The Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh are a set of four distinct museums that are dedicated to the enrichment of lives of through art and science. They are four of the most exciting and unique museums in Pittsburgh, PA. Andrew Carnegie founded the Carnegie Museums of Art and Natural History in 1895. In the 1990s, the Carnegie Museums welcomed the two newest museums, the Carnegie Science Center and The Andy Warhol Museum.
All four of the Carnegie Museums provide a pleasurable experience for both adults and children. While each has a different climate and different strengths, a trip to Pittsburgh should include one, if not all four of these fantastic museums
Carnegie Museum of Art
The Carnegie Museum of Art is located in the Oakland neighborhood of Pittsburgh. One of the two original Carnegie museums, the Museum of Art was founded in 1895. The museum features a wide range of art styles from a vast time period. Their most impressive collection is of contemporary art works, though they have many large collections from a variety of time periods. The museum features works on paper, films, and sculpture.
The Heinz Architectural Center became part of the museum in 1993. The architectural exhibit at the museum is the largest in the United States and the third largest in the world. Also of note is the Hall of Sculptures, which is a replica of the interior of the Parthenon.
Carnegie Museum of Natural History
The Carnegie Museum of Natural History is also located in Pittsburgh’s Oakland neighborhood. The museum is housed in the same building as the Museum of Art and both museums are included in the admissions price. The museum features the Dinosaur’s in Their Time exhibit. Visitors can also watch fossils being prepared for exhibit at the PaleoLab.
The museum also features permanent exhibit on minerals and gems, North American wildlife, African wildlife, botany, and American Indians. New exhibit and limited engagements are constantly being added to the museum. The museum also features the Earth Theatre, a theatre with a wraparound screen that features films on scientific discovery.
Carnegie Science Center
The Carnegie Science Center is located in Pittsburgh’s North Shore. The museum officially opened in 1991. The museum features the Rangos Omnimax theatre, the Buhl Digital Dome planetarium, and USS Requin submarine. This museum is an especially great place to take children. The exhibits are mostly interactive and hands on.
In the main exhibit area, visitors can experience an earthquake, build and test paper airplanes, and construct buildings out of blocks. There are also presentations throughout the museum that demonstrate the role science plays in everything from cooking to musical instruments.
The museum also features the SportsWorks exhibit in a separate building across the parking lot from the main museum. This exhibit demonstrates the science of sport through interactive games and activities. Visitors can climb walk walls and design roller coasters while also learning about sport technology and human anatomy.
The Andy Warhol Museum
The Andy Warhol Museum is located in the North Shore neighborhood of Pittsburgh in a renovated warehouse. The museum is the most unique of the four Carnegie Museums. The museum opened in 1994 and is dedicated to showcasing the work of Pittsburgh native Andy Warhol.
In addition to Warhol’s works, the museum displays works by other artists. The museum’s artwork is displayed in a variety of mediums including paintings, prints, drawings, film, and video.
Weekends at the Andy Warhol Museum are especially distinct. On Fridays, the museum stays open late and encourages social interaction through a cash-bar positioned in the galleries. On Saturday and Sunday afternoons, visitors are placed in groups and encouraged to experiment with the techniques and themes that Warhol used.
 |
