Touring Options & Requesting Group Tours

As COVID-19 continues to impact the United States and the world, the health and well-being of the Pitt community is our priority. In order to minimize the impact of COVID-19 on our campus, The Nationality Rooms tours (which include the privately reserved group tours, walk-in audio guide tours and the occasional casual touring between scheduled classes) are canceled until further notice.

Confirmed reservations for upcoming tours will be canceled and are available to be postponed to a later date. We encourage visitors to consider scheduling virtual tours as an alternative to in-person visits. To discuss alternatives, cancellation and reimbursement possibilities, please contact Michael Walter, Tour Coordinator.

We are encouraging all Pitt community members to closely monitor this situation and to visit the Public Safety and Emergency Management website, which is the University’s centralized and reliable source for information on this issue. 

There are several ways to experience the rooms. Guided tours are available year round for organized groups of ten or more people, with a reservation made in advance. Self-guided recorded tours are applicable for the individual tourist or small group and are available only at certain times of the year, dependent on classes being in session or not (see below). You can also "tour the rooms" online through pictures, videos, and audio.

For general questions about touring email the Tour Coordinator.  Basic questions related to getting here and parking can be found on the Hours/Location webpage.

To request a guided tour, read below and use the webform at the bottom of this page to make your group tour request.

To request a short presentation to your school or organization, please use the form found here.

Open House

The annual Open House, a celebration of the Nationality Rooms, is a Sunday in December.  In 2020, Open House was virtually presented. Check back later in 2021 for how this year's Open House will occur.

Guided Tours

Currently, guided tours are unavailable, but as operations change this section will be revised to show a Covid-19 protocol for in-person guided tours.

Online Tours

Zoom based tours are available via a new secure registration / pay site for the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.  They are also a way to tour if you cannot physically make it to campus once operations return to a physical environment.  A mixture of video, photos, and audio will enhance the narration of the Nationality Rooms, organized by themes.  Click here to be directed to the registration /pay site.

Recorded Tours

The self-guiding, audio tour is currently unavailable and guests cannot freely enter campus buildings for drop-in tourism due to the ongoing pandemic response.  Check this page again in the coming months for an update on individual touring.

Room Availability

When school is in session the rooms function as university classrooms. Give great care to not disturb classes that are occupying rooms. Audiotape tours are only available on weekends when school is in session.

• Fall Term (late August to the December recess)
• Spring Term (January to the term's end in April)

School is out of session from the end of April to the beginning of the Fall Term in September. During this time, audiotape tours are available Sundays through Saturdays.

Guided, group tours will go to a selection of rooms that happen to be open during the time that the group is here. Expecting certain rooms to be open during a school day is not likely, and the availability changes from hour to hour. If particular rooms are especially desired by a group, weekends are best since classes do not occur in Nationality Rooms on weekends.

Guides

Interested University of Pittsburgh students train every year to become guides. If interested in becoming a guide, contact the Tour Coordinator and Quo Vadis Advisor. Over the years, many highly-talented students invest a semester of their time to acquire a thorough and accurate knowledge of each Nationality Room which enables them to interpret the classrooms and to knowledgably answer any questions that might be asked. The history of the Cathedral of Learning is included. Trainees are required to pass both a written and oral exam before becoming a member of the organization.