A New Natural History
We are not separate from nature; we are nature.
Carnegie Museum of Natural History follows up its groundbreaking 2017 exhibition We Are Nature: Living in the Anthropocene with an original visitor experience that weaves stories across the entire museum into an interactive journey spanning from deep time to our own times.
Fifteen focal points, interspersed throughout museum galleries, highlight the connections between humans and the rest of nature, culminating in a new interactive exhibition space that invites visitors to share their hopes and fears for the future, contribute to time capsules, and learn how they can work for a healthier, more equitable planet. Incorporating the interdisciplinary work of scientists, artists, educators, activists, and community leaders, We Are Nature inspires visitors from Pittsburgh and beyond to transform our relationships with the rest of the living world.
New Stories throughout the Museum
Towering dinosaurs, glittering gems and minerals, handmade vessels from ancient Egypt: your favorite exhibitions at Carnegie Museum of Natural History have many unseen connections.
New labels for this exhibit highlight research happening right here at the museum as we learn about the ways humans are shaping life on Earth and imagine together what the future could hold.
Time Capsules for 2027, 2035, and 2095
We Are Nature includes three time capsules created by artist and Science Communications Fellow Asia Ward, sculpted to represent tardigrades (also known as water bears), the tiny animals best known for their ability to survive in the harshest conditions. Visitors are invited to write messages to include in the time capsules that will be opened at three significant future dates.
2027 Time Capsule
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change suggests we have until 2027 to take bold action to avoid climate disaster.
2035 Time Capsule
The United States set a goal to have 100% carbon-free power sector by 2035.
2095 Time Capsule
Seven decades separate us from the 1950s, a time known as the Great Acceleration. What will the world look like seven decades from now?
Community Partners
“If we don’t care about the earth, which is our home, then we’re going to be miserable.”
Hadassa, Braddock Farms
Hear from people working throughout the local community to make change including organizations you can join.
Current Community Partners include
- Braddock Farms: A Grow Pittsburgh location on the corner of Braddock and 10th Street that grows fresh produce
- Summer Lee, State Rep for the 34th Legislative District: Summer Lee is from Mon Valley and part of her message is fighting against environmental injustice for the community
- Western PA Conservancy: Protects and restores our region, providing us with clean water, healthy forests and wildlife
- Garfield Community Farm: Provides fresh produce and educational opportunities for neighbors and volunteers
Share your voice & Participate
Vote on topics you’d like to see explored in future museum exhibitions, share your thoughts on We Are Nature, and bring your old cell phones to our recycling center.
We Are Nature Blogs
Understanding Fossil Fuels through Carnegie Museums’ Exhibits
by Albert D. Kollar, Collection Manager, with assistance from Suzanne Mills, Collection Assistant, and Joann Wilson, Volunteer Section of Invertebrate Paleontology The …Cities are Not Biological Deserts
by Nicole Heller Cities are increasingly important in organizing the experience of people and their interactions with nature. In 1950 there were …What Does Climate Change Mean for Western PA Farmers?
Agriculture is many things when it comes to climate change: a source of heat trapping gases, a casualty of extreme weather events, …Egypt and the Nile
Over the course of some five millennia the ancient Egyptians developed a distinctive material culture shaped in large part by their local …Garden for the Birds (or bees, or butterflies, or creepy crawlies, or you get the picture)…
“What do I plant?” you may be wondering as spring starts to set in. Maybe you are a master gardener, or maybe …Air Quality and Urban Gardening
Transforming my ultra-tiny backyard into a garden has been a kind of mental, physical, and spiritual therapy for me during this COVID-19 …I love this interspecies friendship!
I confess I am not big on social media, but occasionally I see something that I can’t stop watching. This short clip …This Land is Your Land, This Land is Mine Land
by Max Winn and Andrea Kautz Since the passing of Act 54 in 1994, Pennsylvania requires a review of all subsidence impacts related …Smoke Scenery
by Pat McShea A museum educator from Norway offered a novel way to interpret We Are Nature: Living in the Anthropocene. “This …Poison Ivy Potency?
By Rachael Carlberg When prompted with the phrase “climate change,” people often think of increasing temperatures, melting ice, and flooding shores. While …
