Pittsburgh Attractions

PITTSBURGH'S ~ CELEBRATION OF LIGHTS AT HARTWOOD

PITTSBURGH'S ~ INDIANA COUNTY FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS 2008-2009

Allegheny Observatory, Riverview Park, North Side, 412-321-2400.

University of Pittsburgh's astronomical research center. Reservations required for evening guided tours. Free.

Andy Warhol Museum, 117 Sandusky St., North Side, 412-237-8300; www.warhol.org.
World-class collection of Warhol's work and memorabilia, rotating film series, exhibitions, performances, children's activities. Part of Carnegie Museums. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday. $10, seniors $7, students and children 3-18, $6.
Beechwood Farms Nature Reserve, 614 Dorseyville Road, Fox Chapel, 412-963-6100.
Five miles of trails open dawn to dusk. Center open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday, 1 p.m.-5 p.m. Sunday. Nature store closed Mondays. Admission free.


Bulgarian Macedonian National Educational and Cultural Center, 451 W. Eighth Ave., West Homestead, 412-461-6188; www.bmnecc.org.
Bulgarian-Macedonian achievements and influence depicted in museum, library archives, learning center, performance space and gift shop. 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday. Free.


Calvary United Methodist Church, Allegheny and Beech avenues, North Side. (Contact Allegheny Historic Preservation Society at 412-323-1070.)

Group tours of the 111-year-old church and its three 30-foot-high Tiffany windows given by appointment. $1, tours by reservation only.


Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, 4400 Forbes Ave., Oakland, 412-622-3114; www.carnegielibrary.org.

Library donated by Andrew Carnegie includes sections dedicated to humanities, music and art, science and technology, social sciences. Also Job and Career Education Center, Children's Center and Pennsylvania Department, Ready Reference lookup service (412-622-3114), Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, 18 branches throughout the region and traveling bookmobile. 10 a.m. -- 8 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday; 1 p.m.-5 p.m. Sunday. Free.


Carnegie Museum of Art, 440 Forbes Ave., Oakland, 412-622-3131; www.cmoa.org.

Museum donated by Andrew Carnegie includes works by 19th-century impressionists and post-impressionists, modern and contemporary, including exhibitions on film, video, architectural design and decorative arts. Home of acclaimed Carnegie International. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday, noon-5 p.m. Sunday. $10, seniors $7, students/children $6.
Carnegie Science Center, 1 Allegheny Ave., North Side, 412-237-3400; www.carnegiesciencecenter.org.

More than 300 interactive exhibits, UPMC SportsWorks focusing on the science of sports, tours of World War II submarine USS Requin and Exploration Station, Rangos Omnimax Theater and Buhl Planetarium. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday-Friday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m Saturday. Open every day except Thanksgiving, Christmas and Steelers home games. $14, seniors/children $10.


Center for American Music, Stephen Foster Memorial, Oakland, 412-624-4100; www.library.pitt.edu/libraries/cam/cam.html.

Museum exhibitions and archives dedicated to Pittsburgh composer Stephen Foster. 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday. Library tours by appointment only. Guided tours $1.50, students/seniors $1.


Duquesne Incline, 1220 Grandview Ave., Mount Washington, 412-381-1665; www.incline.cc.

Working 100-year-old cable car connecting West Carson Street and Grandview Avenue. 5:30 a.m.-12:45 a.m. Monday-Saturday, 7 a.m.-12:45 a.m. Sunday and holidays. $1.75 one way, children 6-11 $.85, 5 and under free and seniors free.
First Presbyterian Church, Sixth Avenue, Downtown, 412-471-3436.

Tours include 13 Tiffany stained-glass windows, available after Sunday service at 10:45 a.m. Group tours by appointment. Free.


Frick Art and Historical Center, 7227 Reynolds St., Point Breeze, 412-371-0600; www.frickart.org.

Historical Victorian home of industrialist Henry Clay Frick and family, Cafe at the Frick, greenhouse and landscaped lawns. Includes paintings, sculpture and items from 12th to 18th centuries. Also Car and Carriage Museum. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday, $10, seniors/students $8. Closed Mondays and major holidays. Reservations requested.


Gateway Clipper Fleet, 350 W. Station Square Drive, South Side, 412-355-7980; www.gatewayclipper.com.

Riverboat cruises, floating dinner, lunch, dancing, special events. Hours and price vary.


George Westinghouse Museum, Wilmerding, 412-823-0500.

Displays of family items, inventions, achievements and electrical appliances. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday. $3 adults, $5 couples, children free.


Mattress Factory, 500 Sampsonia Way, North Side, 412-231-3169; www.mattress.org.

Contemporary art installations created by artists in residence. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, 1 p.m.-5 p.m. Sunday, $8, students/seniors $5, children under 6 free.


National Aviary, Allegheny Commons, North Side, 412-323-7235; www.aviary.org.

More than 600 exotic and endangered birds in natural settings. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily except Christmas. $8 adults, seniors 60 and over $7 (Monday senior discount day), children 2-12 $6.50, under 2 free.


Nationality Rooms, Cathedral of Learning, University of Pittsburgh, Oakland, 412-624-6000; www.pitt.edu/~natrooms.

Twenty-six elaborately adorned rooms depicting many of the ethnicities that make up Pittsburgh, donated to the university by groups from Europe, Africa, Asia and the Middle East. Includes stained glass, carved stone and inlaid wood. 9 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Monday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Sunday and holidays. $3, seniors $2, students 8-18 $1. Closed Thanksgiving, Dec. 24-26, New Years Day.


Oliver Miller Homestead Building, Buffalo Drive, South Park, 412-835-1554; www.15122.com/OliverMiller.

From April 27-Dec. 14, guides in 18th-century garb lead tours of the historic stone house, spring house, reproduction of log house, blacksmith shop and gardens. Demonstrations of pioneer crafts and discussions of area history. 1:30 p.m.-4 p.m. Sunday. $1 donation requested.


Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, 1 Schenley Park, Oakland, 412-622-6914; www.phipps.conservatory.org.

A 13-room greenhouse exhibiting flora of the world (also Phipps Garden Center in Mellon Park, Shadyside). 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. every day but Friday, 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Friday. $7.50, seniors $6.50, students $5.50, children 2-12 $4.50, under 2 is free.


Pittsburgh Children's Museum, 10 Children's Way, North Side, 412-322-5058; www.pittsburghkids.org.

Interactive exhibits and programs, multimedia studio, two-story play area, puppet shows, etc. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Saturday, noon-5 p.m. Sunday. $8, seniors/children 2-18 $7, under 2 free.


Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium, 1 Wild Place, Highland Park, 412-665-3640; www.pittsburghzoo.com.

Thousands of animals housed in naturalistic habitats. Kids Kingdom is ranked among the top three children's zoos in the United States. PPG Aquarium includes a stingray tunnel, penguins and colorful aquatic areas. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily (gates close at 4 p.m.). Closed New Year's Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Admission: $9 adults, seniors 60 and over $8, children 2-13 $7, under 2 free. Parking free.


Point State Park, Fort Pitt Blockhouse and Museum, Point State Park, Downtown, 412-281-9284; www.fortpittmuseum.com.

The oldest building in Pittsburgh, the Blockhouse was a military fortification located outside of the walls of Fort Pitt, erected in 1764 by Col. Henry Bouquet. Museum displays imagery from the French and Indian War. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday. $5, seniors $4, children 6-17 $2, children 1-5 free.


Rivers of Steel, Bost Building, Homestead, 412-464-4020.

Legacies of Pittsburgh's steel history. 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Saturday.


Rodef Shalom Biblical Botanical Garden, 4905 Fifth Ave., Oakland, 412-621-6566; www.biblicalgardenpittsburgh.org.

More than 100 plants, waterfall, stream and desert scene depicting the biblical lands from Lake Galilee to the Dead Sea. June 1 through Sept. 15: 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday-Thursday; noon-1 p.m. Saturday. June and August: 7-9 p.m. Wednesday. Free.


Schenley Park, Oakland, 412-682-7275.

Schenley Park Cafe: free wireless internet, lectures in spring and fall, live music and kids crafts. 12:30-3:30 p.m. Sundays July 2 -- October 15. Schenley Plaza: Revitalized grand entrance to Schenley Park, in new greenspace adjacent to Carnegie Museums and Library. Carousel, free wireless, gardens, one-acre lawn and food kiosks. Live lunchtime music 12:30-3:30 p.m., Monday-Saturday, June 12-Oct. 14. Free historical walks of Schenley Plaza and Park, 1 p.m. Sundays. Free kids storytelling and puppets 1 p.m. June 18, July 16, Aug. 20 and Sept. 17. Free National Geographic Film Festival, sunset July 13, July 27, Aug. 10, Aug. 17.


Sen. John Heinz Pittsburgh Regional History Center, 1212 Smallman St., Strip District, 412-454-6000; www.pghhistory.org.

History of the Pittsburgh region presented through rotating exhibits, interactive displays, tours, library and archives, Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily. $7.50, seniors $6, students $5, children 6-18 $3.50, 5 and under 6 free.


Sewickley Heights History Center, 1901 Glen Mitchell Road, Sewickley, 412-741-4487; www.sewickleyheightshistory.org.

A glimpse of the great estates of Pittsburgh's early industrialists as well as the grand traditions of Sewickley Heights. Special family events include an antique car exhibit, equestrian activities and a fox-hunting tea. 3-5 p.m. weekdays, noon-2 p.m. Saturday, and by appointment. Free.


Society for Contemporary Craft, 2100 Smallman St., Strip District, 412-261-7003; www.contemporarycraft.org.

Contemporary crafts by established and emerging artists, rotating exhibits and sales galleries. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday, Mondays appointment only. Free.


Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall and Museum, Forbes Ave., Oakland, 412-621-4253.

In addition to a performance venue, there's a museum commemorating veterans and Pittsburgh's contribution to the Civil War. 10 a.m.-4 Tuesday- Saturday. $5; $3 seniors/students/veterans, children under 5 free.


Tour-Ed Mine and Museum, 748 Bull Creek Road, Tarentum, 724-244-4720; www.tour-edmine.com.

More than 9,000 artifacts dating to the 1700s and chronicling the region's rich history of deep mining, strip mining and lumbering, including an underground tour and authentic log cabin. Memorial Day to Labor Day: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday-Friday; 1-4 p.m. weekends. $7, children 12 and under $5.


Wood Street Galleries, 601 Wood St., Downtown, located above Port Authority Transit T Station, 412-471-5605.

Open during exhibitions only. Call for details.