Along the coast of the Ohio River in Pittsburgh sits the Kamin Science Center (Formally Carnegie Science Center). It is home to many exhibits including the USS Requin Submarine, Highmark SportsWorks, the Buhl Planetarium, Minatare Railroad, and rotating international exhibits such as Titanic the Artifact Exhibition and Pompeii the Exhibition.

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Address: One Allegheny Ave. Pittsburgh, PA 15212

Category: Museum

Duration: Multiple hours

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Location, Admission, Parking

The Kamin Science Center is located at One Allegheny Ave. Pittsburgh, PA 15212 on Pittsburgh’s North Shore. It sits directly across the street from Acrisure Stadium, the home of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Street parking is available around the facility, or a $6 parking lot is located across the street and at the center itself. A “T” Station (Pittsburgh’s light rail system) is also located 2 blocks away from the museums entrance. On a beautiful day, one can take a walk along the river and end at the museum.

Pro Tip: Pittsburgh’s “T” light rail system is free to use if you travel between the North Shore and Downtown.

Rotating exhibits housed in the PPG Science Pavilion such as Titanic the Artifact Exhibition and Pompeii the Exhibition require an additional ticket purchase. Experiences such as films in the The Rangos Giant Cinema and Laser Show are also available at additional costs. The USS Requin Submarine is included with your general admission ticket purchase, but operates on seasonally in good weather.

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1st Floor

The Science Center is broken up into many different sections and exhibits. You start on the first floor where you check in or purchase tickets. Once you check in, you are given a wristband as part of general admission or any other tickets for additional exhibits that you may have purchased. The first floor also features a gift shop, PPG Science Pavilion (rotating exhibits are located here), H2Oh!, Space Place, and Science Stage. There are also lockers located near the restroom if you require a place to store things.

H2Oh! offers a hand on experience for anyone to learn about how the properties of water work. It also is home to many plants and animals that are found in the PA ecosystem including spiders, turtles, snakes, fish, and bugs! The exhibit also has interactive features including a greenscreen where you can pretend to be a meteorologist on the news! Pittsburgh is known for its rivers, and this exhibit feels right at home.

Also located on the first floor is the SpacePlace. Space is a major theme in the museum as Pittsburgh has played a big role in developing technology for previous and future space missions. Throughout the museum, there are replica rooms of the International Space Station. In this exhibit specifically, there are items such as a Terrible Towel that have actually flown on the ISS and interactive building stations.

Ground Floor

USS Requin Submarine (SS 481)

Built during WWII, this trench submarine was made at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine. After being decommissioned in 1968, it was used by the Navy for training before an act of Congress in 1990 that allowed for it to be towed up the Mississippi and Ohio rivers to the Science Center.

Please note: This experience requires full mobility through claustrophobic spaces.

Once arriving at the submarine, you are guided down a narrow staircase at the bow. You pass through many sections of the submarine that are made to looked as if they did while it was active. See where sailors would sleep, eat, and work on the submarine. Come up and close to the four 1,600-horsepower diesel engines that powered the craft.

A thing to note is while this is an incredible experience, it certainly is not for everyone due to the nature of the vessel. Touring the submarine also leaves you with a oily engine smell that could linger on you after you disembark the sub.

2nd Floor

The second floor is home to the Miniature Railroad, Burl Planetarium, and the newest exhibit Mars: The Next Giant Leap. The Burl Planetarium offers a unique opportunity to explore our galaxy with varying shows throughout the day.

The Miniature Railroad and Village is over 100 years old and offers all seasons in one. With so many things to see, this is an exhibit you definitely do not want to miss. You can participate in a scavenger hunt throughout the diorama as you see trains wiz past. Many local icons are featured including Primanti Bros, The Westinghouse Atom Smasher, Forbes Field, and Fallingwater.

The Science Centers newest exhibit Mars: The Next Giant Leap explores what life may look like on Mars. Explore a Martian Garden, minerals from Mars and the moon, and how Pittsburgh is helping create a multiplanetary species. Although it is new, it does seem to have a lot of open space. Some of the activities such as the RC rover were also not working.

3rd and 4th Floors

Besides classroom and demonstration space, BodyWorks takes up the 3rd floor. This very interactive exhibit explores the human body. It demonstrates and provides examples of the muscles and bones, heart and lungs, digestive system, brain and nerves, and body basics. If you are squeamish, there are examples of organs which may not be for everyone in this exhibit.

Have kids ages 6 or younger? The 4th floor is perfect for you! It is home to many things for them do do such as Brickworks (Lego building), a tilt maze, floor is lava activity, and more. If you do not have young kids, you can skip this part of the museum.

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Highmark SportsWorks

Located directly next to the main building is Highmark SportsWorks. You must be wearing the admission wristband before you enter. Sportsworks is the place to let your energy out! There is a rock wall, a timed track, a trampoline to experience weightlessness, and more. Go head-to-head with friends to compete at the track.

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Tips and Final Thoughts

The Kamin Science Center is a must stop if you have kids. If you are visiting, visit on good weather days in the warmer months as the Highmark SportsWorks, and USS Requin require going outside. On a nice day, you can explore many of the other places located on the North Shore. The rotating exhibits are definitely something to keep an eye on. These are typically internationally renowned and are worth the extra price.

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