Where Was The Pitt Filmed? Every Major Location, Explained

The addictive and adrenaline-fueled medical drama "The Pitt" is such a whirlwind that, once you really get into the thick of things, it becomes increasingly hard to remember how the first episode even started. That's because, unlike most medical dramas, "The Pitt" essentially unfolds in real time, with each episode standing in for an hour of a single, trauma-filled day at a fictional Pittsburgh hospital's emergency department. This only further contributes to the sense of events blurring together, especially as viewers find themselves hours-deep into the healthcare worker experience. Still, if you think back to the premiere episode's 7:00 am breath of fresh air, you may recall getting a glimpse of the real Pittsburgh skyline.

The hospital in "The Pitt" may be fake, but it's aesthetically inspired by a real Pittsburgh location, and a few key moments of the show were actually shot on location. For the most part, though, the "Pitt" set is the product of extremely convincing television magic. Star and executive producer Noah Wyle has said that the creative forces behind the show set out to make the most realistic medical drama ever brought to the small screen, a goal they likely achieved thanks to the cast undergoing extensive training to ensure the series is medically accurate, on-set doctors, serious script research, and immersive shooting locations in both Pennsylvania and California.

Though the bulk of "The Pitt" is filmed a long ways away from Pittsburgh, the show reportedly did shoot exterior shots in Steel City, including a sequence in episode 1 that revealed a sweeping view of the city. Of course, it was tough to focus on the East Coast backdrop when the scene was more concerned with whether or not Dr. Abbott (Shawn Hatosy) would jump from the hospital roof to his death after enduring another traumatic shift at the underfunded, overcrowded Emergency Department. According to CBS News, "The Pitt" season 1 filmed in Pittsburgh for at least three days in 2024, using Allegheny General Hospital as a stand-in for the fictional Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Hospital in exterior shots.

The shots in question include the rooftop conversation between Abbott and Dr. Robby (Wyle), as well as shots of the hospital entrance and a nearby cross-street (Cedar Avenue and Suismon Street, to be precise), according to The Direct. Because of the show's unusual hour-by-hour structure, "The Pitt" doesn't include many establishing shots, although its first episode begins with Dr. Robby's walk to work and features some gorgeous aerial views of the city skyline. Candace Herrington, the real-life manager of external corporate communications for the hospital, told CBS that the crew used drones to get some of those landscape shots, and that the building got "new signage" for the shoot. The hospital helipads also play a part in the show, and there's more real-life Pittsburgh to come in future episodes.

"The Pitt" includes authentic shots of Pittsburgh when the doctors step outside, but most of what we see on screen was actually created on a soundstage in Burbank, according to Pittsburgh's Trib Live. Production designer Nina Ruscio and set decorator Matt Callahan built a hospital from scratch in a southern California studio, using Allegheny General as a major reference point. For the waiting room, Ruscio made a floor that matched the marble color tiles seen in shots of Wyle that were actually filmed at Allegheny, and took inspiration from the marble columns "on the south side of [Allegheny] that's on East North Avenue" when creating architectural details on the Los Angeles set.

Rusico also told Variety that she designed the Emergency Department set in Burbank using "physical geometries" like a multi-colored floor and a ceiling with lighting built-in to help make the fast-paced character movements in the show appear as fluid as they would if done by medical professionals. "There are lines in the ceiling so that the camera movement feels seamless and never feels blockaded," she explained. Wyle also told Rolling Stone that the show uses Steadicam-style rigs and handheld cameras to capture the action, which — believe it or not — is shot chronologically, meaning the sets need to allow for long takes with lots of room for complex choreography, tricky prosthetics, and (as becomes apparent in one especially intense episode) lots and lots of fake blood.

"The Pitt" has already gained a reputation for its medical accuracy, and that clearly extends to its sets, whether they're in Hollywood or the city that gave the show its name. New episodes of "The Pitt" stream on Max each Thursday at 9pm ET.