Born in Pittsburgh in 1928, Andy Warhol (born Andrew Warhola, the youngest son of working-class Carpatho-Rusyn immigrants) moved to New York at the age of 21, after graduating from Carnegie-Mellon University. By the end of the 1950s, he was one of the most successful commercial artists in the nation, before turning his attention to fine and Pop arts. During the early 1960s he started shooting 16mm films - Empire, Chelsea Girls and Lonesome Cowboys - and developed the "Exploding Plastic Inevitable" multimedia show, featuring erotic dancers and music by the Velvet Underground, whom he managed. After founding Interview magazine in 1969, Warhol became transfixed with the rich and famous and, up until his death in 1987, was perhaps best known for his celebrity portraits and his appearances at society events.
Although the majority of Warhol's most famous pieces are in the hands of private collectors, the museum boasts an impressive selection of work, with over five hundred items on display at any one time, including Pop Art ( Campbell's Soup Cans ) and portraiture (Elvis, Marilyn, Jackie Kennedy). It pays equal attention to archival material, and chronological self-guided tours give a good idea of Warhol's artistic development and his eventful lifestyle. A cinema shows two films or videos daily, one of which is usually a Warhol production. There's an excellent, informative Archives Study Department and a popular free Weekend Factory (call for details), where Warhol's techniques are explained and visitors can have a go themselves. During " Good Fridays " (Fri 5-10pm; free), there is a cash bar, and the lobby buzzes with live bands or other performance arts. The museum also has a well-stocked gift shop and a café.
Elsewhere on the North Side, revitalization centers around the intriguingly named Mexican War Streets on the northern edge of Allegheny Commons. In this unevenly restored, tree-lined area of nineteenth-century gray-brick and limestone terraces, old families, descendants of German and Scandinavian immigrants, live in an uneasy truce alongside young professionals. The excellent and highly unusual Mattress Factory , 500 Sampsonia Way (Tues-Sat 10am-5pm, Sun 1-5pm, closed Aug; $6, free on Thurs; tel 412/231-3169), has contemporary installations by top mixed-media artists, and is a must on any visit to the city. The National Aviary , Allegheny Commons West (daily 9am-4.30pm; $5; tel 412/323-7235), is a huge indoor bird sanctuary with over three hundred species, including foul-mouthed parrots, in free flight under a showpiece 30ft glass dome. Nearby, The Pittsburgh Children's Museum , 10 Children's Way, Allegheny Square (Tues-Thurs & Sat 10am-5pm, Fri 10am-8pm, Sun noon-5pm; $5, children 2-18 yrs $4.50, Thurs $3.50 all; tel 412/322-5058, ), offers a plethora of games, events and special exhibitions.
The USS Requin , a 1945 submarine, bobs on the shores of the Allegheny River (daily 10am-5pm; $5) outside the huge state-of-the-art Carnegie Science Center , 1 Allegheny Ave, most of whose exhibits are aimed at children (daily 10am-5pm, Sat until 9pm; $14, children $10; tel 412/237-3400, ). One exhibit, "The Works," explores Pittsburgh's past by means of a working foundry, and it holds such wonders as the world's largest cockroach (from Florida). The Center also contains an impressive OMNIMAX theater and a planetarium ($8 for one show, $12 for two); combination tickets are available ($18 for exhibits and one attraction, $21 for all). Next door, Heinz Field (call 412/432-7800 for tickets or tours), home to the Pittsburgh Steelers football team, is one of the two brand new sports venues that opened in 2001 to replace the shared Three Rivers Stadium. The other, further along the river toward 6th St Bridge, is PNC Park (tel 1-800/289-2827), the new home of the Pittsburgh Pirates baseball team. Beautifully constructed so that from most seats you get a sweeping view of the Allegheny and downtown, it's a real treat to watch a game here on a balmy summer night.
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