Alternate Histories Studio

Alternate Histories Studios is located at 517 Greenfield Avenue in Greenfield, a suburban neighborhood in Pittsburgh defined by its encompassing sense of community and generations of families that have established deep roots within the city. Having been established in June 2022, making it a rather new addition to the neighborhood, this interesting site brings art that combines history, sci-fi, and humor to this part of the city.

Started by Matthew Buchholz in 2010, Alternate Histories Studio combines Buchholz's love of history and ‘50s-’60s monster movies. In an interview given to NEXTpittsburgh in 2022, he discusses how he built a world from his love of monsters, in it he imagines where monsters might exist in different regions of the world and historical pictures (Machosky). Buchholz explains how he gets a lot of his inspiration through finding old photographs in thrift stores and figuring out how to work monsters into the negative space of the image. According to Buchholz, he wants to get people interested in these photos and maps again because many of them have not been seen in decades. Buchholz wants the original image to be the main focus of the piece, with the monsters being an “unexpected surprise” (“Sci-Fi Meets History”). Some of his most popular work involves giant tentacles reaching out of large bodies of water, zombies terrorizing different parts of the world, and dinosaurs wandering around in the modern world. 

Open from 12pm-5pm on Saturdays, the Alternate Histories Studio is a hub for history buff sci-fi fans who can see their interests brought to life in fun, humorous ways. (For those who cannot get to Greenfield at this time, do not worry- Alternate Histories sells all of their work through their website and on Etsy!) The location is part store, part studio. At the front, each wall is adorned with posters and cards displaying works from AHS featuring many elements of the fantastic. There is a dedicated shelf space for one of Buchholz’s more popular pieces of art, “Yinzilla,” a local reinterpretation of the popular Japanese nuclear monster Godzilla. Behind the treasured memorabilia is the studio portion of the space where he produces, stores, and sends out products. So if you are in the Greenfield neighborhood or are looking to add a little fantasy to your life, see what Alternate Histories Studios has to offer.