Nationality Rooms at the Cathedral of Learning

This was the highlight of a recent trip to Pittsburgh. We did the self guided tour, and spent hours roaming around each of the rooms and the interior of the cathedral itself. Since it was so cold outside, it was a welcome break from the wind! Each room was meticulously decorated with cultural items. We went during the holidays so some of the main spaces and classrooms were decorated, which added to the charm. I’d highly recommend if you’re in the area. We went late December and it was a bit busy, but put our name on a list at the gift shop and got a phone call within 30 minutes with the access key.

This is a must see! The building itself is very unique & the self-guided tour of the Nationality rooms is one of a kind experience! All it takes is going there on weekends, stop by at the tour desk, pay $10/person and get a chip card that enters the rooms in exchange for your ID (obviously, don't forget to come back there when you're done). Then you can browse for 2 hours on the 1st and 3rd floors where the rooms are. You can switch the lights on when visiting the rooms but don't forget to turn them off when leaving, also make sure that the door closes behind you every time. Our favorite were the English, Ukranian, Swiss and Austrian rooms. You can also use the elevators and check the view from the 36th floor.

I highly recommend taking a tour of these rooms. They are absolutely amazing. I visited on a Friday during spring break, so it wasn't too busy. If you are able to take a tour with Abby, definitely do! She gave a fantastic tour that was very informative and in-depth! We were also able to talk about visiting Bratislava and bryndzové halušky! Very friendly outgoing and easy to connect with the visitors, which makes a great tour. The Austrian, Greek, and Turkish rooms were my favourite. The stained glass in the German room was quite cool. The Polish room had some really interesting pieces. Definitely check this spot out!

It beggars belief that UPitt students actually get to take classes in these remarkable rooms, or for that matter, that they are so functional. Just remember if you'd like a tour, do it when the students aren't using them, like Summer Break.

Highly recommended! It’s one of the most impressive places in Pittsburgh! Be advised that you need to book a guided tour in advance. You should fill out a reservation form online and in 30 min you’ll receive a confirmation letter by email. Payment will be done on arrival at the gift shop inside the Cathedral of Learning. Also it is better to visit the place on weekends when there are no students in the building. The Nationality Rooms are real classrooms at the same time, so you won’t be able to enter the room if there is a class in there. Also be advised that you won’t be able to see all 31 Nationality Rooms because the tour takes 1,5 hour only. When the tour starts your guide will ask you which rooms would you like to see, so check the university website and make your preferences before the visit. In my opinion, the most impressive ones are German, Austrian, Ukrainian, Syria-Lebanon and Turkish.

We went during the open house. So many interesting rooms plus the main level had booths selling items from the various countries and food too!

I visited the rooms twice, in 2018 self guided and again in 2023 with a tour. I enjoyed it a lot more on my own than with the tour guide. If you have critical thinking skills, these rooms will be very disappointing. The tour guide Grace was kind but she shared inaccurate details about the Syria-Lebanon room (claiming that the there were verses of the Quran on the wall, although upon closer examination it seemed to me like Arabic text, not Quran. It was very hard to read and the tour does not allow you to enter the room, only look from behind a glass, so that made it difficult to check). You also notice similar patterns of Americanization in the rooms, e.g. the Turkish room had a huge photo of Ataturk, the leader of political secularism. And although the rooms represent countries and designs that predates 1787, the Isr**li "heritage" room was confusing because Isra*l illegally occupied Palestine in 1945.. so what exactly is the "heritage" you are designing if your country did not exist until 150+ years later? A Palestine room would be stunning 🥰 the best room was the Africa room although very sad that they grouped an ENTIRE continent in one room.. anyway, the nationality rooms are a solid reflection of the way americans see the world and what they prioritize and value, so if that does not resonate with you, feel free to skip the tour and enjoy the pictures or visit on your own!