The Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council has published a great set of self-guided walking tours, including one of the North Shore, that highlight art in public places.  The best part?

They’re free!

The books are free if you pick one one up in the office, or free to download.  You can also have one mailed to you for a small fee.  You can view the .pdf of the North Shore tour here.  You can see the other tours available here.

The tour highlights everything from the Allegheny River bridges to the new Alcoa building to the statues along the North Shore Trail.  It branches up in Allegheny Center and hits the Children’s Museum and Buhl Planetarium as well as the various sculptures around the old mall.

Sadly, the Arts Council doesn’t host any guided tours on a schedule, said Office of Public Art Program Manager Lea Donatelli.  Occasionally they host tours for classes or visiting groups.

The purpose of the guides is to increase awareness of the wealth of public art inhabiting Pittsburgh’s nooks and crannies.

“They were really developed to give people the opportunity to explore their surroundings,” Lea said.

If you stop by the Arts Council office at 810 Penn Ave., Suite 200 Downtown, during normal business hours (9-5) you can get up to five guides for free.  For more information, call Lea at 412-391-2060, ext. 233.