Big fun in some of Pittsburgh’s favorite places
Carnegie Science Center is set to go to infinity and beyond with what is guaranteed to be one of its most popular exhibitions ever: “The Science Behind Pixar.” Meanwhile, a few blocks away on the North Side, The Andy Warhol Museum has something darker in store with “KAWS + Warhol,” the first side-by-side look at the two artists.
Those are just a few of the focal points scheduled for Pittsburgh’s museums, science centers, amusement parks and more of the Steel City’s favorite places as we move into the summer.
The Andy Warhol Museum
117 Sandusky St., North Side; warhol.org.
• May 18-Jan. 20: “KAWS + Warhol” examines the dark themes in the work of both artists, from skulls to car crashes.
• May 18: 30th Anniversary Afterparty with a performance by Slappers N Bangers, late night bites as well as complimentary beer, seltzer and wine.
• May 19: 30th Anniversary Community Day with mural making, silkscreen printing, DJs and food trucks.
• July 16: Sound Series with Hurray for the Riff Raff.
• July 31: Sound Series with Hatis Noit. • Aug. 26: Sound Series with Waxahatchee and Tre Burt (Carnegie Music Hall).
Carnegie Museum of Art 4400 Forbes Ave., Oakland; cmoa.org. Exhibits
• Through May 12: “Imprinting in Their Time: Japanese Printmakers, 1912–2022.”
• Through July 21: “Everlasting Plastics,” site-specific commissions by five artists, architects and designers.
• Through Sept. 22: “Marie Watt: LAND STITCHES WATER SKY” is an exhibition of steel and glass sculptures themed to layered histories and personal memories of familiar materials.
• May 11-Jan. 12: “Widening the Lens: Photography, Ecology, and the Contemporary Landscape” examines environmental history and change via 100 works by 19 artists.
Carnegie Museum of Natural History
4400 Forbes Ave., Oakland; carnegiemnh.org.
Exhibits
• “The Stories We Keep: Conserving Objects from Ancient Egypt” features more than 80 ancient items.
Carnegie Science Center
1 Allegheny Ave., North Side; carnegiesciencecenter.org.
Exhibits
• Opening May 25: “The Science Behind Pixar” is a two-story, interactive exhibition exploring how the company creates such films as “Toy Story,” “Finding Nemo,” “WALL-E” and “A Bug’s Life.”
Rangos Giant Cinema
• Through June 30: “Blue Whales: Return of the Giants.”
• Through Sept. 29: “Cities of the Future.”
• Through Aug. 31: Superhuman Body: World of Medical Marvels.
Events
• May 18: Kites for Kids.
• Select Fridays and Saturdays through May 31: Escape USS Requin: Pittsburgh Legends.
Laser shows
• Through May 25: Laser Taylor Swift.
• Weekends May 25-31: The Lasers of Oz.
• May 25-31: Laser Movie Magic.
Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh
10 Children’s Way, North Side; pittsburghkids.org
Exhibits
• Opening May 18: The original exhibit “How People Make Things” links familiar childhood objects to a process of manufacturing that combines people, ideas and technology.
Contemporary Craft
5645 Butler St., Lawrenceville; contemporarycraft.org
Exhibits
• Through June 28: “Make Yourself Comfortable” solo exhibition by Vicki Branagan.
• May 31-Aug. 24: “Hereafter” delves into profound themes of grieving, mourning and the celebration of life.
The Frick Pittsburgh
7227 Reynolds St., Point Breeze; thefrickpittsburgh.org.
Exhibits
Through July 14: “Vermeer, Monet, Rembrandt: Forging the Frick Collections in Pittsburgh and New York.”
Events
• June 14, July 12, Aug. 2, Aug. 23: Summer Fridays at the Frick with live music, food trucks, art making and family fun.
• June 22: The Frick Fete.
Heinz History Center
1212 Smallman St., Strip District; heinzhistorycenter.org.
Exhibits
• Through August: “Wars of Empire and Liberty.”
• Through Oct. 6: “A Woman’s Place: How Women Shaped Pittsburgh.”
Ongoing exhibits
• “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood”
• “From Slavery to Freedom”
• Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum • Heinz
Events
• May 19: PAWSitively Pittsburgh: 150 Years of Humane Animal Rescue.
• May 20-22: Remake Learning Days: Changemakers in History.
• May 23: Leading by Example: How Women Shaped the Pennsylvania Judiciary. • May 26: Taste of Asia.
• May 31: Polish Genealogy Workshop. • June 2: Jewish Genealogy Day.
Mattress Factory
509 Jacksonia St., North Side.; mattress.org.
Exhibits
• Through March 2025: Marvin Touré, “The blood is the water,” Catalina Schliebener Muñoz “Deep, Deep Woods,” Isla
Hansen “How to Get to Make Believe.”
• Opens May 17: Akwasi Afrane solo exhibition.
• Opens Aug. 9: Azza El Siddique solo exhibition.
Events
• June 7: Garden Party: MAKE/BELIEVE. • July 28: Community Fest.
Meadowcroft Rockshelter and Historic Village
401 Meadowcroft Road, Avella; heinzhistorycenter.org/meadowcroft.
Dig into archaeological evidence that reveals the earliest signs of human habitation dating back 19,000 years.
Events
• June 15: Atlatl Competition.
• July 4: Independence Day Celebration. • Aug. 17: Vintage Baseball Game.
National Aviary
700 Arch Street, North Side; aviary.org.
Events
• Daily events include a sloth encounter, penguin feeding, falcon encounter, Birds of the Island Talk, rainbow lorikeet feeding, Habitat Heroes, tropical forest feeding and owl encounter.
Special Events
• July 26: Night in the Tropics annual fundraiser, ages 21 and up.
• Aug. 22: Sloth Birthday Celebration.
Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens
Schenley Park, Oakland; phipps.conservatory.org.
Exhibits
• Through Sept. 8: Summer Flower Show: Under the Sea.
• Ongoing: Butterfly Forest and Tropical Forest Hawai’i.
Events
• May 10-11: May Market.
• May 25: Discovery Garden Day. • June 2: BioBlitz Family Fun Festival. • June 12: Jazz in the Garden.
More fun places Gateway Clipper Fleet
Station Square, South Side; gatewayclipper.com.
Offering daily sightseeing cruises and a wide range of luncheon and dinner cruises.
Special cruises
• Fridays June 7- Sept. 27: Moonlight Dance Cruise & Tour
• June 12, July 10, Aug.7 and Sept. 11: Dixieland Luncheon Cruise and Tour.
• Sept 2: Lenny Gomulka and Chicago Push Polka Cruise and Tour.
• Through November: Three Rivers Sightseeing Cruise.
Holiday cruises
• May 12: Mother’s Day • June 18: Father’s Day • July 4: Fourth of July
Special kids cruises
• May 19, June 19, July 7, Aug. 18: Trolls & Pup Patrol Cruise.
• June 2, July 17, Aug. 4: Princess Cruise • June 23, July 21, Aug. 14: Superhero Cruise.
Idlewild Park and Soak Zone
2574 Lincoln Highway, Ligonier; idlewild.com.
Attractions include Story Book Forest, Hootin’ Holler, Raccoon Lagoon Kiddieland, Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, Jumping-Jungle, SoakZone and Olde Idlewild. Park opens May 18. Daily hours begin May 31. SoakZone opens Memorial Day Weekend.
Special events
• Saturdays and Sundays June 8-30: Kids Fest.
• July 4: Celebrate America.
Kennywood Park
4800 Kennywood Blvd., West Mifflin; kennywood.com.
Open Saturdays and Sundays through May 11. The first open Friday is May 17, then daily hours begin May 23. The season runs through Sept. 14, followed by Phantom Fall Fest Sept. 27-Oct. 27 and Holiday Lights Nov. 15-Jan. 1.
Events
• Weekends May 24-June 30: Bites and Pints.
• July 4-5: Celebrate America
• Saturdays and Sundays July 6-28: Celebrate Pittsburgh
• July 20: Drone show
• Aug. 3-18: Fall Fantasy Parades.
Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium
7370 Baker St., Highland Park; pittsburghzoo.org.
Events
• May 12: Mother’s Day Celebration. • May 19: Wild Wellness Day.
• May 27: Red, Wild & Blue Parade.
• June 16: Father’s Day Celebration. • June 21: Summer Safari, ages 21 and up event.
Sandcastle Water Park
1000 Sandcastle Dr., West Homestead; sandcastlewaterpark.com.
New this year is Bombs Away, a 305-footlong “free fall.” Open weekends May 25June 2. Daily hours run June 6-Aug. 18, then it’s back to weekends through Sept. 2.