Kids will be able to get into the Heinz History Center for free year-round thanks to a donation of $11.5 million.

The history center on Tuesday announced the donation from Daniel G. and Carole L. Kamin, the same couple behind the $65 million donation that will rename the Carnegie Science Center in their honor.

History center excited about future

"The building blocks of our community are our kids. They're the ones who are going to lead us into the future, and there should be no obstacles for them to learn about history and civics, and that's why the Kamins have helped us make kids free here at the history center," said Heinz History Center president and CEO Andy Masich. 

Beginning Sept. 1, kids will be able to get into the Heinz History Center and Fort Pitt Museum for free. Right now, tickets are free for kids 5 and under and $11 for kids ages 6 to 17. Admission costs for school groups will also be covered. 

"It's a great honor to be part of a number of the things that have happened here," said Carole Kamin. "And we certainly are looking forward to what's going to happen in the future with the additions."

The contribution will help support the history center's expansion, which is slated to include a new orientation theater, classrooms and exhibition space. 

Why the history center will always be free for kids

Masich said the Kids Free initiative has been part of their strategic planning for more than a decade, but they were unable to achieve an endowment large enough to offset the lost revenue from children's admissions until the Kamin family stepped in. 

He cited the Kamin family's passion for history, notably Daniel Kamin's enthusiasm for Civil War history, and supporting local nonprofits, cementing a relationship that now benefits the youth of western Pennsylvania in perpetuity.

"This is one of the most impactful gifts the history center has ever received because the donation will allow us to create an endowment that will allow kids to be free forever," he said. "We're never going to change. It's going to be part of our brand now, that the history center is the museum that's always free for kids."

The impetus for finding an endowment for free children's admission was the result of different experiments over the years with promotions for free admission for children for single days, weeks or even months with the help of the Regional Asset District and corporate sponsors. Masich said in each of those scenarios, they saw a massive increase in attendance, and more family groups that may not have been typical museum visitors.

"It doubled our determination to make kids free here at the history center, and I think in these uncertain times, well, when mom and dad are thinking, 'Hey, what are we going to do with the kids this weekend? Well, the history center's free!' I think it's going to be a game changer for us," said Masich. 

The Kamin Family Foundation was born from a family-owned business that became the 38th largest developer in the nation, with properties in 45 states totaling nearly 17 million square feet. 

Daniel Kamin is a Shady Side Academy and University of Pennsylvania graduate whose philanthropic vision is fueled by his passion for science and history. Carole Kamin is involved in several charities across the Pittsburgh area and was recently named as a 2025 woman of influence by the Pittsburgh Business Times. 

• Pittsburgh