Art is supposed to make you think or make you feel something. At the Mattress Factory, you will definitely feel something even if you are art illiterate.
The room of dots is neat. We got to see the fourth floor with the airplane wing in the floor. You look down it as it cuts through the building and pops out of the side, giving you the view of 4 stories above the ground. I don't think a piece of art ever terrified and excited me so much. In the same second, you want to slide down or stand back for fear of falling.
The dark floor is equally inspiring on the 2nd floor. The room with the blue square is amazing. We walked in with cynicism and left with a faster heart beat and a belief that art can make you feel. I am not going to ruin it for you if you have not been.
The ramp to go into the dark and sit and stare at the dull light is also crazy. We had a foreign gentleman pop in with a flashlight half way through and we had to tell him to leave, though it took a couple of times due to the language barrier. Perhaps if they had a sign there explaining what to do and that only 2-3 people should be in there at once, it would greatly enhance the experience.
We ran over to the other building and the art there was harder to get on board with. I could appreciate some of it, but some of it seemed kind of silly. I am glad there is something like this in Pittsburgh where art is encouraged and is new.
Definitely worth a visit, but its good to keep an open mind. Like really open.