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Welcome to the History of Art & Architecture

We study the art, architecture, and visual culture of the global past and present to understand our world today and create better futures. We adopt a capacious definition of art that explores all human creativity, regardless of race, class, gender, sexuality, age, or ability. Our mission is to expand our field which has entrenched an elitist and exclusionary worldview.

Highlights
Aerial view of the Frick Fine Arts building
Frick Fine Arts Library

The Frick Fine Arts Library has an outstanding research collection containing over 90,000 volumes.

People milling around an art gallery room
University Art Gallery

The University Art Gallery (UAG) is an open, flexible, and immersive laboratory for studying and displaying how art and visual objects generate knowledge and understanding of the world.

Student looks closely at a piece of artwork in a gallery
Constellations

The Constellations at the University of Pittsburgh are hubs of innovative practice that unite faculty and students across subfields in the Department of History of Art and Architecture.

A professor explains a piece of art to the class
Collecting Knowledge Pittsburgh

Collecting Knowledge Pittsburgh fosters opportunities for collaboration between Pitt faculty, students, and the local cultural sector.

Students watch a projected art display
Visual Media Workshop

The Visual Media Workshop is a humanities lab focused on the investigation of material and visual culture.

Students interacting with an architecture scale model
Prospective Students

Discover what makes the Department of History of Art & Architecture a standout program.

News

A display case of "We Humans at 70" in Hillman Library

Smith organizes exhibit at Hillman Library

In September, Teaching Assistant Professor of Museum Studies Deirdre Smith's exhibit "We Hum

View of Downtown Pittsburgh from the 31st Street Bridge

Design Studio 2 Students Visit Proposed Development Site in Strip District

On a sunny Saturday in September, ARC 1202 Design Studio 2 met with Riverlife Pittsburgh Director of Planning and Projects Gavin White to tour a proposed development in the Strip District at the corner of Railroad Street and the 31st Str

"Growth Plan" by James Rosenquist

Art Journal Publishes Article by Alex Taylor on James Rosenquist

The latest edition of Art Journal (Volume 84, 2025) includes Taylor's article titled "Body Count: The Critical Matrices of James Rosenquist’s Growth Plan."