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    Kamin Science Center

    3.9 (248 reviews)
    Closed 10:00 am - 5:00 pm

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    Victoria G.

    It was a beautiful day to be at the museum and get to see the new cities of the future film in Rangos. I asked if there would be anything from Jensens and watch until the end to get a glimpse. I am even more excited for the new exhibit the science of sport and the electric go kart sneak peak at the entrance of the museum. It was cool to see the completed mars exhibit. I need to go back and take a closer look which I love about museums. There's so much there that you need a couple of visits to soak it all in.

    Photo 1: Montage of images from Kamin Science Centrr
    Ed U.

    It wasn't a surprise to me that this was a kids' attraction. It was more of a surprise that I would find myself here paying a somewhat exorbitant $25 admission fee on a wintry Sunday morning. I was walking the Three Rivers Heritage Trail and in need of an excuse to get out of the bitter cold. Besides which, I saw the center houses a miniature replica of Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater (Photo 2). That appealed to me since I just visited the real thing. It turned out to be a part of the Miniature Railroad & Village, an expansive display of moving trains in a model of the greater Pittsburgh area (Photo 10). Otherwise there were some marginally interesting exhibits focused on the human body and the life of an astronaut. There was also a display of famous robots and a model of the surface of Mars. Several of the more immersive exhibits appeared closed for renovation. Just by chance, I caught a documentary short about volcanoes in the Buhl Planetarium. It wasn't the most visually interesting subject for their convex projection system, but it passed the time. I think the center is best suited to families with pre-adolescent kids. They were the most willing visitors. An hour plus was enough for me. RELATED - Exploring Pittsburgh? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://yelp.to/h0m3wFlCdJ

    Train Table
    Avery G.

    We love visiting the science center! On this particular trip our favorite exhibit (water works) was closed for construction to bring something new. But we also got to experience something different this time! We attended a family story-time in the planetarium/theater dome. That was fun! The train room is always a big hit too - we notice something different every time!

    Jessica A.

    What a fun museum with lots to do. The Kamin Science Center is fun for all ages! From shooting off rockets to live animals to exploring a submarine, watching a planetarium show or a movie on the big screen, there's plenty to do and lots to learn. I loved the 4 season model train set with such incredible attention to detail. We spent several hours here on a Sunday, which wasn't very crowded. We were able to park right out front.

    Halloween at the miniature railroad
    Stephanie W.

    Carnegie Science Center re-opened as the Kamin Science Center. Over $100 million in new exhibits are planned for the next decade and I can't wait to see what they come up with!

    What's up!
    Marissa R.

    The name here is soon changing because of the donor, but this museum really is wonderful. I've brought the kids here on several occasions. It is situated in a very central spot that is on your way to any sporting event in the city. Four floors to explore, and some of the exhibits change from time to time. Don't forget to see the big train that features miniatures of all of your favorite Pittsburgh locations. You also won't want to miss the second building that is dedicated to motion and how the human body works. Enjoy.

    Liz G.

    The Carnegie Science Center is located on the North Shore in the midst of the stadiums. They have a paid parking lot. My son is just over one year old so the fourth floor toddler area is perfect for him. There's a water table area, button wall, tumbling area with foam blocks, and more. He could've stayed in the tumbling area for an hours! He also loved the huge train display. It has immaculate details, it was really interesting to look at. Excited to keep coming back as he gets older!

    Ron J.

    Carnegie Science Center is a must-visit! Mind-blowing exhibits, hands-on fun, and a vibrant vibe. Highly recommend seeing it for yourself--pure science magic! Can't wait to go back

    Bubbles in Blue
    Amber M.

    This center has an incredible location on the river, some good exhibits, and a small parking lot. I have a STEM background and am glad for anything that supports science education and am pretty thrilled that this place is still here. As noted, the view from the center over the river is really nice. There's also an outdoor sub exhibit that is open weather permitting. It was too cold the day we went, so we missed it, but it's nice that it's a thing. I hadn't been here since high school and was surprised how familiar the place felt. I'm sure some things have been updated (the Mars exhibit was definitely newer) but some things have been here for a while (the train exhibit, which always felt more history oriented to me than science). Also, a fair number of interactive exhibits were not functional. Maintenance or a total overhaul is needed in some instances. My 15 year old sister loved the human body exhibits and I loved the planetarium. I rather wish we'd visited the Pixar exhibit, but at $25 a pop for General Admission, this place is a little expensive so we couldn't manage add-ons. Also, we didn't eat here, so I can't speak to the food. I was glad we arrived early because the lot is tiny and when we left lots of people were driving circles trying to snag a spot. Overall, this is a good place, but some maintenance is in order, especially in the section about the water cycle. Exhibits should be functional!

    Perfect day for a submarine tour!
    Jennifer W.

    I took my kids to the Carnegie Science Center on a Sunday at 2:30 and it was great! There weren't many people there so we got to do a lot in a little bit of time. Extra bonus today! We got to go on the submarine!! This was a super cool experience and my kids loved it. The train room had some extra Halloween themed objects to find which was also really fun for the kids.

    Forbes Field, Model Trains
    David B.

    Extraordinary community asset, educational resource and a place to go for an engaging and entertaining afternoon. My favorite parts are the submarine and the Works Theater. The staff are always enthusiastic, well trained, and engaging storytellers. The model train section is something I keep going back to, especially because it often gets updated. It was cool to see a replica of the Rachel Carson Homestead, for example, as well as Kennywood and the Incline. The gift shop has some amazing educational games and gifts, so save some time to see what's there. The Science Center is also an excellent venue for outside events and meetings

    Winnie C.

    The science center is connected to the art museum. The science center has probably the largest collection of dinosaur bones I have seen in one place. Everything was well presented with a lot of information given. The art museum has a very nice diverse collection of classical to modern art. Everything was a bit unusual and gave me a bit of different perspective into some of these masters' works that are a little different than how I've known their work. It kept me pondering and thinking about some of the questions regarding the "art world". Though our visit was short, but the impact on me hasn't been.

    Fun and informative displays with the train exhibit
    Brittany S.

    This was probably our third or fourth visit to the Carnegie Science Center and it was such a blast to experience it through our toddlers eyes. We spent two hours exploring the four floors of fun and learning that the museum offers. Our adult tickets were $25 each and kiddos under two are free. The biggest draw for our visit was the large train exhibit. We probably spent thirty minutes in that room alone. There are so many intricate details and history factoids to soak in. I love how the exhibit showcases not only the four seasons but the lights change to experience both day and night. It's a beauty and fun for both adults and kids. The museum also features an outer space exhibit, shows, hands-on water features, small water creatures, Lego exhibits and more. I especially appreciated the section dedicated to those six and under with musical instruments, a climbing space, small tables, etc. I thought this museum does an exceptional job of catering to all ages. The cherry on top? Parking was $5 - not shabby.

    The sub as closed so no tour for us.

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    Kids should find it fun enough. The quick walk through the USS Requin submarine is cool.

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    Page 1 of 7

    Kamin Science Center Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Kamin Science Center

    What age kids is the Carnegie Science Center best for? We have a soon to be 6th grader and a soon to be 3rd grader.

    It's great for kids of all ages. Little kids have a ball there.

    View All 2 Questions

    Review Highlights - Kamin Science Center

    The Carnegie Science center was one of my fondest childhood memories, from going on weekends to the occasional summer camp.

    Mentioned in 34 reviews

    Read more highlights

    Carnegie Museum of Natural History

    Carnegie Museum of Natural History

    4.7
    (214 reviews)
    3.6 mi

    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.

    Photos
    Gift shop
    Gift shop
    Carnegie Museum of Natural History
    Carnegie Museum of Natural History

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    Mattress Factory Art Museum

    Mattress Factory Art Museum

    3.9
    (249 reviews)
    0.9 mi

    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.

    I've visited the Mattress Factory many times over the years, and it's always a place I enjoy…read morereturning to. I love the main building and how the exhibits are constantly changing, while some of the iconic spaces--like the mirror rooms--remain favorites that you can always count on seeing again. During this visit, I noticed the Dollhouse building has been completely redone. The new exhibit is much darker and heavier in tone, which honestly made me a little disappointed since the dollhouse installation used to be a staple of my visits and something I always looked forward to. The third building had construction going on on the first floor, but from what I could see it looks like it's going to be an incredible new display once it's finished. I was also a little sad to see the delayed recorder projector piece gone, but the new installation in its place was still interesting. One thing I still absolutely love is the water flowing down the handrails--it's such a small detail but always one of my favorite parts of the experience. Overall, it's still a place I enjoy visiting and seeing how the exhibits evolve over time.

    Photos
    Small wall work from Luke Stettner's State of the Sky
    Small wall work from Luke Stettner's State of the Sky
    Lots like junk, right?
    Lots like junk, right?
    This is an exhibit of trash.

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    This is an exhibit of trash.
    Bayernhof Museum

    Bayernhof Museum

    5.0
    (28 reviews)
    6.5 mi

    We were looking for a fun experience for my husband's big sis, and boy did we find it at Bayernhof!…read moreI couldn't recommend this museum more highly. Lisa, our tour guide, was just perfect - entertaining, enthusiastic, knowledgeable, and fun. Our 2-hour experience was a joy - it passed so quickly! You call ahead to arrange a tour, and Lisa returned my call maybe a day or 2 later. We arranged it for a Tuesday morning at 10am (the other option was something like 2pm). The 19,000 square foot Bavarian-inspired home is atop a large hill outside Sharpsburg overlooking the Allegheny - and with a lovely view of downtown. You come thru the gate and park near the door. Inside, Lisa talks a bit about the foyer - chock full of collectibles - and takes you to the main room with that fabulous view, a comfy room with a bar just off the kitchen. You settle in to wait for everyone to arrive. The lecture there takes about 30mins, & you learn about the wealthy, quirky eccentric, Charlie "Chuck" Brown, who built this quirky home in 1982. He was a total prankster who had very little sense about how to build a really stable home. After his death, the board would save the home for all to enjoy. The real treat is hearing from some of the 165 music machines spread thruout the house - some Chuck collected, some purchased by the board set up by Chuck's lawyer, Dave, who - with Chuck's faithful secretary - took on the Herculean task after Chuck's death of fulfilling his dream of turning the home into a museum. The mysteries of the home reveal themselves as you go - and Lisa relishes in showing them off - from the hidden doors, wet bars (in almost every room! Chuck loved to entertain though he was socially awkward!), observatory, below ground cellar, cave, and pool room with a waterfall. It's great. Lisa shares tons of stories, knowledge, anecdotes, and more. Our favorite of the fabulous musical machines: the cylinder player on the landing that has a tiny dancing black bird figure inside; the singing birds with real feathers (!!) in the bird cage upstairs; the uber-art deco Decap machine downstairs with the purple velvet pool table; and the fringe lamp victrola in the upstairs guest room. As you're walking thru the house, you can't believe all there is to see and learn. We were fascinated! Just go! You won't regret it.

    AMAZING! HIGHLY RECOMMEND. My friend is a music lover and I thought this would be interesting…read more He enjoyed it and I loved it even though I don't appreciate music the way he does. The museum reminded my kids of a real-life Clue game - it is definitely worth visiting! I highly recommend.

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    Bayernhof Museum
    Bayernhof Museum
    Bayernhof Museum

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    Senator John Heinz History Center

    Senator John Heinz History Center

    4.5
    (264 reviews)
    1.4 mi

    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!

    If you want to know anything to everything about Pittsburgh, there is no argument that this is the…read moreplace to go. I was expecting a flea market-style hodgepodge of artifacts on display, but it was more organized given the breadth of exhibits shown. Housed in a century-old red brick building, the museum is presented in discrete sections across six floors. Right after entering, I could tell the space was oriented more toward families with vintage vehicles, a twisting tube slide, and a set of rockers for young parents. There are several permanent exhibits focusing primarily on local history and sports. Specific sections are devoted to the British, French & Indian wars of 1754-1763; the African American history in Western Pennsylvania; and Pittsburgh's contributions to the world for the past 250 years. The most popular exhibit was unsurprisingly the Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum highlighting the city's rich sports heritage with particular attention on the Steelers, the Pirates, the Panthers, and the Penguins. There are sections spotlighting the history of the H.J. Heinz Company and their influence in popularizing home staples like ketchup (of course), pickles, and baked beans, as well as an extensive timeline of the museum's namesake, Senator John Heinz. Of particular interest to Gen X'ers is Mister Rogers' Neighborhood featuring the regular characters, set pieces and artifacts from the series. Admission is $20 for adults, and I'd guess ninety minutes is enough to allocate for a visit, at least for this Yinz-ignorant Californian. RELATED - Exploring Pittsburgh? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://yelp.to/qN_tq21lnL

    Photos
    Pittsburgh icon in a great new home
    Pittsburgh icon in a great new home
    Fun Room for Kids at Heinz History Center
    Fun Room for Kids at Heinz History Center
    Horse-Drawn Fire Truck in Lobby at Heinz History Center

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    Horse-Drawn Fire Truck in Lobby at Heinz History Center
    Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens

    Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens

    4.7
    (602 reviews)
    3.8 mi

    Phipps is a must-visit spot if you ever come to Pittsburgh. This is our second visit and we really…read moreenjoy the current Alice-in-Wonderland theme. Definitely a perfect place for spending time with family and friends. Parking can be challenging if you go during holiday or weekend. We bought the tickets in advance online, but you can also purchase it at the entrance. Recommend bringing a water bottle since there are various water refilling station in the conservatory.

    Absolutely incredible…read more I don't go to botanical gardens much so I don't really have qualifications to compare or rate any particular place but Phipps blew me away. I like plants. I have some. I thought seeing a bunch of plants might be fun but I wasn't expecting it to be such a wonderful experience! The place is quite large considering most of it is inside. It is organized for a few different environments and a little something for everyone depending on what your floral preferences might be. It took us about an hour and a half to go through the whole thing. Got a lot of pictures. Saw a lot of interesting and cool plants as well as beautiful flowers. Highly recommend this as a stop on any and every Pittsburgh trip.

    Photos
    Hundreds of stunning blooms fill a colorful tropical paradise at this year's Orchid and Tropical Bonsai Show. Photo © Paul g. Wiegman
    Hundreds of stunning blooms fill a colorful tropical paradise at this year's Orchid and Tropical Bonsai Show. Photo © Paul g. Wiegman
    Ornate bonsai fill a colorful tropical paradise at this year's Orchid and Tropical Bonsai Show. Photo © Paul g. Wiegman
    Ornate bonsai fill a colorful tropical paradise at this year's Orchid and Tropical Bonsai Show. Photo © Paul g. Wiegman
    Hundreds of stunning blooms fill a colorful tropical paradise at this year's Orchid and Tropical Bonsai Show. Photo © Paul g. Wiegman

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    Hundreds of stunning blooms fill a colorful tropical paradise at this year's Orchid and Tropical Bonsai Show. Photo © Paul g. Wiegman

    Kamin Science Center - museums - Updated July 2026

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