Located in the Allegheny Center area of Pittsburgh's Northside neighborhood, the Children's Museum of Pittsburgh is an attraction geared specifically towards children of elementary school age and below. Originally founded in 1983, the first home of the museum was the old Allegheny Post Office. It was joined in 1991 by the Buhl Planetarium, an attraction that was once part of the Carnegie Science Center.
In 2000, plans were announced to further expand the Children's Museum of Pittsburgh in order to accommodate the grower number of visitors. A modern glass addition was designed that would connect the two buildings - the Art Deco-style former post office and the Beaux Arts planetarium. The new structure was the winner of a Silver LEED award, a nod to the fact that the new addition was built using sustainable building methods with attention to site development, water conservation, energy management, using recycled materials, waste management, reusing resources, and indoor air quality. By leaving some of the "green'' systems exposed, the museum offers opportunities to teach young visitors about their responsibility to the environment.
Additional awards garnered by the new Children's Museum of Pittsburgh include an architectural achievement award and a National Trust for Historic Preservation award for preserving the integrity of the original buildings.
Children and their parents head to this museum, however, not for its architecture but for what's inside. Through its exhibits, the museum strives to inspire joy, creativity, and curiosity in its young visitors and to work as a resource for those who care for and work with young children.
The permanent exhibits at the Pittsburgh Children's Museum are based on the theme "Play with Real Stuff''. Each exhibit includes an area for older children and a section for toddlers and infants. These exhibits include The Studio, an arts-related area where kids can experiment with printmaking, papermaking, painting, clay sculpture, and more. Inexpensive and recycled materials are on hand for such projects as mosaics, wire sculptures, and weaving.
Other exhibits offered at this museum include The Attic, a space where kids can challenge their senses in the Gravity Room or Phosphorescent Room or make puppets in the Animateering workshop. The Garage and Workshop is truly a hands-on area, where kids learn about electrical systems, pulleys, parachutes, and much more. At The Theater, kids are the stars. They can try their hand at dressing up or can experiment at the actors' make-up table, then present their own play in the kid-sized theater.
One of the favorite exhibits in the museum is "Welcome to Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood,'' a tribute to Pittsburgh's favorite native son. Kids can see Mr. Rogers' television house, the Neighborhood of Make Believe, and the Neighborhood Trolley. Any Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood fan will adore this section of the museum where they can meet King Friday, Daniel Striped Tiger, and other neighborhood favorites.
Kids will get wet at the popular Waterplay exhibit, where they can launch a boat on the "river''. More opportunity to get wet and dirty happens in the Backyard, where visitors can roll down a hill or splash in a fountain.
Temporary exhibits are also featured regularly and the museum also offers many special programs and events for children and their parents or guardians. Summer camps for grades 1-8 are also offered annually. The Children's Museum of Pittsburgh also holds classes for educators.
The museum is open daily and there is a caf, onsite for hungry visitors. Birthday parties are also welcome and should be scheduled well in advance.
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