We arrived right as the museum was opening and parked in the museum lot…read more The museum is divided up into different floors. Highlights from the kids: 2 story climbing area by entrance Garage area with the slide and lots of interactive play Water room - not to bring a swimsuit They have a large area to eat with a small cafe. I recommend brining your own food since the menu is limited. My kids enjoyed the pizza. The great part about this museum is the museum lab is included next door. After lunch we took a trip over to check it out. Not all the area were open but they had one section with several activities setup like bracelet making, Legos, chess and printing. My kids enjoyed the area and it kept them entertained and engaged

This was our second time visiting the Children's Museum of Pittsburgh. The first time was last…read moresummer when my son was just over a year old, and we came again recently that he is almost two. He enjoyed it so much more this time. This place is truly amazing. Every corner has something new and engaging for kids. Each activity easily keeps them entertained for 15-20 minutes before they excitedly move on to the next fun thing. It's so thoughtfully designed. The entire third floor dedicated to water play is fantastic. My son absolutely loved it. This time we came prepared with proper clothes for water play, which made the experience even better. We arrived a little before noon and he played almost nonstop until closing at 5 pm. The ultimate proof of a great day: the moment I put him in the car, he fell asleep within two minutes. We live in California, and honestly I have not seen anything this amazing for young children in the Bay Area. This museum is truly special, and we will definitely visit again whenever we are in Pittsburgh.

There is a lot to love about the Science Center! Multiple floors of exhibits, plenty are hands on…read moreand there is something for all ages! Plus there are several different live shows daily along with planetarium shows (free with admission). There are also add ons like the laser show and the omnimax cinema. There is a paid parking lot right outside the science center. Parking is very reasonable ($6) but depending on how busy it is, you may end up quite far from the entrance, so keep that in mind. You can purchase admission in advance online (especially important if you are visiting one of the special exhibits) or you can get it there. Either way, you will need to wait in line to get your wrist band. There are times that there is quite a line, but they seem to be pretty efficient overall at getting people through. Some favorites of our family are the earthquake simulator, the electricity show, the model train and the submarine. (note, it is wonderful to see, but there are plenty of tight spaces so might not be great to tour if you are Closterphobic). I wish they hadn't taken out their robot area. They replaced it with a Mars exploration exhibit which is interesting, but for my kids and I it was kind of a one and done whereas the robots we would visit every single time and spend tons of time there. They area that was formerly sportsworks is currently being renovated to a gocart track which I'm sure will be fun. But it seems like with each renovation they are removing some of the more educational aspects and replacing them with things that will be more fun centered. There is a cafe on the ground floor. Typical cafe type stuff that is decently priced for museum food, but still costly. You can always pack your food or just get something to eat after your visit. Avoid the weekend of Thanksgiving and the weeks of Christmas break at all costs. I made that mistake once and it was so crowded you could barely move. Definitely not a fun experience. They often host special events for both members and the general public. I've been to a few of the 21+ nights and while they are fun, as a member they aren't worth the cost to me. One of our favorite events was the Polar Express PJ party where you started the day with some science themed activities, Santa and then hot coco and snacks for a private screening of the film. Overall, a fun museum for people of all ages (definitely not just a place for kids).

I first visited this science center many years ago while I was in college. Even then, it was an…read moreenjoyable experience, although it was beginning to show its age. After hearing about the recent major renovation, I was excited to return with my family and our young children. Unfortunately, we left feeling underwhelmed. Several of the interactive exhibits we were looking forward to were out of order, which was disappointing, especially for the kids. Some areas also felt sparse, including one section that was largely just a LEGO play area. Given the investment in the renovation, we expected a more engaging and polished experience. Overall, we didn't feel the science center lived up to its potential or justified the admission price. While there are still some enjoyable exhibits, we had hoped for a more immersive and interactive experience.

Attended a 1 hr Behind the Scenes of Dinosaur Bones tour advertised to members. $50 per person 10…read morepeople per group. Limited number of tickets. Well worth money spent. Our tour was led by the head pf the department. The breadth of her knowledge of the museum, her predecessors, and collection was impressive. Did you know that England has a copy of our T Rex in their Natural History museum? Dippy's extra bones need a new resting place. Currently they have been resting on this shelf since 1800's. The wood is injuring the bottom of the fossil. (I think dinosaur lovers would donate the $30k to get Dippy's bones a new resting place.) Researchers come to study the collection. Fork lifts are used to transfer the bones from one surface to the next. A local college student found an undiscovered amphibian while searching for fern fossils on FedEx property by Pittsburgh International Airport. It was named after FedEx and the student: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/100315-new-fossil-amphibian-fedex Great experience! Would definitely attend again. I wonder what is Behind the Scenes of the art museum ...

This section of Pittsburgh has a lot to offer. You would have to take an Uber or Lyft from…read moredowntown. This is a World class combined art and history museum. Your admission ticket includes both the art and natural history museums. Admission is half price after 3pm, but the museum closes at 5:00. A few minutes away from the museum you have the Heinz Chapel, Nationality Rooms, and the outfield wall of Forbes Field.

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

Very much an Instagram attraction, but also a "what you make of it" experience. You can blow…read morethrough the whole place in probably 15-20 minutes or you can spend an hour or two depending on how much time you take to interact with the various exhibits and the "games" that are in the middle of the experience. I was leaning more towards four stars but stuck with three because it IS expensive for what you actually get, the space itself is pretty tiny and it can be a bit crazy if the admission slot you purchase is sold out. I have to admit, I liked this experience more than I thought I would. Sure, it has the tourist trap instagram photo spots, but it has some degree of an educational experience that I wasn't expecting. They have signage explaining some of the illusions and the science behind them. This is what I mean when I said you can blow through our spend more time. You get more out of the experience (and will spend more time there) if you take the time to read why the various illusions work. I'm a knowledge junkie, so this was really fun for me. Your best experience will be if you follow the guidelines they have posted. Each exhibit has places marked on where to stand to get the illusion and the best spot to take the photo. I have to admit, you can get some really creative and fun ones! Although those are the ones you often have a long wait for. There is very helpful staff rotating throughout the experience. I just wish they would gently push some of the people along that seem to take FOREVER to get the "perfect" shot. I came back to the building illusion (the one where you can make it look like you are hanging off the top of a building or sitting on ledge) and ten minutes later the same two girls were still taking pictures despite there being a line behind them. Exhibits are well maintained and the staff is informative. It should just have a lower price point for what you get. Parking is street parking (good luck with that on busier days) or you can park in one of the nearby garages (which would add to your expense). There is a gift shop on the way out with a variety of items ranging from magnets and pins to shirts and games. Is it worth a visit? Sure, but try to find a coupon or buy when they have some sort of promotion to make it more affordable.

This is one of the coolest museum experiences I have ever had! I had seen the signs for this place…read morefor years but never took advantage of a tour until we visited as part of a scouting group. You learn so much about the history of mining and more importantly, hear from personal examples of what the miners lived through. You take a mine car into the mine (beware this is SUPER tight if you are tall). In the mine area, they have equipment from various eras of mining. It was really interesting to see how the history progressed and how conditions improved (but were still challenging even today). The tour guides are almost all retired miners which was really fascinating because they have the real world, lived experience to share. One of the things that really struck me was hearing about how for ages, kids as young as mine were workers in the mines. Thankfully that has changed and most modern miners are actually people with geology or other similar degrees. There is so much to learn, and it is especially relevant considering our region's mining history. I would recommend this museum to everyone of any age!

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.

This small but mighty museum is a Pittsburgh hidden gem! With passionate and knowledgeable staff…read moreand real lunar landers being created through a glass window, you can learn so much about the space industry! There is a discount deal on tickets set up with the Carnegie Science Center which is new- so check that out. Since Astrobotic is always working on something new, it's worth repeat visits to see all there is to offer!

The Moonshot Museum is a small museum located in the Chateau neighborhood of Pittsburgh. The ticket…read moreprice is $10, however Carnegie Science members get a discount. It takes about a half hour to explore the exhibits. You can rent the Museum for your event, which seems pretty cool. They have a small gift shop.

I have definitely learned that contemporary/modern art is just not my thing. That being said, that…read moredoesn't mean that Mattress Factory isn't worth a visit. The museum does not have its own parking lot, so you will need to find street parking. However, there seemed to be plenty of options in the area. They exhibits are spread out over various floors and areas. They have a suggested path, but you can really explore at your own pace and interest. The "famous" work is the polka dot room which is really intriguing and visually appealing. My daughter like to say "art is all about how the artist sells it and what you make of it" and this is the perfect place to put that mentality into effect. There were some pieces that I was just baffled about being "art" and there were others that while I personally didn't enjoy them, I could appreciate the time and talent that went in to creating them. If you are looking for a unique museum experience, this is definitely the place for you.

The Mattress Factory excels at site-specific imersive installation art, and their permanent…read morecollection has some origami art by some of the biggest names in installation art. The museum also hosts private events, a few of which I've attended, and they were outstanding. The staff are very welcoming. The museum gives back to the local community in a big way.

This place is great. My sister and I took our kids (aged 5, 2, 1, and 4month) and each kid had a…read moreblast. It's very clean and more than enough stuff to do. The staff here were so nice. They went above and beyond to ensure we had a good time. Jakob in the makers area sat with my 5 year old for 30 minutes and created a cardboard guitar. He was so patient and informative. We will definitely be back and recommend to other families!

My daughter is 10 months old and she LOVED it! They have so many options for all ages!read more

We visited the museum as the Flood Museum was, ironically, closed due to water damage. The change…read morein itinerary ended up being a good thing as the Center was surprisingly informative, interactive as we toured the Center as a particular immigrant, and the staff were super helpful! Barb guided us through the flood exhibit on the third floor & recommended other places in town to visit & eat at. We also hope to bring our grandkids back to visit the children's area.

This is well worth visiting if you're in the Johnstown area, or even coming out from Pittsburgh if…read moreyou're looking for a good children's experience. It embraces the town's heritage while keeping it fun for the kids. Sadly, most of the negative reviews on here are out of date and don't really apply anymore. We became members and took our kid here every day for the last three days and he never tired of it! He loved all the interactive experiences and toys, but especially going up through the coal mine and slide. He loved the kitchen area and the DJ booth. The other kids there seemed to all be really enjoying themselves there, too. We have been to about a dozen kids' discovery centers in two different countries in the past two years and this is one of the better ones, if not the best. The employees do an excellent job keeping the place clean and tidy, and are friendly, too. Previous old reviews seemed to complain that several things were broken or worn out, but that wasn't the case now.