National Museum of Broadcasting

Although Pittsburgh is famous for the start of commercial broadcasting, public television broadcasting had early beginnings here as well with the debut of WQED-TV on April 1, 1954. The station traces its roots to Pittsburgh’s first Renaissance when community leaders saw the need for an educational TV station as an alternative to commercial counterparts.

With the distinction as the first community-owned television station in the world, WQED is renowned for originating such programs as Mr. Rogers Neighborhood, The National Geographic Specials, Wonderworks, and Carmen San Diego.

In 1959 the station became the first to operate a second public TV station when it acquired WQEX.