If you’ve ever wondered how Pixar creates its iconic animated films, the answers await you at “The Science Behind Pixar,” an immersive exhibit at the Carnegie Science Center.
After experiencing this immersive, hands-on journey myself, I can confidently say this exhibit is a must-see for fans of animation, science and storytelling alike.
Opened in May 2024 and extended through Jan. 26, the two-story, 12,000-square-foot exhibition transforms the PPG Science Pavilion into “PIXARburgh,” drawing visitors of all ages to dive into the fascinating intersection of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) that fuels Pixar’s creative magic.
A behind-the-scenes look at Pixar’s movie-making process
From the moment you step into “The Science Behind Pixar,” you’re invited to explore the complex world of animation.
The exhibit features more than 50 hands-on activities that break down the intricate steps Pixar takes to bring beloved films like “Toy Story,” “Monsters Inc.” and “Finding Nemo” to life.
At various interactive stations, you can:
Design a robot friend for WALL-E by using magnetic body parts to experiment with how minor changes can impact storytelling.
Adjust lighting on a set from “Up” to see how color and brightness can create entirely different moods.
Control cameras on a large recreation of a set from “A Bug’s Life” to understand how perspective shapes the storytelling process.
These experiences provide a deeper appreciation for the technological brilliance and artistic creativity that go into Pixar’s films.
The exhibit also delivers unforgettable photo moments with life-size recreations of fan-favorite characters. Snap selfies with Buzz Lightyear, Sulley, Mike, Dory, Nemo and WALL-E. These vibrant displays are perfect for Pixar fans of all ages and make for incredible keepsakes.
Pixar’s magic lies in its ability to merge science and creativity, and this exhibit captures that fusion perfectly.
“As Pittsburgh’s most-visited museum, the Science Center strives to connect visitors of all ages with science that ignites curiosity that endures for a lifetime,” Carnegie Science Center Director Jason Brown said in a news release.
Why you should go
Whether you’re a long-time Pixar fan, a STEM enthusiast or simply curious about how animated movies are made, “The Science Behind Pixar” offers something for everyone. It’s an eye-opening, hands-on exploration of the meticulous processes behind the films that have touched our hearts for decades.
Its run was extended for a few more weeks! Don’t miss your chance to explore this one-of-a-kind exhibit before it closes on Jan. 26.
Blending old and new in an amusement park probably isn’t easy.
And it’s especially not easy at Kennywood, where Pittsburghers aren’t always up for change.
But as the park preserves its past, routine maintenance is necessary.
And, as such, the park’s 96-year-old, only-one-left-in-America Racer won’t open for Kennywood’s Phantom Fall Fest.
Its last day was Sept. 16.
In a blog post, Kennywood explains that the roller coaster’s lift hills need replaced and retracked. More than 1,000 feet of lumber will be used. The work will be completed by the park’s in-house team.
“They’ll start with the left lift hill this year, followed by the right lift hill next year,” Mark Frazee, Kennywood’s content manager, wrote in the post.
Of course, it’s not Kennywood’s only restoration project this offseason.
Pittsburgh…are you ready for it? With Taylor Swift’s two “Eras Tour” Pittsburgh shows at Acrisure Stadium (I still call it Heinz Field) approaching (June 16 and June 17!), here is a look at everything you need to know before going — from parking to transportation to bag policies and so much more.
Much of this information has been condensed from the Acrisure Stadium site. Visit that site for more information.
Who is opening for Taylor Swift?
Girl in Red and Gracie Abrams will open for Taylor Swift in Pittsburgh on June 16.
Girl in Red and Owenn will open for Taylor Swift in Pittsburgh on June 17.
When will Taylor Swift start performing?
Based on previous shows, it seems that Taylor Swift will probably take the stage around 8 p.m.
How long does the concert last?
The show begins at 6:30 p.m. Taylor Swift typically features 44 songs, meaning she performs for about three hours, including two secret songs that change each show.
Swiftburgh! From the Carnegie Science Center to Primanti Bros., here are 13 things to do during your June 16-17 weekend in Pittsburgh for Taylor Swift.
Oh, and here is what the stadium likely will look like with the stage.
Arrive early
While the show begins at 6:30 p.m., and Taylor Swift likely goes on around 8, it’s recommended to arrive early. This can ensure you have ample time to pass through security, find your seats, use the restroom, get something to eat and check out the Taylor Swift merch (more on that in a bit).
For Steelers games, the stadium opens two hours before kickoff. This site will be updated once the stadium opening time is known.
What is the Acrisure Stadium bag policy?
Acrisure Stadium enforces a “clear bag policy,” limiting the size of bags to no bigger than 12 inches by six inches by 12 inches. Small clutch purses no larger than 4.5” x 6.5” are also permitted, with or without a handle or strap, and need not be clear. Bags must be made of clear plastic, vinyl or PVC.
Small clutch purses — with a max size of 4.5 inches by 6.5 inches — with or without a handle or strap can be carried into the stadium along with one of the clear bag options.
A 1-gallon reusable storage bag (think: Ziploc) is permitted.
An exception is made for medically necessary items with inspection at the gate. Diapers and wipes are permitted in a clear bag. Diaper bags are not permitted.
Each member of a family, including children, will be able to carry an approved clear bag and a clutch purse.
Among other bags not permitted include: Backpacks, fanny packs, camera bags, computer bags, other types of purses, cinch bags, tote bags and seat cushions.
What can I take into Acrisure Stadium?
In addition to following the bag policy above, guests are able to bring the following items:
Food — of any kind — contained in a clear plastic bag
Factory-sealed plastic bottles of water or soft drinks that are a maximum size of 24 ounces
Still photography cameras with a lens that is 6 inches or less in length not contained in a case
Hand-carried jackets, blankets or other items that will be searched
Leave these items at home or in the car
Any non-clear bag exceeding the bag policy rules
Apparel or signage displaying profane or abusive language
Alcoholic beverages
Balls of any kind, including full-size footballs
Banners/signs on poles
Battery-operated items (i.e. light up clothing)
Cans, coolers of any type, glass bottles or thermoses
Laser pointers
Noisemakers
Selfie Sticks
Single-purpose video cameras or still-photography cameras with a lens longer than 6 inches
Strollers or seat cushions
Weapons/any item that may be deemed to be a projectile
Any other item deemed dangerous or inappropriate
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Wheelchair policy
Acrisure Stadium has a limited number of wheelchairs available for use during events. Generally, these can be obtained at the Guest Service Locations located at Stadium Gates and Guests Service 104, located near the FedEx Great Hall. You will be required to deposit your driver’s license in order to use a wheelchair.
Guests looking to store a walker or wheelchair may do so at the Guest Services room closest to their ticketed seat.
Re-entry policy
Exit and re-entry is not permitted at Acrisure Stadium. In the case of a medical emergency, proceed to the Guest Services Kiosk at Gate B.
Stadium Wi-Fi
Guests can access free Wi-Fi by selecting the “Acrisure Stadium Public” option on your device.
Aisle obstruction
Standing or sitting in section aisles is prohibited. Guests may not stand in aisles or obstruct others from viewing the event. Aisles must be kept clear.
Banners/Signs
Banners and signs are permitted but must be in good taste, the stadium says. Management reserves the right to determine what signs are in violation of stadium policy and confiscate signs that are in violation stadium policy.
Signs or banners cannot obstruct another fan’s view and cannot cover any stadium signage. They may not contain commercial messages, logos or political endorsements.
Signs cannot interfere with any messaging placed by the event.
Banners or signs that are attached to poles will not be permitted. Banners are not permitted to be displayed in or outside the “Luxury Suites.”
Buy your merch online
Reports from other Taylor Swift shows indicate that wait times for merch lines can be as high as an hour. Save time, save your frustration and just buy online! Trust me!
Battery-operated items
Battery-operated items such as posters, lights or clothing are not permitted into Acrisure Stadium.
Individual cell phone chargers
According to an April 2023 story in the Beaver County Times, individual cell phone chargers, including a charging block and cord, and external rechargeable battery packs, are permitted in the stadium. Security staff members might ask to inspect the device when entering the stadium.
Cashless
Acrisure Stadium is a cashless facility. An accessible ATM is located inside Gate B. Credit and debit cards are still accepted, as well as Apple and Google Pay.
Comments and concerns
For comments and concerns on event day, text PITT33 to 69050 with your issue and location or call the guest hotline at 412-697-7766. For assistance on non-event days, call 412-697-7150 and press 4.
First Aid
There are five First Aid locations throughout Acrisure Stadium. Medical services are provided before, during, and after each event. In the event of a medical emergency, please notify the nearest stadium personnel.
Umbrellas
Umbrellas can be taken into Acrisure Stadium but are not permitted to be open.
“We Connect”
Guests can register members of their party with Acrisure Stadium team members to assist stadium staff in the event an individual becomes separated from their party.
Registration is available at all four Guest Services rooms: Behind Section 104 in the FedEx Great Hall, Lower Level North behind Section 123, Upper Level East behind Section 504 and Upper Level West behind Section 528.
Transportation to Acrisure Stadium
Sure, you can drive there. But between congestion and parking, good luck. Find details here.
Your best bet is to use public transportation.
Pittsburgh Regional Transit offers multiple bus routes and light rail transit lines near Acrisure Stadium.
Using PRT’s trolley/light rail: All lines (red, blue and silver) service Allegheny Station (closest to the stadium) and North Side Station (near PNC Park).
In addition, you could exit the light rail train at Wood Street Station or Gateway Station and walk across the Andy Warhol, Rachel Carson or Fort Duquesne bridges.
Single ride fare cost is $2.75. So, roundtrip would cost $5.50. Recommend getting a ConnectCard, but trains take exact cash. You can get a ConnectCard at most T stations. More details.
Bus routes near Acrisure Stadium: 14 and 18. Both have stops right outside the stadium. Additional routes within walking distance or with a transfer can be found here.
The end of 2022 will mark a first in my professional career: I will no longer be a full-time journalist.
That’s not an easy sentence to complete and an even more difficult one to process. Journalism has been the only career I’ve ever envisioned.
When fellow elementary school students dreamed of being astronauts or gymnasts or doctors or presidents, I wanted to be a reporter.
In middle school and high school, as sciences and math were increasingly pushed, I pushed back and focused on writing, journalism and communications courses.
This sounds cliche, but I was first drawn to news for its ability to share important information people needed to know.
Newspapers, at the time, were stuffed full of so much valuable information.
I would lose track of time reading the Sunday edition of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette — back when it seemed thicker than an encyclopedia. And I always found myself focused on local and regional stories — stories that had an impact or were of interest to areas I lived in or near.
I read the then-Moon Record from front to back — a newspaper that’s related publications would later have a profound impact on my career and life.
I was also drawn to news for its sense of immediacy and that rush of adrenaline when breaking news happens, watching television reporters and anchors bring information to people in real time.
While news stories were of interest to me, so was understanding the art of making news — whether it be for print, television, radio or, later, digital.
To this day, I consume the information while also analyzing the coverage. Ask anybody who has ever watched a newscast with me, and they’ll tell you how enjoyable (my word, not theirs) it is to hear me discuss the coverage.
As a kid, I can remember many times writing “stories” about and anchoring “newscasts” to my stuffed animals. I would even make “incidents” happen in my Micro Machines setups to have newspeople go cover.
Outside of interviewing toys, my first major interview was then-Pittsburgh Steelers kicker Gary Anderson, who I tracked down in an elementary school office following an assembly. I was in third grade.
In high school, my principal threatened to keep me from walking at graduation following the publication of an editorial I wrote that he disagreed with.
As a journalist in college, I helped tackle a groundbreaking legal case of a college nun who sued a Catholic university over sexual discrimination. I helped to uncover sources that were quoted by The New York Times.
My time at the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review allowed me to live out those childhood dreams of sharing stories that mattered to communities and families through the Sewickley Herald and The Signal Item — two newspapers I will forever be grateful to have been part of.
For the last few years with Hearst Television, I have had the responsibility of managing a team tasked with copy editing news and media content across more than two dozen local news digital platforms.
And while it is incredibly difficult to step away from what has long felt like a calling, it was time.
The coronavirus pandemic has allowed me to refocus my life and do something I’ve never done before: Put myself and my life first.
It’s not been easy to say goodbye to working full-time in news. There have been a lot of tears shed.
But I’m reminded of a line in one of my favorite musicals — “Avenue Q” — that is simple and true, and helped me to again understand that nothing is forever: “Everything in life is only for now.”
What began as a trolley park in the late 1800s is now one of America’s top amusement parks.
Nestled above the Monongahela River, Kennywood Park has remained a constant as the world around it in the Mon Valley — sometimes referred to as “the valley that built the world” — changed.
The park sits across the river from a still-in-operation steel mill — one of a few left in a region that prospered in its heyday of steel works that provided jobs and also polluted the region.
Most of the steel mills are gone, the cities dotting the region that flourished during the time now struggle, and the area’s population continues dwindling.
As the region around it changed, Kennywood Park solidified itself as Western Pennsylvania’s amusement park, with annual school picnics, celebrity guests, ethnic celebrations and thrills for everybody in the family.
In 2022, as COVID-19 pandemic restrictions lifted and people navigated a new world, Kennywood Park management ushered in the start of a major celebration: The kickoff of the park’s 125th anniversary.
With it came word of the return of one of four rides the park removed, plus other park improvements — long overdue cosmetic enhancements to spruce up the park.
Sadly, with the great changes came a rollback in operating hours. The park, where legend has it that the coasters run faster at night, and where thousands of lights sparkle when the sun goes down, closed before the sun was even at the horizon, marking regular closings at 7 or 8 p.m.
Looking carefully at the site, these are some clues:
The site title says “UFOTracker.”
The image shows the number “1122,” which could mean the park might use Nov. 22 to reveal more information.
The image also shows “2023,” so that seems pretty obvious.
The Cosmic Chaos, which sits next to this area, was added to the park in 2007. It was manufactured by Zamperla, where the generic ride is called the Mega Disk’O.
The new ride is rumored to also be from Zamperla. Kennywood has some other Zamperla rides, including Aero 360 and SS Kenny (in Kiddieland).
Of course, before then, the park will hold its Phantom Fall Fest (you know it as Phantom Fright Nights but now with daytime fun for everyone) and Holiday Lights!
BobbyCherry.com 