Insider's Guide: Carnegie Museums of Art and Natural History
Explore unique art, an incredible dinosaur exhibit and so much more at Pittsburgh’s iconic Carnegie Museums of Art and Natural History!
The health and safety of visitors and staff is the Carnegie Museums’ top priority. Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh have established enhanced health policies in accordance with the Center for Disease Control, the Pennsylvania Department of Health and the Allegheny Health Department to ensure all guests have a safe and enjoyable visit.
Experience two world-renowned museums in one at Carnegie Museums of Art and Natural History. Carnegie Museum of Art is an artistic legacy connecting people to art, ideas and creativity. And Carnegie Museum of Natural History houses one of the world’s best original dinosaur displays, a dazzling hall of minerals and gems and Paleolab, a working paleontlogy lab right out in the open for you to see.
Plan Your Visit
All Carnegie Museums visitors are strongly encouraged to reserve a timed ticket online in advance of their visit.
Learn and explore all year long with a museum membership. Offering various membership levels ranging from premium and family memberships to individuals, a Carnegie Museum membership grants you access to all four museums, including Daniel G. and Carole L. Kamin Science Center and The Andy Warhol Museum. Learn more about the benefits of becoming a member.
Carnegie Museum of Art
As arguably the first museum of contemporary art in the United States, Carnegie Museum of Art is one of the most dynamic major art institutions in America. The museum’s collection features over 34,000 works that emphasize art, architecture, photography, and design from the 19th century to the present. In addition, it houses the archive of more than 70,000 images by Pittsburgh photographer Charles “Teenie” Harris, whose work comprises one of the most detailed and intimate records of Black life in America. One of the four Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Museum of Art was founded by industrialist and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie in 1895.
Experience gallery-bound international travel with Gen-X and Millennial architects as your guide at the museum’s latest exhibition, The Fabricated Landscape. Or learn more about Pittsburgh’s long tradition of artisans and industry at Locally Sourced, an exhibition highlighting local makers turning raw and reclaimed materials into functional goods and furnishings.
NEW & COMING SOON
Black Photojournalism
Through Jan. 19, 2026
Black Photojournalism presents work by nearly 60 photographers chronicling historic events and daily life in the United States from the conclusion of World War II in 1945 to the presidential campaigns of 1984, including the civil rights movements through the 1950s, 60s, and 70s.
Fault Lines: Art Imperialism, and the Atlantic World
Through Jan. 25, 2026
In the wake of Europe’s imperial expansion, which included the colonization of North and South America and the Caribbean in the 16th and 17th centuries, extensive military and economic activity transformed the regions that border the Atlantic Ocean. A new world—the Atlantic World—emerged, in which wars, competitive trade, and the enslavement of millions of Africans created new societies in Africa, Europe, and the Americas.
after school
Through Jan. 11, 2026
after school begins with the first bell. It brings together architects, artists, and educators to study the state and stakes of public education. Through spatial propositions, installations, alternative playgrounds, and curricular proposals, the participants consider architectural, pedagogical, and representational structures that shape how knowledge is created, shared, taught, or withheld. From itinerant classrooms to cooperative experiments, the archival material and contemporary works in the exhibition explore ways of learning otherwise, coming together to imagine a school unbound.
Charles Harlan
Through Feb. 22, 2026
Water has been a recurring presence in the work of Charles Harlan (b. 1984, Smyrna, GA), whose sculptures surface and reflect various material and human histories. His readymade objects of choice, which are brought together with minimal alteration, are drawn from industrial, agricultural, and domestic aspects of the built environment. In their original contexts, they have use value as components of machinery, labor, trade, and craftsmanship. Through Harlan’s assembly and presentation as art, they summon symbolic connotations from which surprising conversations about meaning-making can emerge. They also challenge fundamental assumptions about what sculpture can and should be.
Pittsburgh Satellite Reef
Through Dec. 7, 2025
Pittsburgh Satellite Reef is an installation created by local Pittsburgh-area artists and is part of the worldwide Crochet Coral Reef project by Christine and Margaret Wertheim and The Institute For Figuring.
59th Carnegie International
May 2, 2026-Jan. 3, 2027
Organized every four years by Carnegie Museum of Art, the Carnegie International is the longest-running exhibition of international art in North America. The 59th edition is the most collaborative and far-reaching to date—a clear expression of the museum’s founding commitment to the art and artists of our time, at once grounded in our locality and extending globally. It engages artists and contributors from around the world, transforming the museum’s programs, partnerships, and operations in responsive and imaginative ways.
For the Holidays
The Carnegie Museum of Art gets festive for the holiday season with their Neapolitan Presepio, an elaborate nativity scene recreated with miniature figures in a detailed 18th-century Naples panorama, a centuries-old tradition. In the Hall of Architecture, the annual installation of the Carnegie Trees fills the hall with Fraser fir trees lit to perfection and glistening with festive decorations, lights and snow
Carnegie Museum of Natural History
Immerse yourself into historic times at the natural history museum. The museum features memorable dinosaur displays enjoyable for all ages. Uncover hidden gems at the dazzling Hillman Hall of Minerals and Gems. Explore Native American and Ancient Egyptian cultures at the Alcoa Foundation Hall of American Indians and the Walton Hall of Ancient Egypt. Learn more about animals in the Halls of North American Wildlife, African Wildlife and Bird Hall.
Fun Fact: Check out the Carnegie Museum of Natural’s TikTok channel for hilarious and informative museum-themed jokes and videos!
Dinosaur Displays & More
Featuring one of the world’s largest and finest dinosaur collections, Dinosaurs in Their Time has more than 230 objects including real fossils in dramatic constructions in their environments. And, don’t forget to snap a selfie with the beloved Pittsburgh icon Dippy the Dinosaur on your next visit!
NEW: Jane's Endangered Animal Experiences
April 16, 2023-Jan. 2, 2024
See what all the buzz is about when you enter the amazing world of the honeybee! Become a bee with an interactive experience as you evade predators or collect pollen, then climb a kid-sized model bee. This exhibit is based on the Apple TV+ series Jane.
From Egypt to Pittsburgh
This fascinating exhibit is as much about the artifacts as it is the journey. As the museum prepared a new ancient Egypt exhibit, follow the history of these fascinating objects from their creation in 1337-1345 BCE to their excavation, transport and eventual display.
Enjoy a few hours or a full day of learning and exploring at Carnegie Museums of Art and Natural History – two museums for the price of one! Visit Carnegie Museum of Art and Carnegie Museum of Natural History websites for more information and to plan your visit.
Pittsburgh is KidsBURGH®!
Pittsburgh is the perfect destination for unforgettable family fun! Featuring many fantastic attractions, Pittsburgh has plenty of entertainment options for kids of all ages. Plan your KidsBURGH® trip today!
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Carnegie Museum of Art and Natural History4400 Forbes Ave.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213
