$11.5 million latest donation to history center from Daniel G. and Carole L. Kamin will give kids free admission elevating their giving to over $100 million

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.

“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 September 1, children will be able to enter the Heinz History Center and Fort Pitt Museum for free. Currently, tickets are free for children five and under and $11 for children aged 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.

Masich said the Kids Free initiative has been part of their strategic planning for more than a decade. Still, 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 their support for local nonprofits, which has cemented 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 establishing an endowment for free children’s admission stemmed from various experiments conducted over the years, including promotions offering free admission for children on single days, weeks, or even months, with the assistance of the Regional Asset District and corporate sponsors.

Masich said that in each of those scenarios, they saw a massive increase in attendance, along with more family groups that were not 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 established from a family-owned business that evolved into the 38th most prominent developer in the nation, with properties spanning 45 states and totaling nearly 17 million square feet.

Daniel Kamin is a graduate of Shady Side Academy and the University of Pennsylvania whose philanthropic vision is fueled by his passions for science and history.

Carole Kamin is involved in several charities across the Pittsburgh area and was recently named a 2025 Woman of Influence by the Pittsburgh Business Times.

Their combined giving in recent times is over $100 million.