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Museums

Carnegie Museum of Natural History

4.8 · 448 reviews
Intellectually stimulating and discovery-oriented
Carnegie Museum of Natural History, 4400 Forbes Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, United States
Interesting facts
1

The museum holds the holotype of Diplodocus carnegii, a specimen that redefined 20th-century understanding of sauropod anatomy.

2

The Dinosaurs in Their Time exhibit is organized chronologically, transitioning from the Triassic through the Cretaceous periods.

3

The Alcoa Foundation Hall of American Indians features a collection of over 10,000 ethnographic items from across the continent.

4

The museum serves as an active research institution, with curators overseeing one of the largest natural history research collections in the United States.

5

The Benedum Hall of Geology displays a reconstruction of a Pennsylvania coal forest dating back 300 million years.

Overview

The Carnegie Museum of Natural History is renowned for its Dinosaurs in Their Time exhibition, which features one of the largest collections of real dinosaur fossils in North America. The facility houses a working paleontology lab where visitors can observe scientists processing specimens in real-time. Its Hillman Hall of Minerals and Gems showcases over 1,300 specimens, including a significant collection of fluorescent minerals. The museum maintains a vast scientific collection totaling more than 22 million specimens across various disciplines. Notable displays include a scientifically accurate recreation of a Jurassic landscape and the Cenozoic Hall featuring extinct mammal fossils. The museum is integrated within the Carnegie Institute, sharing a massive complex with the Carnegie Museum of Art. Research and educational programs are central to its mission, focusing on biodiversity, evolution, and environmental science.

Photo spot

The skeletal mount of the Apatosaurus in the Dinosaurs in Their Time hall.

Insider tips

Visit the 'PaleoLab' viewing window early in your trip to see if paleontologists are currently prepping new fossil finds.

Check the museum's calendar for 'Discovery Basecamp' programming if you are traveling with children.

Allow extra time to explore the connecting Carnegie Museum of Art if you have a reciprocal membership.

What to avoid

Attempting to see both the Natural History and Art museums in a single short afternoon; each requires significant time to appreciate fully.

Good to know

Closed on Tuesdays.

Plan your visit
Typical visit
3-4 hours
Best time to visit
Weekday afternoons in the spring or autumn to avoid school field trip congestion.
Address
Carnegie Museum of Natural History, 4400 Forbes Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, United States
40.443, -79.950
Get directions
Details
Key exhibitsDinosaurs in Their Time, Hillman Hall of Minerals and Gems, Walton Hall of Ancient Egypt
Facility featuresWorking paleontology lab, scientific research archives

Frequently asked

Plan for about 3-4 hours to see the highlights.

The best time to visit is Weekday afternoons in the spring or autumn to avoid school field trip congestion..

The skeletal mount of the Apatosaurus in the Dinosaurs in Their Time hall.

Close by you'll find Schenley Park, Carnegie Museum of Art, Schenley Plaza.