Google Arts & Culture—Pittsburgh: Proud and Powerful

From 1957 – 1974, Jack Boot Displays was commissioned to print mill safety signs for the United States Steel Corporation. This collection is highlighted in the “Safety First in Poster Art” story through Google Arts & Culture’s Pittsburgh: Proud and Powerful online, interactive exhibit.

Google Arts & Culture—Pittsburgh: Proud and Powerful

Explore Pittsburgh culture in a new interactive online project by Google Arts & Culture, in collaboration with 15 local organizations including Rivers of Steel, at g.co/explorepittsburgh

Homestead, PA (September 28, 2021)—Today Google announced its partnership with 15 world-class Pittsburgh institutions to bring the city’s culture—past and present—online on its Google Arts & Culture platform and app at g.co/explorepittsburgh.

For the first time, everyone everywhere can engage with these organizations—including Rivers of Steel—across the city in one digital location and discover its unique culture. Through the Pittsburgh: Proud and Powerful page, Google Arts & Culture hopes Pittsburghers can rediscover just how much their city has to offer, and that visitors will be encouraged to discover the city for themselves.

Pittsburgh is the first city in the Northeast and fifth in the U.S. to be featured in Google Arts & Culture’s global initiative to capture and share the unique culture of cities. Along with Kansas City, Milwaukee, Charlotte, and Atlanta, Pittsburgh joins European cultural hubs on the platform including Milan and Naples, Italy, Lyon, France, and Hamburg, Germany.

“We are excited to be a part of the Google Arts & Culture Pittsburgh project,” said August Carlino, president and CEO of the Rivers of Steel Heritage Corporation. “The cornerstone of Rivers of Steel’s work is its dedicated efforts towards the preservation and interpretation of southwestern Pennsylvania’s cultural and industrial heritage. For our partnership with Google, we’ve highlighted two stories that speak to this regional narrative; one, a story of a labor struggle that reverberated for generations, and the other, a reflection of the hazards of daily life for Pittsburgh’s mill workers.”

Rivers of Steel’s contributions help show how a legacy of manufacturing and hard work put Pittsburgh on the Rust Belt map. The Strike that Changed American Labor exhibit examines how the Homestead Strike became a turning point in American union relations, while the Safety First online exhibit examines how foundries and mills used graphic design to keep workers safe.

“We are proud to present Pittsburgh’s thriving art scene, community, and heritage to the world online at Google Arts & Culture,” said Todd Underwood, Senior Director Engineering and Google Pittsburgh Site Lead. “Pittsburgh is a trailblazer in American culture–from manufacturing to contemporary art–and now everyone can experience the sights and sounds that make it so unique thanks to our 15 local partners.”

The project brings together local Pittsburgh partners to celebrate the city’s heritage and cultural DNA. The 15 partners have brought together 55+ stories and 3,200+ artifacts to share the city’s culture with the world, including it’s manufacturing history, legacy in sports, historic architecture, and contemporary art.

Now anyone, anywhere can experience Pittsburgh by visiting g.co/explorepittsburgh or downloading Google Arts & Culture’s free Android or iOS app.

Partners include:

91.3 WYEP, The Carnegie Museum of Art, BOOM Concepts, Pittsburgh Glass Center, Mattress Factory, Rivers of Steel, Clemente Museum, University of Pittsburgh Library System, Carlow University Art Gallery, Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, Pittsburgh Ballet, August Wilson African American Cultural Center, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, Senator John Heinz History Center, and the Frick Pittsburgh.

About Google Arts & Culture

Google Arts & Culture puts the treasures, stories and knowledge of over 2.000 cultural institutions from 80 countries at your fingertips. If Google’s mission is to make the world’s information more accessible, then Arts & Culture’s mission is to make the world’s culture accessible to anyone, anywhere. It’s your doorway to explore art, history, and wonders of the world. Discover stories about cultural heritage ranging from Van Gogh’s bedroom paintings, Puerto Rico’s heritage, Sports in Australia or the women’s right movement to ancient Maya temples, Japanese Food and Indian Railways.

About Rivers of Steel

Founded on the principles of heritage development, community partnership, and a reverence for the region’s natural and shared resources, Rivers of Steel strengthens the economic and cultural fabric of western Pennsylvania by fostering dynamic initiatives and transformative experiences.

Rivers of Steel showcases the artistry and innovation of our region’s industrial and cultural heritage through its historical and 21st-century attractions―offering unique experiences via tours, workshops, exhibitions, festivals, and more. Behind the scenes, Rivers of Steel supports economic revitalization—working at the grassroots level to deepen community partnerships, promote heritage tourism, and preserve local recreational and cultural resources for future generations.

Contact Carly McCoy at 412.464.4020, ext. 243 or by emailing cmccoy@riversofsteel.com.

Rivers of Steel | The Bost Building, 623 East Eighth Ave, Homestead PA 15120

riversofsteel.com

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Google Arts & Culture—Pittsburgh: Proud and Powerful