Carnegie Science Center

I haven’t been inside the Carnegie Science Center since it first opened, so I figured it was about time I got back there. Biking down to the CSC on one of these gorgeous September days was great fun all in itself. On your trip to the CSC, I highly recommended adding some time to walk or bike along the riverfront and enjoy the beautiful setting.

I’m actually going to start my review with my favorite part of the CSC – the submarine, the USS Requin. I have not been down to visit the CSC since the submarine was brought in and I have definitely been missing out!

As a history-lover it was an amazing experience to actually be able to put myself back in that period of time. The Requin is kept in pristine condition and stepping down the ladder into the sub is like stepping back in time. The incredibly small living quarters, the capsule-like doorways, and the displays present you a real picture of what it was like to work on a sub with 100 or so men back around the end of WWII. The guides on the sub are particularly great assets. All are gentlemen who served in the Navy in that period and they can all tell some great stories and really bring to life the ship you’re standing in. In addition, computer displays provide audio segments from other ex-submariners who either served on the Requin or similar boats, and their stories are equally engaging. If you want to learn a little more about this pivotal time in history, walk onto the Requin and step back in time.

Beyond the sub, most of the CSC seems to be geared toward kids and, depending on your child’s interests, there is a lot to see and do. The most traditional, hands-on areas are SciQuest and Exploration Station where you can really get in and get your hands dirty. Also fun are the demonstrations at the Kitchen Theater and Works Theater which occur throughout the day and are announced on those floors prior to show start times.

The first floor of the Carnegie Science Center includes the tickets area, the Omnimax theater, and an exhibit called “SciQuest”. The theater shows movies throughout the day, all are approximately 45-60 min long and you can enter and purchase tickets just for the show. My favorite here was SciQuest which has been open since the beginning. The purpose of the exhibit is to learn about physical forces like wind, light, sound, and earthquakes. The displays were very interactive and I think it holds up very well to the more digital parts of the Center. It is interesting for all ages with a lot to touch and experience.

The second floor includes the new/old Buhl Digital Dome (I’m just going to call it the Buhl Planetarium for old time’s sake), the Miniature Railroad & Village (that used to be in the Buhl Planetarium), and the new exhibit roboworld. The Buhl Dome has showings throughout the day included in your ticket price, movies are approx. 20 min long, and they’re well-worth seeing. It’s a nice way to take a short break and sit.

If you’re familiar with the Miniature Railroad & Village from it’s early days, there are still some of the classic figures included. A few new elements have also been added to provide scope. I’ve always enjoyed watching the little figures working in the quarry or the clothes snapping on the line in an imaginary wind. I wish they had more of the moveable figures included.

The bulk of the second floor is devoted to roboworld. This exhibit includes multiple stations that allow kids to interact with different types of robots - robots throwing basketballs, robots picking things up, robots with facial recognition. For the robot-lovers and techno lovers out there, I’m sure this is a hit. For me, I felt like I was at a carnival game trying to pick up the stuffed giraffe with a crane; clearly this is not my thing.

But onwards and upwards, the top floor contains Exploration Station and the Works Theater. Exploration Station is actually divided into two areas, the main area for all ages and a closed-off section just for 3-6 year olds. Both areas are full of great hands-on activities working with water, or electrical circuits (not together, thankfully), or animals, or even a weather area. As with SciQuest, I was more drawn to these hands-on activities that really let you get in there and play. Also on this floor, the Works Theater has demonstrations throughout the day that teach kids about forces such as electricity and voltage.

The café and group meet up areas are located below the first floor. The café offers the typical fare – sandwiches, burgers, hot dogs, fries. You also have the opportunity to bring your own food. There are also lockers on this floor.

According to the CSC website, the Highmark SportsWorks exhibition which is being rebuilt is set to open in late 2009. I look forward to that and plan on stopping by as soon as it’s open.

The Carnegie Science Center has a variety of ticket options, general admission is $10 for kids 3-12 and $14 for adults; add $5 for an Omnimax movie. To see the Omnimax only is $6 for kids and $8 for adults, similar prices for laser shows. is open Sunday-Friday 10 am to 5 pm, and Saturday 10 am to 7 pm.

NOTE: The CSC does CLOSE on days of Steelers home games.