I was really impressed by the museum of natural history and the art museum. The natural history…read moremuseum had cool fossils, beautify rocks/minerals, and breathtaking dioramas that really put you in the habitat of the creature they are portraying. The museum was relatively empty when I went except for multiple field trips of elementary school students. Admission for one adult to the museums was only $25 for the whole day, which felt like a steal. There were plenty of opportunities for children to enjoy the exhibits as well. The museum was clean, inviting, easy to navigate and had staff all over to help give directions.

Hey, I liked the first "Jurassic Park" and was raised on Saturday morning episodes of "Land of the…read moreLost". However, I've got to admit I'm just not into giant dinosaurs. Truth be told, the key reason I came here was that the $25 admission gave me concurrent access to the Carnegie Museum of Art since the two museums share the same building. If dinos are your thing, the scale was indeed impressive. Just be mindful they didn't move and were ironically crowded together in one section (Photo 7). There are rooms dedicated to wildlife dioramas from eons past, including the fabled La Brea Tar Pits (Photo 9), as well as more current ones representing North America, the polar caps, and the African savanna. I thought the most arresting exhibits were the rooms dedicated to minerals, gems, and jewelry. The Hillman Hall focuses on natural forms and dramatic shapes (Photo 8), while the Wertz Gallery presents more of the finished, polished results (Photo 10). It felt like Tiffany's without the breakfast or Holly Golightly. It was quite a family-friendly hodgepodge of attractions. It seemed I deal for a junior high school field trip, probably somewhat less for out-of-town curmudgeons like me. RELATED - Exploring Pittsburgh? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://yelp.to/ygLhKUK9LU

Art in Bloom 2026 was another AMAZING exhibit. I truly do not understand why more people are not…read moretalking about this! This exhibit blends art + nature in the most beautiful way, challenging local floral designers to reimagine pieces from the gallery through stunning arrangements. It's colorful, creative, and exactly the kind of spring energy us Pittsburghers all need during the transition between grey winter and spring!

Great museum! The Art In Bloom flower show is a hit! The artwork they have displayed in there is…read morevery nice looking and the place is very clean.

Awesome experience! We went last night and Savanna made our visit perfect and captured all the…read morelittle things helping make memories special

This was the moment I realized I overstayed my welcome in Pittsburgh, an indisputably great city…read more However, even indisputably great cities can have disappointing attractions. My first clue was that I discovered this museum was not specific to Pittsburgh. In fact, it's part of a privately owned museum chain, one of over sixty identical museums across over 25 countries. I came here because I had a free morning trying to avoid the wintry weather. I decided to make stops on the North Shore along the Three Rivers Heritage Trail. Clearly, not every stop is a landmark. This museum appears to be targeted to either young families with hyperactive kids and Instagram-addicted tourists. Falling somewhat into the latter category, I found the admission rather steep at $25 for what looked to be a relatively small scale space. I paid that same amount for both Carnegie Museums (Art and Natural History). This museum consisted of a series of interactive exhibits that create optical illusions. There were several spinning wheels, tilted spaces, distorted rooms, and mirrored illusions. My walkthrough lasted around fifteen minutes. Kids were anxious to go through the exhibits at breakneck speed, and my attention span was rarely stimulated by the exhibits. In visiting this museum, at least I won't be curious about the sixty other Museums of Illusions. RELATED - Exploring Pittsburgh? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://yelp.to/h0qh7n2Ol5

i visited the carnegie museums of art and natural history on a weekday and had a wonderful…read moreexperience overall. the collection is absolutely massive and it was so much fun to walk through every exhibit. plus, the staff were all very friendly and helpful. if you are driving, there is on-site parking available, but it was relatively full even for a weekday so i had to drive down a few levels to find a spot. the "cards only" sign at the gate is a bit confusing because the machines at the exit actually do accept apple pay! if you want to pay before you get back to your car, there is also a booth inside the museum near the entrance and bathrooms with machines that take apple pay too. the only minor downsides were that many of the hand sanitizer dispensers and toilet seat covers were empty during my visit. despite those small details, i had a great time and would definitely recommend a visit!

When I recently visited the Carnegie Mellon University campus, I got lost on my way to this museum…read more When I asked a student where it was, he had no idea what I was talking about. Given its world-class reputation, I was surprised but not really. After all, if it's not part of his curriculum, why should he know about it? I eventually figured out where it was and didn't know it shared the same building as the Carnegie Museum of Natural History. The building was massive, and the upside was that a single $25 admission gave me access to both museums. The art museum takes up 155,000 square feet of exhibition space divided into twenty galleries with over 1,800 pieces on display. The focus is primarily on art, architecture, photography, and design between the 19th century and now. Here there are key masterworks from the likes of Renoir and Monet (Photo 7) to Warhol and Guston. The Hall of Architecture is a cavernous room full of plaster casts of architectural masterpieces like the North Transept Portal of the Bordeaux Cathedral (Photo 5). There's an extensive archival collection by Pittsburgh photographer Charles "Teenie" Harris, whose work dramatically focuses on the history of African American life. The wide spectrum of furnishings was particularly fascinating, and the Grand Staircase provides the appropriate grandeur (Photo 9). RELATED - Exploring Pittsburgh? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://yelp.to/qN_tq21lnL

My cousins and I took a tour here a few weeks ago. I had no idea this attraction was basically…read moreright in our back yard! They have a museum we looked at while waiting for our tour to start. First we went to a log cabin and watched a 10 min video about the founder. Then we went down to the classroom to go over mine safety. Next we got our hard hats and headed into the car to take us into the mine. This was the coolest part. We got to get out and walk around the mine. Our guide also showed us the different machines and how they are used. This tour was so fun! I highly recommend this tour. I want to come back for their Halloween celebration! One thing to note: the cars going into the mine are pretty low. If you have knee issues or mobility issues, it may be difficult to get in and out of the cars.

Awesome thing to do locally and learn so much from. Kids have a blast. Note to parents and all…read more Bundle up. Even in summer take a sweater or hoodie with you it's COLD down in them mines! Stopped up for the Haunted Mine experience and man they do a great job setting that up and working on it from April - October for a well done finished product! Get there early or you'll be waiting a LONG time as it is with all the haunted attractions I guess. For sure come check them out. You'll have to come twice. Once to see the mine and do the tour and again to enjoy the frights, screams, and scares!

This museum has something for everybody. Whether you are a youngster wanting to control your train…read morearound a track or an older "youngster" reliving the experience of the trains you used to have or any age in between, this is a must see museum when you are in Western Pennsylvania. The upstairs HO scale display is a thing of beauty and of the history of the rails in Western PA as close to the real trains and buildings existing in the 1950s. Well worth the price of admission and the caretakers/hobbyists are there to provide information or answer questions about the display or about the history of the museum.

I have been to model train exhibits before and have always enjoyed them. Usually these exhibits…read moreare modest in size because of the time, money, hands and other resources required to build and maintain them. Additionally, in my experience they are usually meant to portray hypothetical settings rather than resemble actual places. So, I was quite surprised at both the scope of this particular project as well as the fact that this is a miniaturized cross section of the city of Pittsburgh from 1953 that stretches from downtown toward Ohio Pyle and beyond. Its many historical details are pleasingly accurate as anyone can attest to through research on the internet. For me, I had the privilege of having my Dad and Uncle there (both of whom were living in Pittsburgh in that year and were excited at getting to walk through their childhood city). Walking through the room and experiencing it through their eyes made it perhaps even more enjoyable. I would strongly recommend this to anyone who has an interest in this very specific category of art. It is definitely worth the entrance fee. Also, a huge shout-out to those who worked on creating this masterpiece. Please keep it up!

Pittsburgh Hienz Museum…read more Whether you are new to the Pittsburgh area, or are returning there after years away, or you are a lifelong "Yinzer," I highly recommend that you visit the Heinz History Center. It covers the history of the Native Americans, to the French Indian War, through the Revolutionary War, and the role Pittsburgh played in the two World Wars! It also celebrates the sports accomplishments of its Professional and College Teams. Finally, a tremendous history of everyone's favorite, Heinz Tomato Ketchup!

I think this Museum deserves 5 stars. Its really a "History of Pittsburgh" Museum and they have…read moreexhibits ranging from contributions of Pittsburgh people and industries (such as to WWII, the Moon landing), cultural exhibits (Mr Rodgers Neighborhood), Pittsburgh history including a focus on the French and Indian Wars, and of course, an exhibit to the Heinz company itself. The exhibits are well titled and display, the trolly is really cool. There is a kids area and an interactive play area. I have visited this Museum twice, once before we had kids, and once after and it really is a different experience each time, something for people of all ages! Also kids are FREE! If you visit Pittsburgh and have time for only one Museum, this is it. My only complaint is the cafe is underwhelming, and the gift shop is prohibitively expensive. Finally, if you enjoyed the exhibit on the French and Indian wars be sure to check out the Fort Pitt Museum, which has lots of collections from the era!

My daughter is a local member of her library and a perk gets you into this museum on Tuesdays…read more This is a lovely museum and easy to get to. We could not take pictures inside but I was able to capture the exterior. This is great place to visit and learn about the Clayton family that was instrumental in business in Pittsburgh. The tour is terrific and our guide did a good job with all the details. They have a solid gift shop and the grounds are pretty. They also have a greenhouse on site.

Lewis Hines Pictures America…read more First time in Visitor Center due to recent ticketing changes. Very nice addition. The photography was even better than expected. There's just something special about black and white photos, especially vintage. Glad I went.

This is the quintessential Brownsville historical attraction. If you are looking for a prize of…read morelocal history you cannot find anywhere else then look no further

I have heard of Nemacolin Castle, but had thought it was near the resort by the same name. It…read morewasn't until I entered the address into the GPS that I learned it is located in Brownsville. Husband and I decided to visit when the Christmas tour was offered. We got a history lesson on the man who founded a trading post and built the castle. The Bowman family was quite influential in the area. It is impressive to be made aware of the history behind the family and the home. The home is managed by the historical society and volunteers. It would be great if they would get some additional funding for restoring the home. Right now, they rely on donations and admission fees to maintain the upkeep. There are areas of sagging floors and peeling wallpaper. It is fortunate that most of the furniture items were actually owned and used by the family. The piano is beautiful and one of the first to come to the area. The home was decorated for the Christmas holiday. Admission is $15 for adults and tickets may be purchased online or at the door. On busy times, I would recommend reservations. Our guide was knowledgeable and friendly. We were in a tour of about 18-24 people which was too large of a group. The some of the rooms were small and we were crammed in to hear the guide. Still, it was a nice way to spend a rainy Saturday before Christmas. I want to return when they have a haunted tour next fall.

My husband and I were driving home from the Westmoreland County arts and crafts festival and…read morediscovered Hanna's town as we were driving. The place was closing within 15 minutes but I had the opportunity to meet with a couple of staff and learn about the place. Hanna's Town is a national historic site not often noted during the pre and during the Revolutionary War. We learned that it was the first English court west of the Allegheny Mountains and this town had more prominence than Pittsburgh which had yet to be developed. The settlers adapted what was called the Hanna's town resolves which fueled the movement towards independence. It was also was an important site during the war recruiting men for the Continental Army and for the militia that aided the western campaigns against the Indian allies of the British. The actual town itself was burned by Indians and British allies in 1782 and a partial recreated village was built in its place to show the hard lives the early settlers had and the important part they played in achieving American Independence. A lady let us view a one room house with bare floors that had table and chairs, a bed, and a fireplace along with dishes and other things needed for a frontier lifestyle. One can only imagine what life must have been like in that period. I had an opportunity to tour the fort on the grounds and saw various items such as a fireplace, the frame of a TeePee, and a memorial to a 12 year girl by the daughters of the American Revolution who gave her lives to the Indians. With very little time we were allowed into the gift shop where they have additional artifacts about the town itself. They offer tours which last 1 1/2 hours and since they were closing asked us to return for one. Tours are only $5.00 but you can get $1.00 off if you are AAA member or Senior Citizen. I was given a pamphlet where I learned they host events, court reenactments, antique and collectibles markets and other things. This is definitely a must return trip since it will give me an opportunity to learn more about the colonial lifestyle. Located on Forbes Trail Road it is an easy drive to Greensburg.

I found this on the 'Uncovering PA' facebook page as something to see in Pennsylvania so drove in…read more I loved how it was laid out and enjoyed wandering the fort, then up the hill to the very large rock! Across the street you find the stockade, schoolroom, and visitor center.. Sadly it was closed when I arrived but I did enjoy the buildings. I love history and these old buildings are amazing. I love old forts too ;)