Science & Nature Archives - Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh

Close-up of a reddish-brown spider with long jointed legs and a large textured tan abdomen, resting in a clear glass dish.

Crawling from the collections

By Jason Bittel

Two amateur spider enthusiasts at Carnegie Museum of Natural History discovered a new species hidden within its archive of arachnids—and named it for John Denver.

Museum visitors explore an interactive Mars exhibit, viewing robotic rovers on a red, rocky landscape through glass; curious mood.

Closer Look: Search for Life

A new perspective on familiar offerings at Carnegie Museums.

Smiling woman in glasses leans over a miniature forest landscape, with autumn-colored trees and a snowy woodland scene behind her.

Q+A: Amy Covell-Murthy

By Chris Fleisher

In conversation with the collection manager of archaeology at Carnegie Museum of Natural History.

Hopeful green sustainability infographic with a globe, wind turbines, solar panels, CO2 emissions, leaves, recycling symbols, and an electric vehicle.

Tackling Climate Change, Inside and Out

By Holden Slattery

How Carnegie Museums is taking on the global climate crisis through research, public engagement, and improving its own buildings.

Visitors examine shelves of breads and pastries in a bakery display rack, while a woman photographs the baked goods in a busy, curious scene.

Behind the Scenes at the Museum

By Aakanksha Agarwal

New tours offer the public rare access to the Museum of Natural History’s scientists, specimens, and conservation work that underpin the exhibitions.

Helmeted driver steers go-kart 51 around an indoor track, surrounded by tire barriers and colorful overhead lights in a fast-paced scene.

The Need for Speed

By Chris Fleisher

Kamin Science Center’s Science of Speed, Powered by Lenovo, combines the science of going fast with the thrill of on-track racing. Drivers, start your engines!

A man sits beside a lifelike polar bear exhibit in a museum. The backdrop features another bear image, creating a harmonious, contemplative atmosphere.

Memories of Polar World

By Jennifer Davis

After more than four decades, Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s exhibition on life in the Arctic bids farewell.

A woman and a child interact with a hands-on educational exhibit. They appear engaged and curious. Informational panels behind them discuss adaptation.

Encouraging Climate Conversations in Pittsburgh

By Aakanksha Agarwal

A new exhibition at Kamin Science Center reframes global warming through a local perspective.

Specimen of Mazuca strigicincta moth with yellow patterned upper wings and pale lower wings, displayed with identification tags and scale.

Closer Look: Life Imitates Art

By Autumn Barrows

A new perspective on familiar offerings at Carnegie Museums.

Students engaged in science class; left group conducting a liquid experiment, right boy using a microscope. Curious and focused expressions.

The Future of STEM Education

By Autumn Barrows

A biostatistician and epidemiologist seeks to pass on his love of math and science by supporting the museums.

"Cover and interior of 'Scientists Like Me' book featuring diverse scientists in life sciences. Bright portraits with labels like Marine Biologist and Virologist convey inspiration and diversity in STEM fields."

Young Readers Discover ‘Scientists Like Me’

By Holden Slattery

A children’s book created by Kamin Science Center aims to help kids of all backgrounds see themselves in
STEM careers.

Collage of summer camp activities: A child paints in an art class, two kids in science gear, a girl near water, and a child observing nature. Energetic and fun.

What I did on my Summer Vacation

by Chris Fleisher

Years later, some former Carnegie Museums summer campers recount experiences that still resonate today.

An open magazine features two pages with black-and-white photographs and text. The left page shows snow-covered branches, while the right has varied nature images. The tone is reflective.

From the Archives: April and Powdermill

by John E. Guilday

Items from the magazine’s century of archives.

Three vertical panels: a black sphere with embossed constellation, a colorful nebula with vibrant swirls, and a textured purple surface resembling topography.

A Tactile Symphony of Stars

By Nichole Faina

Space takes on new dimensions in Buhl Planetarium’s show for audience members with visual impairments.

Evening view of a modern science center by a river, with a lit ship docked nearby. A bridge and hills are visible under a twilight sky.

‘Ignite Your Curiosity’

By Barbara Klein

Kamin Science Center looks to the future with an ambitious transformation.

Open book with text and two black-and-white photos on each page. The image conveys an informative and historical tone, with visible page curvature.

From The Archives: The Buhl Planetarium

Items from the magazine’s 98-year-old archives.

A collage shows jars with specimens, two women examining a large fossil, a person handling a small sample, and historical black-and-white images of fieldwork.

Worlds Collected, Stories Revealed

By Aakanksha Agarwal

Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s new exhibition traces the past and present of scientific expeditions, vast collections, and the caretakers who keep their stories alive.

Open magazine displaying an article titled "Mimicry in Nature" with a small black-and-white photo of a man. Dense text fills both pages, conveying an academic tone.

From the Archives: Mimicry in Nature

By William J. Holland, Former Director (1898-1922) and Curator of Carnegie Museum

Items from the magazine’s 98-year-old archives.

Close-up of a speedometer with a red needle pointing at 180. The words "RAPID RESPONSE!" are prominently displayed, conveying urgency and speed.

Connecting People and Science When It Most Matters

Story By Chris Fleisher and Corinne Whiting

Already a trusted resource for science learning, the Science Center aims to be a real-time information source on topics affecting us all.

A group of people work together outdoors, carefully arranging stones on the ground under a sunny sky, amidst lush greenery.

Mending Land, Healing Culture

By Chris Fleisher

A Hawaiian land steward brings the story of indigenous fishpond restoration to Carnegie Museum of Natural History as part of the R.W. Moriarty Science Seminars.

A large dinosaur skull and fossilized bones are stored on wooden carts and shelves in a paleontological lab.

What Lies Beneath

By Laura Clark Rohrer

The vertebrate fossils on exhibit at Carnegie Museum of Natural History are just a fraction of a collection that is as scientifically important as it is just plain cool. Welcome to the bone rooms.