Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh One of the Best of its Kind

The Carnegie Museum of Natural History is one of four museums in Pittsburgh boasting the Carnegie name. Founded in 1895 by steel magnate Andrew Carnegie, a Pittsburgh native, the museum is dedicated to promoting "a better understanding of the history of the earth and all its inhabitants.'' This museum has been consistently ranked among the top five natural history museums in the United States.

A visit to the Carnegie Museum of Natural History includes the opportunity to explore 20 different exhibit halls. Exhibits may be either permanent or temporary as the museum hosts quite a few traveling exhibits each year. The permanent exhibits are divided into three categories: earth sciences, life sciences, and anthropology. Earth sciences exhibits include the Benedum Hall of Geology, which illustrates the ever-changing nature of the earth. Divided into four earth-like domes, this exhibit features the popular Stratavator, which takes visitors on a simulated elevator ride 16,000 feet into the Earth. Other exhibits in the earth sciences collection include the Hillman Hall of Minerals and Gems, which includes 500 gems, crystals, jewelry and other pieces of gem art; and the Earth Theater, which features a wraparound screen and movies that take guests on exciting scientific adventures.

In the life sciences section, visitors will find Dinosaurs in their Time, one of the Carnegie Museum of Natural History's most popular exhibits, demonstrating the diversity of life in the Mesozoic era via a vast fossil collection and more; the Hall of North American Wildlife, filled with natural habitat dioramas; Botany Hall, an exhibit highlighting four different biomes of the U.S. - a Florida everglade, a Mt. Rainier alpine meadow, an Arizona desert, and a Pennsylvania valley; the Hall of African Wildlife, which provides a look at the animals of the continent's major life zones - savanna, rainforest, mountain, and desert; and the Discovery Room, a portion of the museum that encourages visitors to "touch'' the exhibits, which include touchable fossils, minerals, skeletons, and cultural artifacts.

The anthropology exhibits at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh include Polar World: the Wyckoff Hall of Arctic Life, one of the largest exhibits on the Canadian Inuit (Eskimo) in the world; the Walton Hall of Ancient Egypt, an excellent look at the complex society that existed in the Egypt of centuries ago, including a vast number of interesting and exciting artifacts; and the Alcoa Foundation Hall of American Indians, an exploration of Native American cultures and their close interaction and connection with the natural world including the Tlingit of the Northwest Coast, Hopi of the Southwest, Lakota of the Plains, and Iroquois of the Northeast.

The Carnegie Museum of Natural History offers a variety of classes, lectures, and workshops all year long for both adults and children. Some are free with museum admission while others carry an extra charge. In the summer, kids can sign up for Camp Earth, with programs designed for children from age 4 through 12. The museum also offers Dinosaur Birthday Parties for young visitors which include tours, games, and much more.