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| - The Carnegie Museum of Natural History would be worth a trip if the permanent "Dinosaurs in Their Time" exhibit was all the place had to offer. Luckily for me and you there's the dinosaurs and so much more.
The Museum of Natural History is 1 of 4 Pittsburgh Carnegie Museums, with the others being the Museum of Art, the Andy Warhol Museum, and the Science Center. The Museum of Natural History shares space with the Museum of Art, and, conveniently, the price of admission ($15 for adults; many discount opportunities available such as having a student ID, AAA card, etc.) provides you with access to both institutions. The museums take up several square acres, so wear comfortable shoes as you'll be walking on marble the majority of the time. (Incidentally, my "comfortable boots" aren't as comfortable as I thought they were!) Speaking of time, plan to spend at least a full day--parking is $5 for the day, by the way--at the museum; there's just so much to see.
Load up on complimentary brochures at the front desk when you purchase your ticket. The brochures provide information regarding the day's classes/workshops/lectures/events, list the different exhibit halls, and include maps. While you're near the museum entrance don't neglect to check out the gift shop as well; it's great, and many of the smaller items are quite affordable. Also near the entrance is the Carnegie Cafe--there are small eateries elsewhere in the museum too--if you need a pick-me-up.
During our trip to the Museum of Natural History last week, my family and I covered nearly all the exhibits, but in the interest of keeping this review a reasonable length I'll focus on the dinosaurs and post a few photos from some of the other exhibits.
"Dinosaurs in Their Time" no doubt gets the most attention, as it should. The skeletons and the groundbreaking, scientifically accurate way they're presented are amazing. A really cool feature is the touch screens located near most of the skeletons: visitors are able to see which dino bones are authentic, which are cast, and which are sculpted.
Another dino exhibit highlight (for me, anyway) is a glass-enclosed thigh bone. The plaque nearby explains that in 1898 Andrew Carnegie read about the discovery of the bone in Wyoming, and Carnegie then asked the then-director of the museum to purchase the bone for Pittsburgh--the bone that "started it all," according to the plaque. The next year Carnegie financed an expedition to Wyoming to unearth more bones, eventually collecting a monster mass of specimens that today can be viewed in the Carnegie Museum of Natural History.
This museum is a tremendous source of information and awe-inspiring exhibits. You won't be sorry you went.
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