10 Best Museums in Pittsburgh

At the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, you can browse exhibits that detail the history of anthropology, earth science, and wildlife. The museum's collection includes around 22 million specimens, including one of the world's most complete Tyrannosaurus Rex fossils. You'll also discover arctic dioramas such as a replica igloo in the popular Polar World section.

The Carnegie Museum of Natural History is usually open every day except Tuesdays until 5 pm. If you'd prefer an evening tour, visit on Thursdays when the museum remains open until 8 pm. It's housed in the same building as the Carnegie Museum of Art.

Spread across 7 floors with 17 galleries, the Andy Warhol Museum is North America's largest museum devoted to a single artist. The museum's permanent collection includes over 900 paintings and 4,000 photographs. You can also browse more than 1,000 unique prints and around 4,350 videotaped works.

The Andy Warhol Museum usually closes at 5 pm, but it stays open until 10 pm on Fridays, making it an ideal place to visit after dinner. We recommend setting aside at least 2.5 hours to make your way around the galleries. You'll find the museum to the north of the Andy Warhol Bridge that crosses the Allegheny River.

Head to the Senator John Heinz Regional History Center (Heinz History Center) to learn about the history of Pittsburgh, from its settlement to the modern era. Inside, there are sections that explain the Revolutionary War, Pittsburgh's steel-making heritage, and the history of slavery in Pennsylvania. There is also an exhibition dedicated to the H.J. Heinz Company as well as a separate sports museum.

The Heinz History Center is located in the west of the Strip District, just a few minutes away from the Pittsburgh Union Station on foot. While the museum is open every day, we recommend visiting on a Monday if you want to avoid the crowds.

At the Carnegie Science Centre, you can gain insights into how science and technology impact all aspects of daily life, from food production to energy use. You can also peruse exhibitions focused on robotics, space, and sports science. Besides display galleries, the Carnegie Science Centre is home to a planetarium, a giant cinema, and a WWII submarine.

With activities such as ziplining, indoor climbing, and rope courses, the Carnegie Science Centre is an ideal place to visit with children and young teenagers. You'll need around 3.5 hours to see the highlights of the Carnegie Science Centre, especially if you want to ride the miniature railway during your visit.

The Frick Pittsburgh, also known as the Frick Art and Historical Centre, is a collection of historic museums that once belonged to early 20th-century industrialist Henry Clay Frick. Inside The Frick's 5.5 acres, you'll find museums such as the Car and Carriage Museum, the Frick Art Museum, and Clayton. You'll also gain insights into Pittsburgh's steel-making heritage.

You'll find The Frick Pittsburgh in the city's eastern suburb of Point Breeze. The bus ride from the city centre to the museum usually takes between 30 and 40 minutes. While you're in the area, you might want to explore the 644-acre Frick Park, which is the largest public green space in Pittsburgh.

The Mattress Factory is a contemporary art museum inside a former warehouse in Pittsburgh. It has site-specific art installations by names such as James Turrell, Yayoi Kusama, and Greer Lankton. One of the museum's most famous pieces is the Infinity Dots Mirrored Room. There's also an array of diverse temporary exhibits.

You'll need around 2 hours to experience the immersive works of art at the Mattress Factory. If you'd like to visit in the evening, visit on a Wednesday when the museum remains open until 8 pm. Just a stone's throw away are attractions like Randyland and the City of Asylum that occupy more of Pittsburgh's revitalised historic buildings.

Established in 1895, the Carnegie Museum of Art hosts one of the oldest exhibitions of contemporary art in the US. Besides collections of European and American paintings from the past two centuries, the museum houses Japanese prints, photography displays, glasswork, and sculptures. Rotating exhibits also showcase local talent, international works, and specific themes.

Highlights of the Carnegie Museum of Art include works by names including Dürer, Degas, and Van Gogh. There's also an opulent marble hall that takes influence from the Parthenon. Most tickets to this art museum also include admission to the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, which is situated inside the same building.

At the Children's Museum of Pittsburgh, the kids can see, touch, and play with a variety of interactive exhibits. While many exhibits rotate frequently, popular sections include the Kindness Gallery, the Garage, and the Nursery. There's also a display of items from the famous kids' educational show, Mister Roger's Neighborhood.

The Children's Museum of Pittsburgh is situated inside the former Allegheny Post Office and the neighboring Buhl Planetarium in the Northside neighborhood. While you're here, you might want to visit nearby attractions like The Andy Warhol Museum and the National Aviary. Just outside the museum, you can take in views of Pittsburgh's skyline from Allegheny Commons Park.

At the Nationality Rooms at the Cathedral of Learning, you'll discover around 30 classrooms that each reflect the historical culture of an ethnic group that helped build Pittsburgh. Most rooms are open to the public, while the Syrian-Lebanon and Early American display rooms can be viewed through glass doors.

The Nationality Rooms occupy the first and third floors of the Gothic-style Cathedral of Learning, which is a national historic landmark that reaches a height of 163 meters. Sunday is usually the busiest day to visit. Crowds are rare on weekday mornings.

The Fort Pitt Museum occupies a recreated fort that was originally built by British settlers in the 18th century. The museum primarily focuses on the French and Indian War, a theatre of the so-called Seven Years' War in North America. You can also learn about the fort's role during the founding of Pittsburgh, the Whiskey Rebellion, and the Revolutionary War.

The Fort Pitt Museum is situated in Point State Park near the formation of the Ohio River. Nearby, you can visit the outline of the French Fort Duquesne. For the best views of the river, take a short stroll over to the Point State Park Fountain.