PIT’s sensory room set to celebrate fifth anniversary

Pittsburgh International Airport’s Presley’s Place, one of the first comprehensive sensory spaces to launch at a US gateway, is about to celebrate its 5-year-anniversary.

The 1,500 square-foot sensory space came to fruition after PIT employee, Jason Rudge, left a note in the company suggestion box.

Inspired by his four-year-old son Presley, who was diagnosed with autism, the space is said to have been ‘life changing’ for thousands of families who have travelled through the airport.

The total cost for for the development, which officially turns five on October 1, was $930,390 .

It facilities include a built-in simulation of an airplane cabin so travellers can become familiar with the environment before they embark on their travels.

Presley’s Place has served as a model for other sensory spaces throughout the US including Newark Airport, the Cincinnati Zoo and the Houston Museum of Natural Science.