Children's Museum of Pittsburgh facts for kids
The original Children's Museum facility in the former Allegheny Post Office building
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| Location | 10 Children's Way, Allegheny Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania,  United States |
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| Coordinates | 40°27′10″N 80°00′23″W / 40.4529°N 80.0064°W |
| CPHD designated | December 26, 1972 |
| PHLF designated | December 26, 1972 |
The Children's Museum of Pittsburgh is a super fun, hands-on museum just for kids! It's located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in a neighborhood called Allegheny Center on the city's Northside. Here, you can touch, play, and learn about all sorts of cool things.
Contents
History of the Museum
The Children's Museum of Pittsburgh first opened its doors in 1983. It was set up in an old building that used to be the Allegheny Post Office. This building was given to the museum by a group called the Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation. The museum is on Pittsburgh's North Side, which was once its own town called Allegheny City.
The museum actually started as a traveling exhibit in 1972. This mobile museum visited the Three Rivers Arts Festival. It was one of the first children's museums to open around the country at that time.
A Bigger and Better Building
In the early 2000s, the museum decided to get bigger! They planned to connect their old post office building with the empty Buhl Planetarium next door. The old post office building has a fancy style called Beaux Arts. The planetarium building has an Art Deco style.
A special plan was made to join these two historic buildings. A modern glass addition was built over a street called Allegheny Square. The street was closed off and moved. Then, the new glass section was built to connect everything.
In March 2006, the Children's Museum of Pittsburgh became the largest museum in the country to get a Silver LEED certification. This means the museum's expansion was built using eco-friendly methods. They focused on things like saving water, managing energy, using recycled materials, and keeping the air inside clean. To help visitors learn about being "green," many of the building's pipes and structures are left open to see.
Buhl Community Park
In 2010, plans were announced to fix up a park right in front of the museum. The main attraction in this new park is a special fog sculpture created by an artist named Ned Kahn. The park officially opened on June 23, 2012, with a big community party.
Museum Grounds
The museum has an outdoor area called the "Backyard." Here, you can find an interactive space called "Allegheny Waterworks." This area uses old pieces of local buildings to create a fun water play environment.
There used to be a garden on the museum grounds. It displayed sculptures of important historical figures like Guyasuta and Christopher Gist. These sculptures were made by Charles Keck. They were saved from the Manchester Bridge when it was taken down in 1970. The garden was removed in the 2000s to make space for more parking. The Guyasuta and Gist sculptures have since been moved and put up near Stage AE in the North Shore neighborhood.
Awesome Exhibits
The Children's Museum of Pittsburgh has many cool exhibits that are always there. They also have special exhibits that change over time. Some of the ongoing interactive areas include:
- The MAKESHOP
- Kindness Gallery
- Studio
- Backyard
- Garage
- Garden
- Theater
- Waterplay
- Nursery
These areas are designed for you to touch, explore, and play! The museum also has famous items from the TV show Mister Rogers' Neighborhood. You can see original puppets, one of Fred Rogers' sweaters, and his sneakers.
Fun Programs
The Children's Museum of Pittsburgh offers many different programs for kids. These programs cover a wide range of topics. You can learn about dance, how to build rockets, quilting, and even robotics! Visiting artists often lead workshops where you can try pottery, Japanese paper cutting, animation, and painting.
The museum also has a big outreach program. They offer performances, workshops, and after-school activities. They also participate in artist days and festivals for schools and groups all year long. Local schools, scout troops, and other groups can also take educational field trips to the museum. The museum has worked with other local groups, like the University of Pittsburgh and the Create a Comic Project.
Awards and Recognition
The museum's new addition has won many awards. These include:
- A 2009 National Medal for Museum and Library Service from the Institute of Museum and Library Services.
- An award from the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
- LEED silver certification for being eco-friendly.
- An award from the American Institute of Architects.
The museum's Executive Director, Jane Werner, also received an award in 2006. It was the Green Building Alliance Shades of Green Leadership Award. This award celebrates people who help make the Pittsburgh area more sustainable. Jane Werner was recognized for starting new green-building programs. She also helped raise awareness about green issues and made the Children's Museum of Pittsburgh more eco-friendly in its daily operations.
