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 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.

The Immigration Tour is 75 minutes, including time for questions and discussion. We recommend taking Meet Maxo Vanka: The Public Tour as a compliment to this experience.

Schedule

Last Saturday of the month, 12:30pm

Admission

Admission is $22 per person. Student discount available. Children under 5 are free.

Interested in a private tour? Experience a personalized experience tailored to your group. To request a private booking, please complete the form on our Private Tours page. Advance notice of 7 days is preferred.

Thanks for supporting the murals

Tour admission fees are essential to our efforts to ensure public access to the murals. All proceeds from public tours and sales of gift items support the ongoing conservation and education efforts of the Society to Preserve the Millvale Murals of Maxo Vanka.

More to Tour

Visit the shop

Following your tour, visitors are welcome to purchase postcards, stickers, t-shirts, and other gift items to share with family and friends. You can also shop online.

Private Tours

Private tours are available by request with advanced notice and based on availability. Please visit our Private Tours page to submit a request.

Questions? Visit FAQs & Directions >

The Murals Experience Reviews

					  I just finished a docent led tour of  St Nicholas Croation Catholic Church in Pittsburgh with its astonishing murals by Maxo Vanka, a 20th century modernist, pacifist, and social critic. They evoke Eastern European church fresco painting and Diego Rivera, but are unique for their interweaving of religious iconography, folk motifs, and very strong social commentary with beautiful painting.  Spectacular and a not-to-miss stop in the city.				
athomas98
December 29, 2016 

					  The small group escorted tour was a revelation.  The dedicated docents presented a heartfelt and honest explanation of the church, the artist and the murals, readily admitting the gaps in the story of this microcosm of America’s immigrant experience and the real effects of war on people across the globe.  The story of the murals, with their social, cultural and religious commentary, is far more than a visual experience, and the efforts of the community to preserve and expand their exposure is testament to the lasting impact of Vanko’s art. A truly unique Pittsburgh attraction.				
Michael F
February 11, 2020 

					  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 