Experience the Murals

Learn about our in-person tours, as well as off-site programs and virtual tour options.

Tour & Program Options

Meet Maxo Vanka: The Public Tour

Immerse yourself in the awe-inspiring murals of Croatian artist Maxo Vanka on a guided tour at the historic St. Nicholas Croatian Catholic Church in Millvale. Discover how these striking works were painted by Vanka in 1937 and 1941 to reflect the culture and lives of the working-class immigrant congregation.

Learn more about Public Tours →

A couple photographs Vanka's Mural "Croatian Mothers Give Their Sons to War"

These Walls Can Talk: The Immigration Tour

Take a deeper dive into the history and stories of St. Nicholas Croatian Catholic Church’s congregation, why people immigrated to Pittsburgh, and how immigrants built their lives in America while maintaining cultural connections. Rich with detail, including oral histories and archival photos, this 75-minute one-of-a-kind experience interprets a selection of Maxo Vanka’s murals in the context of world events and the cherished recollections of parishioners.

Learn more about The Immigration Tour →

Private Tours

Customize your experience by planning a private tour. Are you interested in history, art, social justice, or better understanding of the rise and role of Pittsburgh and its people in American history? Share your interests and we will create a unique experience for your class, club, congregation, family, or company. An outing to the murals provides opportunities for art lovers and history enthusiasts alike.

Learn more about Private Tours →

School & Youth Field Trips

Join us for a field trip with your students to the murals of Maxo Vanka at St. Nicholas Croatian Catholic Church in Millvale! Workshops for teachers and educators are also available.

Learn more about Field Trips →

Off-site Programs

Can’t bring your group to Millvale? Let us bring the Murals to you! Experience the Murals “off the walls” through guided virtual tours or presentations at your site.

Learn more about Off-site Programs →

Virtual Tour

View these thought-provoking murals from anywhere in the world with our virtual tour. Like a visit to St. Nicholas Church, your purchase of a virtual tour helps support our mission to save and share the Vanka Murals for generations to come.

Take a Virtual Tour→

Learn More

Tour FAQs and directions

The answers to general questions, directions, and parking instructions.

A page dedicated to these answers and more →

Events & Activities

Great times. Greater cause. Join us to save Maxo Vanka.

Check out the latest Events & Activities →

The Murals Experience reviews

					  An historical gem of Pittsburgh that deserves more attention. The murals cover the entire interior of the Church and capture themes of the immigrant experience, industrial exploitation, war, and social justice. Vanka does a masterful job of capturing the experience and emotions of the Croatian immigrant community that the Church originally served.				
patrickaW9190PX
September 30, 2022 

					  Excellent experience - Bringing out of town family here was a stroke of genius! They loved the docent tour on Saturday morning. Such beautiful murals and a unique story behind them. You will learn about the artist, the Croatian community in Pittsburgh, and the stories behind some of the most interesting murals I've ever seen in an urban, church setting. Highly recommend for anyone who wants to have a fun and unusual experience in Pittsburgh that is off the "common path" for visitors.				
Road63203755945
September 8, 2024 

					  These murals in St. Nicholas Croatian Catholic Church in Millvale are an unusual combination of religious themes and commentary on social justice.  Monumental in scale.  The interior is unlike anything you've ever seen. Better appreciated during Mass or on a guided tour Saturday afternoons.				
Karen K
July 26, 2016 