Heinz History Center - The Largest Neighborhood Collection

Stop on Mister Rogers, a free self-guided tour.

Cross the river to the Strip District and the Senator John Heinz History Center, which holds the largest collection of original items from Mister Rogers' Neighborhood anywhere. The program ran nationally from 1968 to 2001, and much of what you saw on screen ended up here.

Head for the fourth floor. The display includes the front entryway and living room set he walked into at the start of each episode, King Friday XIII's castle, the Great Oak Tree that was home to Henrietta Pussycat and X the Owl, and Mr. McFeely's Speedy Delivery tricycle. Seen up close, the sets are smaller and more homemade than most visitors expect, which is part of their charm.

The collection still gets used. When the 2019 feature film about Rogers starring Tom Hanks was in production, its crew studied these pieces to match colors, fabrics and proportions for their own re-created set.

Getting here: Drive about 1.5 miles southeast across the 16th Street Bridge into the Strip District. Smallman Street has metered parking and nearby garages.

Did you know?: In 2018, on what would have been his 90th birthday, the museum added a green cardigan and a pair of blue shoes he wore on the show in the 1980s.

Photo op: Frame the entryway and living room set straight on, the way the camera saw it at the start of each episode.

For kids: Look for the tree where the owl and the pussycat lived, then count how many windows the castle has.

Hours and cost: Open daily 10 am to 5 pm except major holidays. Admission charged; check the museum's website for free days.