Current Exhibit

Bost Building Exhibits

Making It Better:  Folk Arts in Pennsylvania Today 

September 7 through November 30, 2010
"Making It Better" tells the story of over 30 artists who work within and for their respective communities.  The art, coming from every corner of the state, represents a wide array of traditions such as African dance, stonewall construction, Aztec clay flutes, Pysanky eggs, contemporary blacksmith work, and Vietnamese funerary protraits.  Objects, photographs, film, music and interactive stations allow visitors to experience these traditions with all their senses.  Dispelling the notions that folk art is "quaint" and "something from the past" this exhibit demonostrates that although most traditional arts are rooted in centuries' old practices, they are meeting the needs of those living in very modern times.

The Restored Rooms

The Bost Building was built in 1892 as a hotel and served as the temporary headquarters for the Amalgamated Association of Iron and Steel Workers during the Homestead Lockout and Strike. Two rooms in the building have been restored to the way they looked in 1892, with original floorboards and period reproduction wallpaper. One room tells the story of the Homestead Strike; the other contains photographs that chronicle the restoration of the building from dilapidation through its opening as the Rivers of Steel Visitors Center.

Recently added to the restored rooms is a computer kiosk displaying an exciting documentary on the Battle of Homestead. Using archival footage, photographs and documents, this film allows you to learn about history on the site where it occurred.

The Homestead Room

The Homestead Room is a permanent exhibit displaying artifacts and art work specifically related to the Homestead Works. The centerpiece of the exhibit is a 23.5' long model of the Homestead Works that originally stood in the General Office Building of the mill.

Information

Admission to the Bost Building for non-members is $3.00 for adults, $1.00 for children under 14.  Admission is free for members (up to 4 people).  Active military personnel with proper ID (and up to five family members) will be admitted free through Labor Day.

Docent-led tours of the Bost Building or Pump House are available by appointment for $5 per person, or combine the two for $8 per person (includes admission to exhibits).  For more information, contact us or call 412-464-4020 ext. 32. 

Exhibit Hours

The exhibit will be closed through September 1, 2010 while we install the new exhibit, Making It Better:  Folk Arts in Pennsylvania Today.

Directions

Get directions to the museum.

Pump House Exhibits

Located in the Waterfront, site of the former Homestead Works, the Pump House was the site of the battle between workers and the Pinkerton Detective agents during the 1892 Homestead Lockout and Strike. The site has been renovated for use as an interpretive space. The Pump House is located at 880 E. Waterfront Drive, Munhall.