Teetotal Tours: The Troy Hill Art Houses

Time & Location

Apr 18, 2026, 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM

Troy Hill Art Houses, 1812 Rialto St, Pittsburgh, PA 15212, USA About the event

Join Teetotal Initiative’s Creative Kaleidoscope series for a unique and immersive artistic experience on Saturday, April 18th from 2:00–5:00 PM with a guided visit to the Troy Hill Art Houses in Pittsburgh’s Troy Hill neighborhood. This special outing includes access to distinctive houses transformed into site-specific installations by internationally recognized artists. They’re not typical museums—instead, they’re entire houses reimagined as immersive artworks. Think of them as “walk-through sculptures,” where the building itself becomes the art!

What exactly are they?

The Troy Hill Art Houses are a project started by collector Evan Mirapaul and inspired by art houses in Japan. Each home is designed by a different international artist and is open free to the public by appointment only. The concept is to transform abandoned or ordinary homes into total-environment installations—not just art placed inside a space, but art that is the space.

People often expect a normal house tour—but it’s more like crawling through tunnels, encountering strange scenes or objects, and exploring hidden rooms. It’s intentionally a bit mysterious and hard to describe—more something you experience than read about. To preserve the experience, there are very few photos online.

We will tour three of the houses:

· Kunzhaus by Polish artist Robert Kuśmirowski (1718 Rialto St.) is a haunting illusion of time and decay

· Darkhouse Lighthouse by Lenka Clayton and Phillip Andrew Lewis (1913 Tours St.) is a poetic meditation on light and perception

· Mrs. Christopher’s House by Mark Dion (1722 Hollinger Way) is an intricate exploration of history and collecting

The houses are located just a few hundred feet apart, making it easy to experience them in one afternoon. If you’re interested, mark your calendar now! Visits are by appointment only, and tours are strictly capped, so RSVPs and commitment to attend will be essential, as will punctuality

Please note that the Troy Hill Art Houses do not permit children under age 15. Additionally, please note the houses include multiple flights of stairs and tight spaces; a docent will provide guidance before each installation.

Getting There:

By Car: Ample free street parking is typically available along Rialto St., Tours St., or Ley St.

Public Transit: Take PAT Bus Route #4 (Troy Hill), which stops in the center of the neighborhood—just a 2-minute walk to the houses

Note on Rialto St.: If traveling from the Northside, be prepared for one of the steepest and narrowest roads in the city.

Learn more about the project here: https://www.troyhillarthouses.com/

Learn more about the houses here: https://pittsburgh.tablemagazine.com/blog/troy-hill-art-houses/?utm_source=chatgpt.com

*RSVP open 4/11

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