Opened on October 5, 1991, the Carnegie Science Center is the most visited museum in Pittsburgh. However, it has a long and rich history as one of the four distinctive museums that make up the Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh, including the Carnegie Museum of Art, the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, and the Andy Warhol Museum. Together, these institutions date back over 110 years.
The Center is located on Pittsburgh’s North Short, on the Ohio River. The idea behind it came from steel magnate Andrew Carnegie’s desire to bring science and technology to the masses. The founder of Carnegie Steel Company, which later became U.S. Steel, Andrew Carnegie was a Scottish-American entrepreneur who became famous for not only founding one of the most powerful corporations in American history, but also for giving away most of his significant wealth upon his retirement.
In the 1980s, the building that housed Pittsburgh’s popular Buhl Planetarium and Institute of Popular Science was showing signs of aging. Soon, it became apparent that what the institute needed was not just a new building. It needed to keep up with the changing times, which would require significant development in terms of staffing, services, and science education programs. It was at that point that the 1901-founded Carnegie Institute expressed an interest in launching a new initiative – what would later become the Center.
In 1987, the boards of the Buhl Planetarium and the Carnegie Institute approved a merger and the creation of a new joint institution, which was to be called the Carnegie Science Center. Ground for the new center was broken on October 5, 1989 and it officially opened its doors to the public exactly two years later.
Today, it stands out as one of the most popular explorations into the world of science in the state. It is home to UPMC SportsWorks, the largest science and sport exhibition in the world as well as a four-story Rangos Omnimax Theatre. A miniature railroad and village can distract visitors for hours, while others take part in live fantasies of full-dome laser graphics set to their favourite music. Carried over from its previous location, the Buhl Planetarium remains another one of its more popular attraction. You can also take a tour aboard a submarine, much like the ones used during World War II, or interact with the over 300 other hands-on exhibits.
By presenting science in an entertaining way, the Carnegie Science Center is dedicated to reaching out to and inspiring a new generation to understand the world around them. General admission tickets to the Carnegie Science Center cost $14, while watching an Omnimax show costs $8. Various memberships can be purchased for groups, families or the individual, allowing free admission to all of the Center’s exhibits. There are also discounts for seniors. The Carnegie Science Center is open from 10 am – 5 pm Sunday through Friday, and 10 am – 7pm on Saturday. To call for inquiries, the Center can be reached at 412-237-3400.
Carnegie Science Center
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