Powdermill Avian Research Center Open House
2026-05-16 08:00 - 11:00 (America/New_York) | Powdermill Nature Reserve, 1795 Route 381, Rector, PA, 15677, United States
When: Saturday, May 16, 2026, 8:00–11:00 a.m.
Where: Powdermill Nature Reserve
Tickets: Free
Join us for an open house at the Powdermill Avian Research Center (PARC)! Although PARC is operational year-round, it is typically closed to the public. Open House is your opportunity to go behind the scenes and watch our scientists at work. See the bird banding processes up close, visit the flight tunnel, learn about avian perception of glass, and talk with Powdermill researchers.
Drop in at any time from 8:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m. We recommend arriving as early as possible for the best chance to see a variety of birds. Registration is recommended but not required.
This event is weather dependent and will be cancelled due to heat (>78 degrees), strong winds, or inclement weather.
Register→

Nature Craft
2026-05-20 17:00 - 18:30 | Powdermill Nature Reserve, 1795 Route 381, Rector, PA, 15677, United States
When: Wednesday, May 20, 2026, 5:00 p.m.–6:30 p.m.
Where: Powdermill Nature Reserve
Tickets: Free
Calling all artists, hobbyists, and nature enthusiasts! Powdermill Nature Reserve is hosting a new monthly community craft night. Join us as we seek out inspiration and materials from the natural world to incorporate into our art. Every month will be different, so be sure to join us for them all. All ages and skill levels are welcome! Expect an email near the event date for more information about what we will be working on.
Register Now →

TrailMixer at Powdermill Nature Reserve
2026-05-22 18:00 - 21:00

Sensory Friendly Weekend
2026-06-06 10:00 - 17:00 | At the Museum, 4400 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213-4007, United States
When: Saturday, June 6 and Sunday, June 7, 2026, 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Where: Carnegie Museum of Natural History
Tickets: Free with Purchase of Museum Admission
Families with members who have sensory processing needs are invited to explore the museum galleries with reduced audio and visual elements. Calming spaces with support materials, including single-use ear plugs, sunglasses, fidget toys, etc., will be available. Museum experts will be on-hand to talk for as little or as long as you want about favorite topics like dinosaurs, rocks, gems, animals, bugs, and much more. Every program is designed to welcome all ages and abilities.
Standard sensory friendly supports are in place during regular hours for all Carnegie Museum of Natural History visitors:
• Lower lighting in select galleries
• Video sounds and exhibit background audio turned off in select galleries
• Calming spaces
• Takeaway support materials (single-use ear plugs, sunglasses, fidget toys, etc.)
To provide the most sensory friendly environment possible, advance registration is recommended. Pre-registration is available online until 3:00 p.m. on the day prior to the program. All customers who pre-register will receive a welcome packet via e-mail with detailed information about the event.
Register Now for June 6→
Register Now for June 7→

DinoFest
2026-06-13 10:00 - 17:00 | At the Museum, 4400 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213-4007, United States
When: Saturday, June 13, 2026, 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Where: Carnegie Museum of Natural History
Tickets: Included with purchase of museum admission. Get Tickets →
Dig into the past, present, and future of paleontology at Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s second annual DinoFest! Discover how studying ancient fossils shapes our understanding of life today as you enjoy conversations with working paleontologists and hands-on activities led by museum researchers, educators, and community partners. Programming is designed for all ages and every level of dinosaur knowledge.

DinoFest Schedule
Ongoing Family-Friendly Activities: 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m., drop in any time
Explore how dinosaurs lived, how fossils form, and how paleontologists work in the field through activities designed for kids ages 5–12 and their families.
• Measure the length of the Diplodocus carnegii fossil from snout to tail, estimate its weight, and compare Dippy’s size to familiar objects.
• Test your dinosaur knowledge by identifying dinosaurs from their silhouette and a few fun facts.
• Discover the colors of dinosaur feathers based on research by Dr. Sarah Davis, Collection Manager of Paleobiology.
• Become a dinosaur detective as you learn to identify what is and is not a fossil.
• Create your own Pennsylvania fossil field guide to take home.
• Pick up a brush and practice uncovering dinosaur and mammal fossils in Bone Hunters’ Quarry, a recreation of an actual dig-site.
Conversations with Researchers: 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m., drop in any time
Meet and chat with paleontologists from Carnegie Museum of Natural History and visiting institutions! They’ll share fossils, research, and stories from their work in the field and the lab.
Scientific Illustration Demonstration: 11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m., 12:30–1:30 p.m., Third Floor Overlook
Learn how Scientific Illustrator Andrew McAfee brings extinct species to life through detailed paleontology illustrations.
Livestream Dino Dig: 12:00–1:00 p.m., 2:00–3:00 p.m., Library Lecture Hall
Research paleontologist and science livestreamer Danny Anduza will bring you along to a current dig site for a live Q&A from the field. Observe work in real time, ask anything about research, and hear from in-person host Dr. Matt Lamanna, Mary R. Dawson Curator of Vertebrate Paleontology.
Keynote Speaker: 1:00–2:00 p.m., Library Lecture Hall
Listen to vertebrate paleontologist and evolutionary biologist Dr. James Napoli present new research on Nanotyrannus, a smaller cousin of T. rex.
PaleoLab Talks: Time to be announced, PaleoLab Lobby
Peek into the ongoing work in PaleoLab and hear from one of the museum’s Scientific Preparators! Learn how fossils are conserved, stabilized, and prepared for display—including continued care of the museum’s historic Mosasaurus skeleton and other remarkable specimens.
Carnegie Museum Store: 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Bring home a memento from your day at the museum! Don’t miss the specially curated DinoFest section.
Get Your Tickets for DinoFest!
Purchase of museum admission is required to attend DinoFest. Tickets can be purchased in advance or at the door. Advance purchase is strongly recommended. Make sure to select June 13, 2026 for admission to DinoFest. Get Tickets →

Peek inside Kamin Hall of Dinosaurs!

Vertebrate Paleontology in the News
“The Megaraptor Had Giant Claws and an Appetite for for Crocodilians,” The New York Times
“How Realistic are Movie Dinosaurs?” NPR Short Wave
“This Odd-Looking New Spinosaurus is Reviving an Age-Old Debate,” National Geographic

Dinosaur Stories
Read articles by museum experts to get ready for DinoFest!
Mesozoic Monthly: NasutoceratopsMesozoic Monthly: DreadnoughtusMesozoic Monthly: ScipionyxMesozoic Monthly: GargoyleosaurusIn the Field: Following the Work of a PaleontologistThe Strange Saga of Spinosaurus, the Semiaquatic Dinosaurian SuperpredatorThe Two-Headed DinosaurThe Dinosaur of a Lifetime

Behind the Scenes Tour: Big Bone Room - Sold Out!
2026-06-13 10:30 - 11:30
Photo credit: John Schisler, courtesy of Carnegie Magazine
When: Saturday, June 13, 2026, 10:30–11:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m., 2:00–3:00 p.m., and 3:30–4:30 p.m.
Where: Carnegie Museum of Natural History
Tickets: $50 (includes museum admission).
Visitors ages 18+ are invited to join Dr. Matt Lamanna, Mary R. Dawson Curator of Vertebrate Paleontology, or Dr. Sarah Davis, Collection Manager of Paleobiology, for a tour of the Big Bone Room. See a fraction of the vertebrate paleontology collection’s 90,000 specimens, which are housed in this space. You’ll get a close up look at dinosaur fossils not on display, historically significant specimens dating back to the museum’s early days, and fossil vertebrates from the Pittsburgh region. Learn about the paleontology research happening at the museum and ask the experts your questions.
Please note: To participate in the Big Bone Room tour, participants will need to be able to stand for the duration of the tour and navigate uneven flooring. If you have any concerns regarding accessibility, please email us.
Purchase Tickets for Behind the Scenes Tour: Big Bone Room
Choose your time and purchase your ticket below. Tours meet in the front lobby across from the Admissions Desk and will depart for the Big Bone Room promptly at the tour start time.
Get Tickets for 10:30-11:30 a.m. Sold out!
Get Tickets for 11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. Sold out!
Get Tickets for 2:00–3:00 p.m. Sold out!
Get Tickets for 3:30–4:30 p.m. Sold out!
Behind the Scenes Tours are part of DinoFest! General admission for June 13 is included with your Big Bone Room tour ticket. We encourage you to enjoy the museum and DinoFest before and after your tour.

Polar World Closing Weekend
2026-06-26 10:00 - 17:00
When: Friday, June 26–Sunday, June 28, 2026, 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Where: Polar World: Wyckoff Hall of Arctic Life and Halls of Wildlife, Carnegie Museum of Natural History
Tickets: Included with Purchase of Museum Admission. Get Tickets →
Join us as we celebrate the stories and legacy of Polar World: Wyckoff Hall of Arctic Life before the exhibition closes on June 28, 2026. Tour the gallery a final time and enjoy hands–on, Arctic-themed activities, including artmaking, storytime, and spotlight stations in Polar World and the Halls of Wildlife. Learn about the snowhouse, take a winter animals tour, admire the stars through a constellation viewer, and discover the eating habits of polar bears.
Learn more about the closure of Polar World: Wyckoff Hall of Arctic Life.
Get Tickets →
