Tours

In addition to compiling a list of great things to do and places to eat (and drink) in Pittsburgh, the Local Committee has put together a number of tours the week of the conference.

8:30am – Tour:  The Media Preserve | Buses Leave – Return at 12:00pm (50 people)

Established in 2006 as a state-of-the-art audiovisual laboratory, The MediaPreserve’s client-centered program works to transfer collections from obsolete or degraded film, video, and audio formats to digital. The lab can handle everything from wire recordings to ¾” UMatic to Nitrate motion picture film among many other formats.

The MediaPreserve, located about 30 minutes north of Pittsburgh in Cranberry Township, is a truly one-of-a-kind archival destination. This free tour, including roundtrip transportation provided by The MediaPreserve, will give attendees the chance to see the studios where the transfer magic happens. The tour will last two to three hours and can accommodate up to 50 attendees.  ID will be needed to board the bus – registrations are not transferable.  Final confirmation will be sent once the tour list is approved by security.

9:00am  – Tour:  Iron Mountain | Buses Leave – Buses return at 1:00pm (20 people)

Iron Mountain’s crown jewel hidden 220 feet below the rolling farms of Northern Butler County. The 50 degree water of the 150-acre underground lake is pumped throughout the mine to maintain a temperature perfect for document preservation. Fifteen generators stand ready to make sure the mine, and the 2,700 people working there, are never in the dark. Behind door after unmarked door are the vaults. Ranging in size from a few hundred square feet to 220,000-square feet, there are 125 large vaults, another 25 smaller units and hundreds of acres still to be developed.  In those vaults, you will find everything from the original prints of classic motion pictures, to studio masters of classic albums and documents of every imaginable description.

The tour is approximately two hours with a 45 minute bus ride each way.  Due to security at the site, all registrants will be forwarded to facility security prior to the tour and final confirmation will be sent when the tour list is approved by security.  ID will be needed to board the bus – registrations are not transferable.  No cameras will be allowed in the building.

11:00am  – Tour:  Paramount Film Exchange | (20 people)

Built in 1926, the Paramount Film Exchange is the last remnant of Pittsburgh’s historic Film Row. The building is a living landmark to a time when Pittsburgh was one of the most important cities in the world for film exhibition and distribution, and Paramount Pictures was one of several major motion-picture companies to have film exchanges and offices here.  Film exchanges had film libraries and screening rooms, and their primary function was for theater owners to preview films before booking them for exhibition.

Nestled between the former Warner Bros. & 20th Century Fox film exchanges, the Paramount Film Exchange ended operations by the 1980s. After half a century of use, it was sold to the city’s vector control program as a storage space for rodent-control supplies, and it remained vacant for nearly two decades until UPMC, a global healthcare enterprise, purchased the building.

After decades of deterioration, the building was slated for demolition in 2009, with plans to turn it into a parking lot. A short documentary about the building won a local video contest, and with the support of preservationists, the building was designated a City Historic Landmark in 2010. After extensive renovations, the building celebrated a grand re-opening party in 2014 that drew over 1,000 people.  Today, the building has a very promising future as a start-up incubator and photo studio.

The tour will last approximately 1 hour. Highlights include seeing the film vaults, screening room, and rooftop with stunning views of the city.  The Paramount Film Exchange is just over a mile from the hotel; a walking distance of approximately 25 minutes, or a 10 minute ride using Uber/Lyft ride share services, or a taxi.   Thank you to StartUptown and Denmarsh Photography.

1:00pm – Tour:  Iron Mountain | Buses Leave – Buses return at 5:00pm (20 people)

Iron Mountain’s crown jewel hidden 220 feet below the rolling farms of Northern Butler County. The 50 degree water of the 150-acre underground lake is pumped throughout the mine to maintain a temperature perfect for document preservation. Fifteen generators stand ready to make sure the mine, and the 2,700 people working there, are never in the dark. Behind door after unmarked door are the vaults. Ranging in size from a few hundred square feet to 220,000-square feet, there are 125 large vaults, another 25 smaller units and hundreds of acres still to be developed.  In those vaults, you will find everything from the original prints of classic motion pictures, to studio masters of classic albums and documents of every imaginable description.

The tour is approximately two hours with a 45 minute bus ride each way.  Due to security at the site, all registrants will be forwarded to facility security prior to the tour and final confirmation will be sent when the tour list is approved by security.  ID will be needed to board the bus – registrations are not transferable.  No cameras will be allowed in the building.

1:00pm  – Tour:  Paramount Film Exchange | (20 people)

Built in 1926, the Paramount Film Exchange is the last remnant of Pittsburgh’s historic Film Row. The building is a living landmark to a time when Pittsburgh was one of the most important cities in the world for film exhibition and distribution, and Paramount Pictures was one of several major motion-picture companies to have film exchanges and offices here.  Film exchanges had film libraries and screening rooms, and their primary function was for theater owners to preview films before booking them for exhibition.

Nestled between the former Warner Bros. & 20th Century Fox film exchanges, the Paramount Film Exchange ended operations by the 1980s. After half a century of use, it was sold to the city’s vector control program as a storage space for rodent-control supplies, and it remained vacant for nearly two decades until UPMC, a global healthcare enterprise, purchased the building.

After decades of deterioration, the building was slated for demolition in 2009, with plans to turn it into a parking lot. A short documentary about the building won a local video contest, and with the support of preservationists, the building was designated a City Historic Landmark in 2010. After extensive renovations, the building celebrated a grand re-opening party in 2014 that drew over 1,000 people.  Today, the building has a very promising future as a start-up incubator and photo studio.

The tour will last approximately 1 hour. Highlights include seeing the film vaults, screening room, and rooftop with stunning views of the city.  The Paramount Film Exchange is just over a mile from the hotel; a walking distance of approximately 25 minutes, or a 10 minute ride using Uber/Lyft ride share services, or a taxi.   Thank you to StartUptown and Denmarsh Photography.

12:30pm  – Tour:  Paramount Film Exchange | (20 people)

Built in 1926, the Paramount Film Exchange is the last remnant of Pittsburgh’s historic Film Row. The building is a living landmark to a time when Pittsburgh was one of the most important cities in the world for film exhibition and distribution, and Paramount Pictures was one of several major motion-picture companies to have film exchanges and offices here.  Film exchanges had film libraries and screening rooms, and their primary function was for theater owners to preview films before booking them for exhibition.

Nestled between the former Warner Bros. & 20th Century Fox film exchanges, the Paramount Film Exchange ended operations by the 1980s. After half a century of use, it was sold to the city’s vector control program as a storage space for rodent-control supplies, and it remained vacant for nearly two decades until UPMC, a global healthcare enterprise, purchased the building.

After decades of deterioration, the building was slated for demolition in 2009, with plans to turn it into a parking lot. A short documentary about the building won a local video contest, and with the support of preservationists, the building was designated a City Historic Landmark in 2010. After extensive renovations, the building celebrated a grand re-opening party in 2014 that drew over 1,000 people.  Today, the building has a very promising future as a start-up incubator and photo studio.

The tour will last approximately 1 hour. Highlights include seeing the film vaults, screening room, and rooftop with stunning views of the city.  The Paramount Film Exchange is just over a mile from the hotel; a walking distance of approximately 25 minutes, or a 10 minute ride using Uber/Lyft ride share services, or a taxi.   Thank you to StartUptown and Denmarsh Photography.

12:30pm  – Tour:  Paramount Film Exchange | (20 people)

Built in 1926, the Paramount Film Exchange is the last remnant of Pittsburgh’s historic Film Row. The building is a living landmark to a time when Pittsburgh was one of the most important cities in the world for film exhibition and distribution, and Paramount Pictures was one of several major motion-picture companies to have film exchanges and offices here.  Film exchanges had film libraries and screening rooms, and their primary function was for theater owners to preview films before booking them for exhibition.

Nestled between the former Warner Bros. & 20th Century Fox film exchanges, the Paramount Film Exchange ended operations by the 1980s. After half a century of use, it was sold to the city’s vector control program as a storage space for rodent-control supplies, and it remained vacant for nearly two decades until UPMC, a global healthcare enterprise, purchased the building.

After decades of deterioration, the building was slated for demolition in 2009, with plans to turn it into a parking lot. A short documentary about the building won a local video contest, and with the support of preservationists, the building was designated a City Historic Landmark in 2010. After extensive renovations, the building celebrated a grand re-opening party in 2014 that drew over 1,000 people.  Today, the building has a very promising future as a start-up incubator and photo studio.

The tour will last approximately 1 hour. Highlights include seeing the film vaults, screening room, and rooftop with stunning views of the city.  The Paramount Film Exchange is just over a mile from the hotel; a walking distance of approximately 25 minutes, or a 10 minute ride using Uber/Lyft ride share services, or a taxi.   Thank you to StartUptown and Denmarsh Photography.

12:30pm  – Tour:  Paramount Film Exchange | (20 people)

Built in 1926, the Paramount Film Exchange is the last remnant of Pittsburgh’s historic Film Row. The building is a living landmark to a time when Pittsburgh was one of the most important cities in the world for film exhibition and distribution, and Paramount Pictures was one of several major motion-picture companies to have film exchanges and offices here.  Film exchanges had film libraries and screening rooms, and their primary function was for theater owners to preview films before booking them for exhibition.

Nestled between the former Warner Bros. & 20th Century Fox film exchanges, the Paramount Film Exchange ended operations by the 1980s. After half a century of use, it was sold to the city’s vector control program as a storage space for rodent-control supplies, and it remained vacant for nearly two decades until UPMC, a global healthcare enterprise, purchased the building.

After decades of deterioration, the building was slated for demolition in 2009, with plans to turn it into a parking lot. A short documentary about the building won a local video contest, and with the support of preservationists, the building was designated a City Historic Landmark in 2010. After extensive renovations, the building celebrated a grand re-opening party in 2014 that drew over 1,000 people.  Today, the building has a very promising future as a start-up incubator and photo studio.

The tour will last approximately 1 hour. Highlights include seeing the film vaults, screening room, and rooftop with stunning views of the city.  The Paramount Film Exchange is just over a mile from the hotel; a walking distance of approximately 25 minutes, or a 10 minute ride using Uber/Lyft ride share services, or a taxi.   Thank you to StartUptown and Denmarsh Photography.