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Vote Now: Pittsburgh Attractions Up For USA Today's 10Best Travel Awards 2026

Another year, more chances to vote for Pittsburgh top attractions for USA Today's 10Best polls of 2026!

Pittsburgh is in the national spotlight again in USA Today's 10 Best Readers' Choice Awards of 2026! People from around the country are invited to come together and vote some of the Steel City's staple locations the best at what they do and are. Here are some attractions that are up for voting:

Best History Museum

Heinz History Center

The Heinz History Center is up for Best History Museum in the country once again after winning first place in 2025!

The Heinz History Center, which was also voted "Pittsburgh's Best Museum" in 2022, is Pennsylvania’s largest history museum where you can see Smithsonian artifacts daily throughout six floors of engaging exhibitions, perfect for visitors of all ages.

The museum’s flagship exhibit, Pittsburgh: A Tradition of Innovation, is where you can flex like Rosie the Riveter, learn about the region’s contributions to the Apollo 11 moon landing mission, and see how Pittsburgh transformed from a steel-making industrial powerhouse to a worldwide leader in technology, medicine, and education.

Best Specialty Food Festival

Picklesburgh

This is kind of a big dill. After finishing in first place last year and second place in 2024, Picklesburgh is back in the running for USA Today's 10Best ranking of Best Specialty Food Festival for 2026! In 2024, 250,000 people came to Pittsburgh to partake in the fermented fun in Downtown.

Best Children's Museum

Children's Museum of Pittsburgh

The Children's Museum of Pittsburgh is up for USA Today's 10Best Children's Museums in the United States after finishing in second place two years in a row!

The Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh provides innovative and inclusive museum experiences that inspire kindness, joy, creativity and curiosity for all learners.

Best Beer Festival

Barrel & Flow Fest

Voters deemed Pittsburgh's Barrel & Flow Fest the second best beer festival in the country in USA Today's 10Best contest last year, and who can blame them? With 3,000 craft beer industry professionals and enthusiasts coming together for a weekend celebrating Black-owned breweries, this festival truly is something special.

Best Beer City

Pittsburgh

There's no feeling quite like cracking open a cold IC Light, kicking up your feet, and enjoying the crispy taste of a good, Pittsburgh beer. That's just part of why voters in USA Today's 10Best contest voted Pittsburgh as the fourth best beer city in the country last year. With over 40 breweries to satisfy all types of tastes, there's a beer for everyone here.

Best Science Museum

Kamin Science Center

Explore the wonders of the universe in the Buhl Planetarium, learn about the human body in the BodyWorks Exhibit, check out replicas of famous robots in the Robot Hall of Fame, and more at the Kamin Science Center. Formerly known as the Carnegie Science Center, it’s home to five levels of fun exhibits, as well as the Rangos Giant Cinema. The museum hosts dozens of events all year round dedicated to all aspects of science.

Best Science Museum

Moonshot Museum

Moonshot Museum (co-located at the headquarters of the space robotics company Astrobotic) is dedicated to the space industry. Featuring multiple interactive exhibits, any space-lover will be fascinated to see the construction of Astrobotic’s lunar spacecraft, go on simulated lunar missions, and learn how science, technology, engineering, and math all come together to make space exploration possible.

Best Film Festival

Three Rivers Film Festival

Pittsburgh's November film showcase puts a roster of independent features, shorts, comedies, dramas, and documentaries front and center, celebrating the vibrant art form. Special events include parties, a script competition, and panel discussions that will get you thinking about the state of cinema.

Best Immersive Art Experience

Mattress Factory

Mattress Factory is an immersive space in Pittsburgh where visitors can experience the creative visions of local and global artists. Artists work in residence to build site-specific installations, many of which blend art and technology while exploring the possibilities of audience interaction.

Best Renaissance Festival

Pittsburgh Renaissance Festival

Huzzah! The Pittsburgh Renaissance Festival took eight place in USA Today's 10Best Best Renaissance Fair voting last year and is nominated again this year! The Pittsburgh Renaissance Festival, which is tucked away in West Newton (about 40 minutes from the city), allows patrons to fully immerse themselves in a time period from long ago. Featured events include sword swallowing, witch trials, fire-breathers, and medieval foods and refreshments.

Best Free Museum

August Wilson African American Cultural Center

Named after the well-renowned playwright, the August Wilson African American Cultural Center features rotating exhibitions centering on Black culture. Previous exhibitions have featured the works of artists like Jo-Anne Bates and Garrett Bradley, highlighted the importance of Black comic book culture, and more, while the permanent exhibition, August Wilson: The Writer’s Landscape, explores Wilson’s life and works.

Taylor S.

Author

Taylor S.

Content Development Manager

A friendly neighborhood Pittsburgh transplant. Probably at book club, a local coffee shop or thrift store. Tell your pet I said hi.

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