Oakland Must-Sees

• Carnegie Museums of Art and Natural History

  412.622.3131
  4400 Forbes Ave.
  www.cmoa.org
  www.carnegiemnh.org

  The Carnegie Museum of Art offers a distinguished collection of contemporary art that includes film and video works. Other collections of note include works of American art from the late nineteenth century, French Impressionist and Post-Impressionist paintings, and European and American decorative arts from the late 17th Century to the present. The Heinz Architectural Center is dedicated to the collection, study, and exhibition of architectural drawings and models. The Hall of Architecture contains the largest collection of plaster casts of architectural masterpieces in America and one of the three largest in the world. The marble Hall of Sculpture replicates the interior of the Parthenon.

  Carnegie Museum of Natural History is a place of adventure, discovery and education that welcomes everyone to enjoy the wonders of its collections and exhibits. Founded in 1895 by Andrew Carnegie, the museum has maintained an international reputation for its ongoing research and discovery that create a better understanding of the history of the earth and its inhabitants. Today, the museum is ranked among the top five natural history museums in the country and features 20 exhibit halls including the blockbuster Dinosaurs in Their Time.

  In this new permanent exhibit, the dinosaurs—for the first time—are integrated into the environments of their respective time periods. Carnegie's dinosaurs are remounted in scientifically accurate, active poses, and new specimens never before seen by the public were added to the exhibit. It's a project 200 million years in the making!

• Nationality Rooms

  412.624.6000
  157 Cathedral of Learning, corner of Fifth Ave. and Bigelow Blvd.
  www.pitt.edu/~natrooms

  A visit to the 27 Nationality Rooms in the 42-story Cathedral of Learning transports you from the 5th Century B.C. Athens through 1st Century Israel to 18th Century Africa. Stained glass, carved stone and inlaid wood reflect the cultures which Pittsburgh immigrants brought from Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East. It is difficult to measure the educational impact of the Nationality Rooms since 1938 when the first ones were completed. University classes meet in the classrooms from early morning until late at night, amidst surroundings designed to enhance the learning experience. A steady stream of people—often families of three generations—come to see the world-famous rooms, which evoke pride in their own heritage and warm appreciation of other cultures.

• Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens

  412.622.6914
  One Schenley Park
  phipps.conservatory.org

  Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, a great steel and glass Victorian greenhouse, has been inviting visitors to explore the beauty and mysteries of plants since 1893. Set amidst one of Pittsburgh's largest green spaces, Schenley Park, Phipps Conservatory stands as a cultural and architectural centerpiece of the city's Oakland neighborhood.

  In recent decades, Phipps has evolved into one of the region's most vibrant, thriving cultural attractions, bringing fresh perspectives and artists into its historic glasshouse environment. Phipps has also become a strong advocate for advanced green-building practices, sustainable gardening and a new environmental awareness.

  Tropical Forest: Headwaters of the Amazon

  Opening February 7, 2009

  A stunning, lush exhibit featuring new plants and displays, Tropical Forest: Headwaters of the Amazon introduces you to the unique cultures and ecosystems of this diverse and exciting region.

• Schenley Park

  412.682.7275
  www.pittsburghparks.org

  Situated in the heart of Oakland, Schenley Park is a major destination for university students, business people and anyone else who loves the outdoors. With a beautiful Visitor Center, proximity to many cultural attractions, swimming pool, ice skating rink and plenty of open space to play sports, Schenley Park truly has something for everyone.

• Schenley Plaza

  412.682.7275
  Allegheny River near PNC Park
  www.schenleyplaza.org

  Schenley Plaza offers an oasis of relaxation, recreation, food and entertainment. The grounds of Schenley Plaza provide park users a public green space in a busy urban center. The site features a one-acre lawn, ever-changing ornamental gardens and landscaping featuring plants native to western Pennsylvania. You'll find chairs and cafe tables, free wireless internet access, clean, accessible restrooms, 24-hour security, and dining kiosks, too.