Carnegie Museum of Natural History has won the Twenty-Second Annual Breastfeeding Friendly Place Award 2018 awarded by the Allegheny County Health Department WIC Program.
The Breastfeeding Friendly Place Awards recognize public places, workplaces, and other places that support breastfeeding mothers with spaces outside of the home to feed their babies.
“We are committed to making our museum a comfortable and inclusive environment for all visitors,” said Dr. Eric Dorfman, Daniel G. and Carole L. Kamin Director of Carnegie Museum of Natural History. “We were thrilled and honored to be recognized, yet again, for having a breastfeeding friendly place.” This marks the second time Carnegie Museum of Natural History has won this award with the first time being in 2016.
The breastfeeding area is private and conveniently located near the child-friendly interactive exhibition Discovery Basecamp. It is marked by a sign that says “Baby-friendly Privacy Area.” Within it, there are two alcoves with comfortable chairs and pillows as well as a bean bag chair for older siblings. Mothers don’t have to stray far from the kid-friendly exhibition to nurse comfortably, creating a more convenient museum experience for families with small children.
Pittsburgh artist and illustrator Ashley Cecil recently helped the museum update the space by designing new wallpaper. Cecil specializes in illustrating the ways the natural world and its inhabitants are interconnected, and created wallpaper depicting various mother animals breastfeeding their babies.
The award ceremony will be held on August 13 during the 10th Annual Village for Kids event from 12-4 p.m. at the Renzie Park Bandshell in McKeesport. At 2:45 p.m. Senator Brewster will read the Governor’s Proclamation and awards will be given out following the proclamation. Dr. Eric Dorfman will be accepting the award for the museum.
