Walking with the Dinosaurs at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History {Pittsburgh}

Here come the dinosaurs!

There is just something so captivating and enchanting about the world of the dinosaurs. Upon learning about the collection housed at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh, I knew that we would have to make a visit. The collection is the world's largest of Jurassic dinosaurs and the display dinosaurs represent the third largest in the entire U.S.A. So, amazing!

Creatures of all shapes and sizes walked the Earth.

We were certainly blown away by the extent of the detailed dinosaur exhibit. Recreated scenes, an inside peek into a lab, touch and feel replicas and fossils, dinosaurs "soaring" above as well as "swimming" in the sea and more elements brought not only the world of the dinosaur but also the world of the paleontologists alive. Additionally, children are welcome to enjoy their own "digging" experience in the Bonehunters Quarry.

Touch a real dinosaur bone!

Creatures of the ancient seas.

Of course, you can't appreciate the dinosaurs without also appreciating the wildlife of the Ice Age, too! Mammoths, saber toothed tigers and more!

Beautiful mammoth!

We definitely came to take in the dinosaur exhibit. However, we were wowed by several other exhibits in the museum as well. The Hillman Hall of Minerals and Gems houses an extensive collection of gem and mineral specimens in all shapes and sizes. Some of the specimens are so delicate that it is hard to imagine how they were collected! Breathtaking! Coal and mining are an important part of Pennsylvania history especially in Western Pennsylvania so we quite enjoyed the mining exhibit as well.

Coal mining in Pennsylvania.

In this exhibition, get your hands out--you can touch a stalagmite! Very cool!

Touch a stalagmite!

Other exhibits include extensive collections of Native American artifacts and scenes that present Native American life. The section on polar life incorporates a large igloo that you can walk through and see a snapshot of life in the Arctic. This particular exhibit is one of the largest depicting the life of Canadian Inuits. There are also sizable exhibits of taxidermy animals including depicted scenes from landscapes all over the world. The mummy exhibit is also a particular favorite!

Exhibit on Native American arts.

The Carnegie Museum of Natural History is quite an adventure through time. The number of fossils and artifacts on display at any one time are only a portion of the museum's holdings. A lot to see! This really is a museum to take your time in and be swept away in the spirals of time for a little bit. There are plenty of hands on exhibits that will satiate a child's desire to reach out and touch something. The Carnegie Museum of Natural History is a marvelous adventure for families!

Things to know:

• The Carnegie Museum of Natural History is attached to the Carnegie Museum of Art. A day visiting both can be rather extensive, so be prepared.
• Both the Carnegie Museum of Natural History and the Carnegie Museum of Art have late evenings on Thursdays. They are open until 8PM. Please also note they are closed on Tuesdays.
• Food options include the Carnegie Cafe and Fossil Fuels. We stopped for a quick bite at the Carnegie Cafe and quite enjoyed a salad and sandwich.
• Admission includes same day admission to both museums.

Thank you to Visit Pittsburgh for facilitating our visit. We did receive complimentary admission to bring you this review. No other compensation was received. All opinions are 100% my own.