Take a trip to the old ‘Neighborhood’

Tucked into a dark corner on the second floor of the Pittsburgh Children’s Museum, the tiny… Tucked into a dark corner on the second floor of the Pittsburgh Children’s Museum, the tiny “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” exhibit is easy to miss. Spotting the toddlers that have seen episodes of the show, however, is simple – they always ask where the trolley is. The ones who haven’t point at everything from King Friday XIII and his castle to the tree that houses Henrietta Pussycat and X the Owl and ask, “What’s that?” or “Who is that?”

If you missed the small sign on the wall that reads, “We will miss our neighbor Mister Rogers,” you might forget for a second that he has passed on. On his birthday, Thursday, March 20, though, the exhibit will become a memoriam of sorts.

Admission to the museum is free that day, and everyone is invited to bring a memory of the man whom most have grown up with. According to publications manager for the museum Suzanne McCaffrey, most of the kids don’t realize what has happened, and it seems as though adults and older children have felt the most impact during these last few weeks.

On the first floor there is a bulletin board that features a daily question. Since Feb. 27, it has read, “What impact has Mister Rogers had on you and your family?” Most of the writing on the Post-Its is obviously that of adults.

The Pennsylvania State Legislature has officially declared March 20 to be Mister Rogers Day in Pennsylvania. As part of the events to honor his life and memory, in addition to free museum admission, Mr. McFeely will be in attendance, and other characters from the show may stop by.

In September 2004, renovations on the Children’s Museum and Buhl Panetarium will be complete, and the traveling Mr. Rogers exhibit will have a permanent 2,500-square-foot home.

The museum is located at 10 Children’s Way on the North Side. For more information, call (412) 322-5058.