Carnegie Science Center — Attraction in Pittsburgh

Science is life!

Our most recent trip to Carnegie science Center (and we have many) included my niece and nephew, who were up visiting from West Virginia. They also had been here many times in the past, but this was the first time that they got to visit alongside their cousins. What a great time!

Open Wed-Mon from 10am-5pm, you have plenty of time to see it all!

First stop, H2oh! We love this area because everything about it is water-based. Whether floating a boat down a ramp and through your own tunnel, creation or tipping a huge water, lava balance piece, this area is sure to please! Walking back in through the section, you have the hoses that blow the beach balls, and lots of other fun areas. The kids absolutely love standing in front of the camera while they do the weather forecast. Beyond this, is a nice miniature live animal area. When I say, live animals, I don’t mean what you would find at a huge zoo. Just some aquariums, areas to watch the fish, peacefully swim, crickets, etc.

Being that we got there early, we dashed over to Highmark SportsWorks next before the crowd got there. The kids took their turns swinging the bat, playing operation, sprinting, hanging from the pendulum and more!

Did you know that the science center had a huge robot exhibit years ago and the robots are still on display down by the theater in the robot hall of fame? Don’t forget to get a gander at the basketball robot when you are spending time over at Sport’sWorks. This one has always amazed me!

After having a lot of physical fun next door, we headed back into the Science Center and onto SpacePlace. The kids LOVE the rocket launch and parachute drop!

Bricksburgh was our next stop! Where else can you find a huge Lego built soup can? My boys design cars and held a drag race. The shake tables are always a feat and the Shake Shack is still a fun time. Would love to see it really moving like it did in the “Earthquake” days. I believe it is supposed to be the same, but I feel it has slowed some.

Our timed ticket was ready and off to explore the USS Requin. State-of-the-art and battle ready when it set out just days before the end of World War II, Requin holds the distinction of being the Navy’s first Radar Picket submarine. Open daily: 10 am–4:20 pm (weather and river conditions permitting) you will not want to miss this! Remember, this is included with your general admission ticket to the science center and can only be done if you have purchased a science center ticket. Wow, does this put life for these men in to perspective. Tight quarters, but they made it home. The kids loved going through the portal doors and checking out everything from where they slept to where they eat!

The miniature railroad was next. This is one of our favorite areas. We could seriously spend hours here taking in every detail! The Miniature Railroad, which celebrated its’ 100th Anniversary in 2019, features hundreds of wonderfully realistic animated scenes that illustrate the Pittsburgh region’s rich and diverse history up until 1940. New models are added annually to the village. Each season, find something newly added!

Mars, the Giant Leap was next. Space vehicles were driven and space food imagined! Be sure to glance above your head at the plants within the lights!

Bodywork’s. Thus one is really something and has a few from above down to Mars. See how each part of the body works and even how it all looks, gross! A very cool area!

Last on the list for our little guy was Little Learner Clubhouse. He played with water and launching balls. There is also areas to make some musical noise and climbing stations.

Look into becoming a member and hit them anytime you are in Pittsburgh or a rainy day surprise for your kids! It definitely an educational and fun place for...

Our visit to the Carnegie Science Center & SportsWorks was a wild success—equal parts educational, entertaining, and “Can we come back tomorrow?” from all four kids (and one of the adults, who shall remain nameless). With kids aged 2, 5, 7, and 10—and one more on the way—we know a thing or two about what makes a place actually family-friendly. Carnegie nailed it.

Pro tip: Start your day at SportsWorks. It’s like a science-themed indoor playground where kids can climb, jump, spin, and test the limits of gravity (and their clothing). Our 5-year-old—aka our human wrecking ball—was living his best life sprinting between the human yo-yo, balance challenges, and climbing walls. The 7-year-old disappeared into the virtual sports simulators, and even the 2-year-old found plenty to do, toddling happily between exhibits and yelling “MY TURN!” at everything.

After that, we pulled off one of our favorite parenting tricks: starting at the top of the Science Center and working our way down. It’s genius for dodging crowds and it starts your day with the awesome kids’ zone at the top. The hands-on play area is a toddler paradise, but our big kids dove in just as eagerly. They built towers, explored light and sound, and ran the kind of experiments that leave your hair sticking out at weird angles. Science!

One of the biggest surprises? The Disney laser show. We weren’t sure what to expect, but it delivered BIG. Picture a room full of kids (and adults who should know better) singing their hearts out to Disney hits while lasers flash and dance. Yes, I belted out “Let It Go.” Yes, the tween pretended not to know me. Worth it.

We skipped the submarine this time around—we’ve done it before, and I didn’t feel like crawling through narrow spaces while very pregnant—but if you’ve never done it, go for it. It’s tight, but it’s also a super cool piece of history that’s usually a big hit with kids and grownups alike.

What makes the Science Center + SportsWorks combo shine is that it’s actually built for everyone. There’s no “adults sit on the bench while the kids play” energy here. Grownups can dive in just as much as the kids, whether it’s testing out physics exhibits, exploring space, geeking out over robotics, or getting lost in engineering challenges. We’ve visited multiple times over the years, and there’s always something new to discover.

Bottom line: The Carnegie Science Center is an all-day adventure, and you’ll probably still leave with things on your “next time” list. Come early, bring snacks, wear comfy shoes, and say yes to the add-ons. Whether your crew is into space, sports, science, or sensory play, this place has...

This is a family-orientated science museum in a super convenient spot close to the Allegheny stop and with parking in the area too.

It's on around 4 floors which are split into different themed zones from building to space to the human body. It's definitely oriented toward children and really tries hard to offer activities for the different stages of development. There is also a planetarium which today I think had hourly shows.

For a solo adult visitor, I really liked the miniature railroad- there were lots of little historical snippets and model trains to see and I liked the day/night cycling too! The staff around the railroad were very friendly and keen to make visitors feel welcome. The Mars exhibit was great and I like the way they've made it interactive around the imaginary Mars community in asking visitors input into decisions around it.

I think for adult visitors- the submarine is a highlight and unfortunately it closed at short notice on the day of my visit. Honestly, I booked my ticket the day before when it was due to be open and wouldn't have come otherwise.

I did visit the Vikings exhibition which had some interesting parts to it and the videos were very good however I saw the Vikings exhibit in Montreal a few times last year and the staging was much more effective and immersive- particularly the banquet and funeral sections. It does cost extra to visit the Vikings exhibit (Montreal's was included in regular ticket price) and it feels a very slimmed down version compared to the one I saw.

I think ultimately, there is a lot to see, especially for families however it is quite pricey and it's worth bearing in mind other options to visit in the city. I do think what might be helpful is a map outlining the different areas and shows. When I visited the Andy Warhol museum, I was given such a good overview of the areas and how it worked which was completely missing from this museum which actually would have been...