Fort Pitt Museum Fund

The Fort Pitt Museum, located in historic Point State Park in downtown Pittsburgh's Golden Triangle, tells the story of Western Pennsylvania's pivotal role during the French & Indian War, the American Revolution, and Fort Pitt's role as the birthplace of Pittsburgh.

Named after William Pitt the Elder, Fort Pitt helped to shape the course of American world history. The fort was built by colonists from 1759-1761 during the French and Indian War, strategically located at the confluence of the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers. On June 22, 1763 Native American forces attempted to siege Fort Pitt during Pontiac's Rebellion and remained there until August 1, 1763, when most of them broke off to intercept Colonel Henry Bouquet's advancing troops, culminating in the Battle of Bushy Run. In 1772 the British crown turned over the fort entirely to the colonists. For a time Virginia captured the fort, naming it Fort Dunmore, and it was the site of a battle of Dunmore's War of 1774. During the American Revolutionary War the fort served as a headquarters for western troops. In 1797 the U.S. Army decommissioned the site and auctioned off salvageable remains.

A century and a half later, the City of Pittsburgh commissioned an archeological excavation of the foundations of the fort. The museum first opened in 1969 in the reconstructed Monongahela Bastion. Interactive exhibits, historical figures and artifacts teach visitors about the important role the region played in the history of the U.S.

The fund was established through community support and the Richard King Mellon Foundation and is designated for the acquisition of items of historical interest or significance for public display in the Fort Pitt Museum.