12 Things to do in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Pittsburgh City has 446 bridges hence is referred to as the “City of Bridges” and also known as “the Steel City” because it has more than 300 steel-related businesses.

Pittsburgh is home to three rivers junction which are the Allegheny River, Monogahela River, and the Ohio River. Apart from bridges, the city features 30 skyscrapers and two inclined railways. Isn’t this place is amazing to plan your next trip?

Pittsburgh offers many attractions for tourists. You can check this list of 12 things that a person can enjoy in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Things to do in Pittsburgh

These are the best attractions in Pittsburgh that can easily attract tourist in this beautiful place.

1. The Andy Warhol Museum

The Andy Warhol Museum
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This museum is dedicated to a single artist, Pittsburgh-born pop art icon Andy Warhol. The museum is located on the North Shore of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It is the largest museum in North America and one of the four Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh. The museum is seven storied with 17 galleries which feature 900 paintings, with almost 2,000 works on paper, over 1,000 published unique prints, 77 sculptures, 4,000 photographs, and over 4,350 Warhol films and videotaped works. 

2. Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens

Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens
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Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens is a historic landmark of Pittsburgh, set in Schenley Park. This botanical garden was founded by a steel and real-estate magnate Henry Phipps in 1893 as a gift to the city. The garden is broadly divided into Indoor Gardens (with fourteen room conservatory), Outdoor Gardens, and a Center for Sustainable Landscapes (designed to be environmentally sustainable). Apart from the flora exhibits, the sophisticated glass and metalwork done by the architect Lord & Burnham is an interesting example of Victorian greenhouse architecture. 

3. Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium

Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium
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It is one of only six major zoo and aquarium complexes in the U.S. The zoo is of 77 acres in the area exhibiting more than 4,000 animals which represents 475 species, including 20 threatened or endangered species. The structure of the zoo is as such, divided into eight sections which particularly focuses on a different kind of theme. The name of the exhibit sections is the Kid’s Kingdom, PPG Aquarium, Forest Passage, Tropical Forest, African Savanna, Bears, Water’s Edge, The Islands, and Jungle Odyssey. 

4. Carnegie Museum of Natural History

Things to do in Pittsburgh
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Located at 4400 Forbes Avenue in the Oakland neighborhood of Pittsburgh, the Carnegie Museum was founded by the Pittsburgh-based industrialist named Andrew Carnegie in 1896. This museum is one of the four Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh and amongst the top five natural history museums in the United States.

Visitors are encouraged to visit this museum if they want to generate new scientific knowledge, and advances in science literacy. This museum is an inspiration for visitors of all ages helping them to become passionate about science, nature, and world cultures. 

5. Carnegie Science Center

Carnegie Science Center
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It is one of the four Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh, located in Chateau neighborhood just across the street from Heinz Field. It is the most visited museum of Pittsburgh with four floors of interactive exhibits.

The attractions in this museum are the Buhl Planetarium, the Rangos Giant, the USS Requin (a World War II submarine), and Roboworld. Roboworld is “the world’s largest permanent robotics exhibition.” The museum is closed on Sundays when there is a Steelers home game. 

6. Kennywood Park

Things to do in Pittsburgh
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It is an amusement park located in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania just southeast of Pittsburgh. The park opened on 30th May in 1899 and later was purchased by F.W. Henninger and Andrew McSwigan in 1906. In 2007, the park was sold to Parques Reunidos (an international entertainment operator based in Spain) along with four other parks by the Kennywood Entertainment Company.

The park is family-friendly with a unique mix of classic rides and modern thrills, including seven roller coasters, and several attractions that cannot be found anywhere else. 

7. Point State Park

Point State Park
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Point State Park is locally known as “The Point” located in downtown Pittsburgh. At this park, the confluence of the Allegheny and Monogahela rivers forms the Ohio River. This park also has one of the country’s largest fountains also including the outlines and remains of two of the oldest structures in Pittsburgh, Fort Pitt, and Fort Duquesne.

In the site of Fort Pitt, people can now only find the remains of a blockhouse. The Fort’s original appearance can be viewed in dioramas in the Fort Pitt Museum. 

8. Carnegie Museum of Art

Carnegie Museum of Art Things to do in Pittsburgh
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This art museum is one of Pittsburgh’s most internationally recognized institutions.  Carnegie Museum of Art is famous for housing extensive collections of Impressionist and post-Impressionist paintings, American and European paintings over the past two centuries, sculpture, decorative art, and architecture.

The museum has been hosting several rotating exhibits that showcase specific artists, media, and themes. The museum has been named after its founder Andrew Carnegie who embarked on his vision for an art center in the late 1800s. 

9. Duquesne Incline

Duquesne Incline
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To enjoy a spectacular view of Pittsburgh and its three rivers the “Duquesne Incline” is a must. The Duquesne Incline is a 140-year-old inclined car where 25 people can be accommodated at once. It was designed by Samuel Diescher and was completed in 1877, it is known as the incline because it is inclined at a 30-degree angle. Originally the engines of the incline were powered by steam.

In the waiting room, historical exhibits can be viewed as a source of entertainment between rides. 

10. Ross Park Mall

Ross Park Mall Things to do in Pittsburgh
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The mall is located in the North of Pittsburgh in Ross Township. This shopping mall houses 169 retailers with anchor stores which are JCPenney, Macy’s, and Nordstrom.

The mall was opened in the year 1986 and in 2000 underwent $14 million renovations including the construction of a play area for children near JCPenney. This mall is family-friendly with attractions for all ages. 

11. National Aviary

National Aviary
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This is the only independent indoor non-profit aviary in the United States. The aviary is home to more than 600 birds from around the world, many of them belong to threatened and endangered species. Plus, the Aviary is also a member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). 

12. Pennsylvania Trolley Museum

Pennsylvania Trolley Museum
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This museum is dedicated to the operation and preservation of streetcars and trolleys Pennsylvania, but the museum also includes historic trolleys from Toledo Ohio, New Orleans, and even an open-sided car from Brazil. Visitors get an opportunity to experience what life was like 50-100 years ago. 

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Pittsburgh is historically rich but this city offers contemporary attractions as well. Tourists have plenty of options that they can choose from to keep themselves entertained.