hebrew letter on each side that is played during Hanukkah.
Santa Claus will be taking a break from his toy-making duties in the North Pole and visiting the exhibit on Nov. 29, Dec. 1, Dec. 7-8, Dec. 14-15 and Dec. 21-24. “A Very Merry Pittsburgh” will be on display through Jan. 5.
For additional information, go online to www.heinzhistorycenter.org/holidays.