The hand writing was on the wall when the state spent $35 million renovating the park but not a single cent on creating dedicated parking for the museum. Pittsburgh is a commuter town, be it day workers or tourists, and without a dedicated parking lot the museum is largely limited to passers by and school tours.
The park and museum are futher muddled by the joint arrangment of the park being a "state park" yet maintained and scheduled by the City of Pittsburgh. This has always been an awkward alliance at best, and further blurs the lines for future planning and spending on the site.
The shame of it is that the state spent millions building virtuall a new museum over the past decade, but again, failed to plan for parking or any other real future plans for one of its best historical museums.
An astute observer would also question if the state wasn't hit by a round of political correctness as well, as some have questioned the very apparent move to dump all state military historical sites such as Bushy Run Battlefield, Brandywine Battlefield, the Flagship Niagara, and of course Fort Pitt Musuem, while maintaining such inocuous and unconsequential sites as farm museums and the like. Further, it was pointed out by state PHMC staff that the closing of any of those other "historical sites" (tongue in cheek) would have realized more than enough savings to keep the actual historical sites open.
As a final insult to military history, I would point out that the state of PA and most other states, are quick to use pictures of such military historical sites, and the often present military re-enactors, in their state and national advertising. So apparently such sites are good enough to use in promotion material, just not good enough to keep operating on the state nickel. Government hypocrisy at its best.
Jim McGaughey
Former member and board member of the Fort Pitt Museum Associates, and former member and Chairman of the Royal American Regiment, 1972 - 1986
Recent Comments
The park and museum are futher muddled by the joint arrangment of the park being a "state park" yet maintained and scheduled by the City of Pittsburgh. This has always been an awkward alliance at best, and further blurs the lines for future planning and spending on the site.
The shame of it is that the state spent millions building virtuall a new museum over the past decade, but again, failed to plan for parking or any other real future plans for one of its best historical museums.
An astute observer would also question if the state wasn't hit by a round of political correctness as well, as some have questioned the very apparent move to dump all state military historical sites such as Bushy Run Battlefield, Brandywine Battlefield, the Flagship Niagara, and of course Fort Pitt Musuem, while maintaining such inocuous and unconsequential sites as farm museums and the like. Further, it was pointed out by state PHMC staff that the closing of any of those other "historical sites" (tongue in cheek) would have realized more than enough savings to keep the actual historical sites open.
As a final insult to military history, I would point out that the state of PA and most other states, are quick to use pictures of such military historical sites, and the often present military re-enactors, in their state and national advertising. So apparently such sites are good enough to use in promotion material, just not good enough to keep operating on the state nickel. Government hypocrisy at its best.
Jim McGaughey
Former member and board member of the Fort Pitt Museum Associates, and former member and Chairman of the Royal American Regiment, 1972 - 1986