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Andy Warhol, Progressive Piano, (detail), 1950s, The Andy Warhol Museum, Contribution The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc. © The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc.

The Invention of Andy Warhol

Pre-Mad Men, Andy Warhol took Madison Avenue by storm with his unconventional and wildly successful illustrations for mass-market advertising, setting the stage for his rise as Pop pioneer.

It almost seems like New York City in the 1950s existed only in black and white. Images from the era capture a soon-to-be iconic skyline casting deep shadows over busy city streets populated by stylish women in white gloves and purposeful men in gray flannel suits.

What isn’t pictured is what was just around the corner and fast approaching: The gender-bending, counterculture, Pop-art movements that would revolutionize the city and nation, thanks in no small part to Andy Warhol.

By Barbara Klein

Featured Stories

A Life in Lego

A Life in Lego

How a corporate lawyer-turned-artist transformed a favorite childhood toy into sought-after artwork, inspiring countless kids to rethink what is art and who can make it.

By Cristina Rouvalis

How I Fell in Love with Science

How I Fell in Love with Science

More than 2,000 area students participate in STEM competitions each year through Carnegie Science Center. For some, it ignites a lifelong passion for science.

By Cristina Rouvalis

Living in a Bug’s World

Living in a Bug’s World

In a time of unprecedented environmental change, a small and determined brigade of Carnegie Museum bug scientists is redefining the power and urgency of museum collections. Now, as the team’s intrepid leader prepares for retirement, the hunt goes on.

By Julie Hannon

Healing Through Art

Healing Through Art

A partnership between The Warhol and Highmark Caring Place gives grieving kids a chance to make new memories to last a lifetime.

Story by Cristina Rouvalis / Photography by Martha Rial

Pittsburgh’s Painter

Pittsburgh’s Painter

John Kane helped build industrial Pittsburgh. Then, as a complete unknown, his work was accepted into the 1927 Carnegie International, making him the first self-taught artist to be recognized by the American art establishment. His muse: his adopted city.

By Cristina Rouvalis

Climate Change in Our Backyard

Climate Change in Our Backyard

Carnegie Museum of Natural History researchers are on the front lines of climate science, tracking the complex changes unfolding right here in western Pennsylvania.

By Jason Bittel

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Order & Chaos

Order & Chaos

Carnegie Museum of Art mines its significant holdings from 1750–1850, revealing artists’ visions of a Western world caught between rational order and chaotic abandon.

By Barbara Klein

Inspiring The Earliest Learners

Inspiring The Earliest Learners

Children are natural-born scientists but need rich learning environments, prepared teachers, and engaged families to feed their natural curiosity. Carnegie Science Center is leading the way.

By Eleanor Chute

Photo: Pam Curtin

Big Picture

Summer campers explore the natural world and conservation science at Powdermill Nature Reserve, Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s environmental research center in the Laurel Highlands, about 55 miles southeast of Pittsburgh.

Face Time

Nicole Heller

Nicole Heller

Nicole Heller used to spend her days on hands and knees trying to tease apart the secret world of Argentine ants—an invasive insect that has risen to worldwide prominence thanks to its ability to hitch rides on human trade routes. But after several years debating specialized questions about ant behavior with colleagues, Heller, who spent her formative years in Palo Alto, California, started to yearn for something bigger. “As much as I love ants, I felt like I needed to focus on broader conservation issues,” she says.

Ingrid Schaffner

Ingrid Schaffner
Abigail DeVille

Abigail DeVille
Liz Whitewolf

Liz Whitewolf

Photo Joshua Franzos

Inside the Museums

Study skins of butterfly bats (Glauconycteris variegata) from Carnegie Museum of Natural History's research collection.