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Pizza Brain was born in 2010 when two men innocently issued a call for Philadelphians to “Give

Pizza Chance.” Twenty-five artists responded, turning Fishtown’s Rocket Cat Café into a signalfire for Philadelphia pizza culture. A small multitude came out to celebrate both the intimate and

communal nature of “something so simple, so ubiquitous, as pizza.” Little did they know they

were announcing the coming of something even bigger: the opening of the world’s first pizza

museum and pizzeria just a few blocks away.

Inspired by the stories and camaraderie shared at that café, one man began to collect theevidences of pizza culture, from toys and posters, to records and video games. He wanted to

make Give Pizza Chance an annual event. One year later, Brian Dwyer would claim the

Guinness World Record for “the worlds largest collection of pizza-related items.” But much

more happened along the way.

One night, Brian dreamed he was inside a sort of pizza Acropolis: people were sharing pies in alabyrinthine museum and arcade dedicated to the very food they were eating. Not long after, he

got a text from a pizza chef he’d never met: Joe Hunter. Throw in a fateful encounter with

businessman Michael Carter, and the enlistment of industrial artist Ryan Anderson, and Team

Pizza Brain was complete.

Together they dared to ask, Why not  a pizza museum? There’s a museum for cheese, ramen,even mustard; doesn’t the “ultimate populist, minimalist food” deserve one of it’s own? That’show an annual art show became the innovative museum and restaurant business model you see

today.

We believe pizza is a lifestyle. It’s the (un)official sponsor of creative people everywhere. PizzaBrain is tied to the great American pizzeria tradition, but never bound by convention. When it

comes to pizza, everyone has a story to tell. We are creating a space to tell your stories, make

new ones, and interact with pizza’s evolving cultural history. Pizza Brain connects.

Participate in pizza.

(or: Pizza connects.

Participate in Pizza Brain.)

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(Timeline)

Know your American Pizza History!

1894 – Peddlers in Chicago sell pizza from a metal washtub at two cents a chew.

1905 –  Lombardi’s opens in Manhattan. First American pizzeria. 

1939 –  The D’Amore Family brings pizza to Los Angeles.

WWII – American troops in Italy take comfort in pizzerias, and bring home a craving.

1943 – Deep dish is born at Pizzeria Uno in Chicago.

1954 –  Shakey’s Pizza opens in Sacramento, CA. First pizza chain, opening 500 locations over 

20 years.

1958 – Pizza Hut. You know the rest.

2010 –  Philadelphia’s first pizza-based art show, Give Pizza Chance opens at Rocket Cat Café tounprecedented response.

2011 –  Brian Dwyer claims Guinness World Record for “world’s largest collection of pizza-

related items.” 

2012 –  Pizza Brain opens. World’s first Pizza Museum.