Rivers of Steel invites friends and neighbors to join our membership program. This membership program is a brand new way to explore everything that Rivers of Steel offers within the eight county National Heritage Area. Whether by touring the Carrie Blast Furnaces National Historic Landmark, visiting an exhibit at the Bost Building, taking a workshop in metal arts and graffiti arts, or driving down to the W.A. Young & Sons Machine Shop National Historic Landmark, guests are an integral part of what makes Rivers of Steel so special. We want to extend our appreciation for, and commitment to, our guests by making every one of those experiences an opportunity to explore and discover the Pittsburgh region’s legacy of industrial innovation and hard work.
There are several different membership tiers to choose from, and they accommodate a variety of household sizes and ages. Senior Memberships (62+) cost $50. Individual Memberships (18-61) cost $75. A Dual Membership, at $100, covers one adult and a guest or one adult and one child. The Family Membership, at $250, covers two adults and children. Each membership level includes four free tickets for the flagship Carrie Industrial Tour, a 15% discount on arts workshops and specialty tours, a 10% discount on merchandise from our gift shop, plus other members-only offers and Rivers of Steel events throughout the year.
This membership program is one way for Rivers of Steel to open our doors wider for people who visit our sites to learn about the region’s industrial history, take our workshops to immerse themselves in traditional metalworking skills, and spend time at our annual events like the Festival of Combustion. We believe that each experience and every interaction with a cultural and historical touchpoint in Rivers of Steel creates the potential for even more meaningful sustained communication, collaboration, and community. We believe that creating opportunities for people to access history and the arts is one way we can give back to the communities that sustain us.
Building on that ethos is important, which is why we also have the Neighbor Membership. Folks who live in zip codes 15120, 15218, and 15104 are invited to sign up for the membership level specifically for our neighbors. These zip codes encompass the neighborhoods in immediate proximity to the Carrie Furnaces National Historic Landmark. The Neighbor Membership comes at no cost and includes all membership benefits including four free tickets for the flagship Carrie Industrial Tour, discounts on specialty tours, workshops, merchandise, and events.
The driving force behind the Neighbor Membership level stems from our deep desire to build a lasting connection between the neighborhoods with historic ties to the Carrie Furnaces and the ever-expanding slate of programs Rivers of Steel hosts. That connection is meant to be sustainable– not just for one or two events each season, but for years-long engagements that bring communities together. The Neighbor Membership extends the vision of preserving the history of Carrie to include the neighborhoods and communities that built and sustained the mill from its opening in 1884 to its final closure in 1984.
Ongoing preservation work at Carrie will ensure the National Historic Landmark’s future as a monument to labor and industry in the Monongahela River Valley, and that future is as expansive as the view from the top of the towering blast furnaces. Rivers of Steel invites our neighbors to spend time at Carrie and to connect with a history, their history, shaping the hills and valleys surrounding it.
Review details for each of the membership option and select the right one for you clicking here. For information on other ways to help Rivers of Steel carry out its mission, see our Support page.
