It used to be that the Mexican War Streets district of Pittsburgh’s Northside wasn’t the nicest neighborhood. Artist Randy Gilson wanted to do something about that, so he started picking up rubbish and planting miniature gardens in disused whiskey barrels. Eventually he bought a dilapidated property on Arch Street and transformed it into Randyland over two decades, painting every inch of the 40-foot-tall building, planting flowers throughout the courtyard, and turning other people’s trash into bizarre and eye-catching sculptures. When you walk through his labor of love nowadays, you aren’t sure what to look at first: the table full of mannequin heads? The mountain of sand dotted with plastic dinosaurs? The NOLA-esque paintings on the walls? None of it makes sense yet it all somehow works. The courtyard is open daily from 1 to 5:30 p.m.; admission is free, but if you’d like to make a donation, there is a cash box by the gate.

1501 Arch St., Pittsburgh, PA; 412-342-8152.