EXHIBITS
Diya lamps used during Diwali, c. 2018. Gift of Krishna Sharma.
Artifact Spotlight: Diwali Diya Lamps
These small earthenware lamps are central to Diwali, the religious Hindu festival of light. The light of the lamp drives away darkness and symbolizes knowledge. Usually filled with oil or ghee (a kind of clarified butter made from bovine milk and used in Indian cooking, medicine, and religious rituals), the lamps have a cotton wick. The lamps light the home, burning away darkness and ignorance, as the flame reaches towards higher spiritual knowledge. See these diya lamps in-person and learn more about a host of holiday traditions in the A Very Merry Pittsburgh exhibition at the History Center, on view through Dec. 31.
Visitors explore the Wars of Empire and Liberty exhibit.
The Revolutionary Art of Don Troiani
The History Center has partnered with the Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia to showcase a new exhibition, Wars of Empire and Liberty , featuring the revolutionary art of Don Troiani. Located in the museum’s fifth floor Barensfeld Gallery, the exhibit includes more than 25 original works of art along with rare objects from private collections. Paired with the History Center’s long-term Clash of Empires exhibition, Wars of Empire and Liberty provides a fresh look at two epic conflicts—the French & Indian War and the Revolutionary War—that dramatically reshaped global empires and ultimately gave rise to a new nation. The experience begins with Clash of Empires , examining the origins and aftermath of the Seven Years’ War from the perspectives of each of the participants: British, French, and American Indian.
Pennsylvania railroad welder, courtesy of the Library of Congress.
Coming Soon: Major Exhibit on History- Making Women There is no shortage of history-making women with Western Pa. connections, but their stories have often been overlooked in the history books and overshadowed by the achievements of Pittsburgh's well-known men of industry. This spring, the History Center will flip the script and take an unprecedented deep dive into lives and achievements of these fierce and unflappable women inside a major new exhibition opening on March 23, 2024. Take an interactive, thematic journey through women’s history from the early 1800s to modern day, learning along the way how women’s fortitude and resolve helped to pave the way for future generations. The exhibition will feature rare artifacts from inspiring women, such as legendary journalist Nellie Bly, Pittsburghers who played in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL), civil rights activist Daisy Lampkin, groundbreaking filmmaker Lois Weber, and more.
"George Washinton at the Battle of Princeton, 1777." Painted by Don Troiani, Southbury, Connecticut, 2009, Oil on Canvas, Private Collection. Photo courtesy of Don Troiani. The story continues with a focus on liberty and the struggle for American independence, featuring the stunning paintings of nationally renowned historical artist Don Troiani. Troiani’s paintings chronicle a diverse cast of characters swept up by the Revolution, including Margaret Corbin, part of the doomed American garrison at Fort Washington, who helped keep two cannons firing after her husband was killed. The Wars of Empire and Liberty exhibition is on view through August 2024 and part of the History Center’s America 101 history and civics initiative.
Stay tuned to heinzhistorycenter.org for more details.
2 | The Newsletter of the Senator John Heinz History Center
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