Visit University of Pittsburgh's Nationality Rooms

Twenty-four classrooms adapt Classical, Baroque, Byzantine, Romanesque, Renaissance, Tudor, Empire and folk styles to recreate cultural periods prior to 1787. In December the rooms are decorated in traditional holiday fashion which spans Africa, Asia, Europe and the Middle East.

November 22^nd - December 23^rd, 1998

Monday - Saturday: 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Sunday: 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Closed December 24^th, 25^th 1998

December 26^th - 30^th, 1998

11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Closed: December 31^st 1998 and

January 1^st, 1999

Admission: Adults $2.00; Senior Citizens $1.50; Children (8-18) $.50. For reservations or further information call (412) 624-6000, Cathedral of Learning, Fifth Avenue and Bigelow Boulevard.

The Nationality Rooms are used for classes during the semester and tours are $.50 because you are not guaranteed to see all 24 rooms. Here is a sampling of what you can expect to find.

The Tour Guides are trained and tell a story that makes you feel like you have ventured back in time while sitting in the architecture of old.

Every room is decorated in seasonal colors, even the Chinese Room. Each room has an informational card that explains the Christmas Tradition. However, the card in this room explains the Chinese Lunar Year Celebration and its importance. It lists two dates you might want to remember: 4696 - Year of The Tiger ends on February 15, 1999 and 4697 - Year of the Rabbit begins on February 16, 1999.

The English Room is set up like the original House of Commons in England. The windows are stained glass that contain representations of sister cities and famous families and artists. Some of the materials used in the room are from the original room in England. The benches where the representatives sat were placed two swords' length apart just in case the delegates could not talk out their differences and were tempted.

This is only a sampling of the rich heritage to be discovered in these 24 rooms. The sampling was taken from a quick $.50 tour between classes. The student (News & Views staff member JoAnn Burton) that submitted this article, plans to go back for the full tour.