How you can celebrate the 50th anniversary of 'Mister Rogers Neighborhood'

PITTSBURGH — It’s the golden anniversary for one of Pittsburgh’s most famous neighbors.

PBS aired the first episode of Mr. Rogers Neighborhood on February 19, 1968. A young Fred Rogers entered the living rooms of children to teach them about caring, kindness and the value of being true to yourself - a message he would continue to deliver over nearly 900 episodes and 33 years.

There are celebrations of the 50th anniversary across western Pennsylvania.

The Fred Rogers Center for Early Learning and Children's Media at St. Vincent College is hosting a screening of that first episode and panel discussion at 7 p.m. Feb. 19.

WQED will air a retrospective, "Mister Rogers: It's You I Like" at 8 p.m. on March 6. It will be hosted by Pittsburgh native and former WQED stagehand Michael Keaton. Keaton also had several appearances on the show in the 1970s.

If you want to visit the set of Mr. Rogers Neighborhood, head to the Heinz History Center in the Strip District. Mr. Rogers living room, King Friday's Castle and the Great Oak Tree are just some of the familiar set pieces you can visit.

The Children's Museum of Pittsburgh will host a Happy Birthday Mr. Rogers celebration from March 17-20. You can meet former cast members and take part in Mr. Rogers-themed activities.

A forever stamp honoring Fred Rogers will be dedicated on March 23.

You can celebrate the anniversary every day by living by the values that Mister Rogers taught us.