kidsburgh!

I have dim memories of visiting the Carnegie Science Center as a teen from out of town, but I haven't been back in years. Yesterday I took my kids for the first time, and we were really amazed by all the museum has to offer. There's a whole lot to look at and play with - the major themes of the interactive exhibits include weather, sound and light, robotics, physiology and health, and marine life.

There are also lots of special activities included in admission, from planetarium shows to kitchen science demonstrations, and even a real submarine to explore. My three year old loved everything, but he especially enjoyed a huge miniature train display (representing the history of western PA, not that he's aware of that), and the fourth floor play area designed specifically for three- to six-year-olds. Exhibits can be enjoyed on many levels, though, so that teens and even adults can have fun and learn something new with every visit. If that's not appealing enough, there's also an omnimax theater where, for an additional charge, you can see a changing selections of films (usually documentaries) and laser light shows.


details: open 10 to 5 or later every day. $18 for teens and adult, $10 for kids three and up, discounts available for return trips. extra shows $2 to $8. membership starts around $100 and includes the Carnegie Art and Natural History museums and the Warhol museum. there is a cafe, and a quiet area on the fourth floor for down time. you may get wet in the small children's area. more information available at Carnegie Science Center.

creative commons image by Allie Caulfield