I like the dinosaurs in Carnegie Museum. If you ever saw the movie Flashdance, the final scene was filmed on the steps going into Carnegie library, just around the corner from the front of the museum. I watched them film that scene one day as I was walking to class.
One other thing, Kennywood is one of the best old-style amusement parks in the country. The Auto Race, built in 1930, is still my favorite ride anywhere. Kennywood is at 4800 Kennywood Blvd, West Mifflin, PA 15122, overlooking the Mon River, a few miles from downtown. I imagine buses run out there.
I am originally from Pittsburgh and worked at Kennywood during school (old pony track and Kiddieland-- got to do the test runs of the Thunderbolt before the park opened). I still go back to Pittsburgh regularly .Kennywood is a great park but it would be good to have a car if that is of any interest to you. As others, have said-Phipps Conservatory is wonderful and right across from the CMU campus. The museums (history, art) are right by the Cathedral of Learning. Glad you enjoyed the Cathedral of Learning (the Nationality Rooms are very interesting). Heinz Chapel and the Stephen Foster Memorial are nearby as well. If you have a car, Fallingwater and Kentuck Knob (as has been mentioned). Heinz Historical Center is great, The Frick ( house, art collection, collection of old cars, great café). The website says the car and carriage museum may be closed for renovation.
So glad you are having a good time!
Tomorrow: rent a car and go to Fallingwater?
If you decide on Fallingwater, just be sure to make sure you can get a tour (same with Kentuck Knob which I found just as interesting-they are only about 7 miles apart). Both could be done in a day if you get an early start but you don’t want to rent a car, drive down there and find out everything is booked. Ligonier, Pa. is a cute town about an hour away.
Seems like our afternoon is planned. We are hanging with the big group from dh’s company and doing lunch, then a museum tour and then the Incline. I’ve done it before, but I’m going along to get along as dh’s boss is leading the excursion. 
Sounds like fun. You can never do the incline too often.
Which museum?
A few years ago Carnegie Museum redesigned the dinosaur room. I went back after having been away many years and noticed something was strangely different with the enormous dinosaur in the middle of the exhibit. I told the docent, “you’ve got the wrong head on that dinosaur!” and explained that I had seen it dozens of times as a kid. He calmly responded that actually, they had the wrong head on the skeleton all those years and had only discovered it recently. I still feel like something is wrong when I walk into that room.
MidwestDad, that is so funny. I also have fond childhood memories of those dinosaurs, as well as the snake dancing Indians (now removed) and the Arab horseback rider being attacked by a lion (also removed). In the mid-90s, I revisited those exhibits at the museum with my grandfather & my 2 young sons (now adults). Although the exhibits (& my grandfather) are long gone, I still have fond memories of that multi-generational visit.
I hope YDS is having a good time with the incline & museum, whichever museum the group visits - there are many wonderful museums in da 'Burgh.
I belong to the “Pittsburgh diaspora” which moved away in the mid-80s when Big Steel & the Pittsburgh economy collapsed. I still have family in Pgh & periodically return to visit. I am always amazed by the resilience & how Pittsburgh has reinvented itself.
@12rmh18 Did your school do the visit to the Heinz pickle plant? I think I still have my little Heinz pickle pin somewhere!
I, too, hope YDS is having a great day and that she has the opportunity to say “yinz” at least once while she is there.
My mother was from the South and threatened to wash our mouths with soap if my siblings or I ever said “yinz.” But she never objected to anyone saying “y’all.” 
I hope YDS has a “Yinzer” kind of day!
MidwestDad, sadly I don’t think my school ever visited the Heinz pickle plant, but I did see that you can buy the pickle pins (as well as pickle ornaments for your Christmas tree!) at the Heinz History Center gift shop. The History Center was really interesting. I loved seeing the set for Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood & the Pittsburgh sports history exhibit, as well as the history of the H.J. Heinz Co. The museum also had a fascinating exhibit of Pgh’s tradition of innovation with some surprises outside the realm of industry & technology (Hello, Big Mac!).
We ate in a sort of gastropub called Meat & Potatoes that was really good.
I hope she gets to say “yinz” as well. I also hope she doesn’t run into any “j–offs” !
Meat & Potatoes is downtown. My sister likes it. It’s in the Cultural District, near where the theaters are.
A bit late, but maybe others will search…
From the New York Times today:
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/19/travel/what-to-do-in-36-hours-in-pittsburgh.html?_r=1
@sevmom You just HAD to bring up “j–off,” didn’t you…
Back when we were still young, my wife (from the Midwest) was furious the first time I used that word in front of her (in traffic, against someone else). She thought it was the most profane thing she had ever heard. I explained to her that it wasn’t so bad. I even showed her a definition online that said it originated in Pittsburgh and just means “inept.” She still hasn’t bought it, even though an authority as stellar as Wikipedia backs me up! So I haven’t used it since.
“I haven’t used it since.” Until now!
@MidwestDad3, I would not let your wife listen to “Pittsburgh Dad” then. He is quite fond of that word. My husband actually uses the word once in a blue moon (as do I) . But we are both from Pittsburgh . It actually brings back fond memories when I hear it!
Interesting article,Dave_N, The restaurant he mentions, Salt of the Earth (been there once) is closing, unfortunately on August 1st so he go there just in time. Lots of small breweries if anybody is into that-in Homestead, Braddock, Bethel Park, Lawrenceville, etc. He also mentions the Hotel Monaco (which is a Kimpton) and its’ restaurant (Commoner-ate there in March on a trip home). Very nice place.
I can still get away with saying “Stillers.” But after 25 years DW still doesn’t care for the way I pronounce “wash,” insisting that I frequently slip into “worsh,” although I don’t hear it.
@Youdon’tsay Just wondering if you noticed anything of an accent during your visit?
We really don’t have noticeable “Pittsburgh” accents. My sister (who still lives there) doesn’t either except that she does say “worsh” which drives me crazy every time she says it!
Hi, everyone. I am chilling in my hotel after a busy day yesterday. The conference is for elementary science teachers so what museum did we go to? The Carnegie children’s science museum, of course. Optimistically, we walked there from the hotel. What were we thinking? We logged more than five miles. We ate lunch at a yummy place on the way called Proper Pizza, I think. It was wonderful. Then the museum. They kicked us out at 5, so we rode the Incline. At the top we got drinks at the place right next door. I don’t remember what it was called. We were too exhausted to walk all the way back so we commandeered another hotel’s shuttle. A Couple of us then walked to a McDonald’s because all we wanted was something hot and familiar that we could take back to the room.
I’m trying to remember all the questions … Hunt, one of my cabbies recommended Meat and Potatoes, but I didn’t make it there.
Someone asked about accents. So few people I met seemed to be from Pittsburgh that I can’t say that I could recognize a Pitt accent. One cab driver was from NY, one from Turkey, one from somewhere else and one was a homicidal maniac who refused to speak to me … So my money is that he was the one from Pitt! Lol Just kidding. Remember, I spent a lot of my time on college campuses so it’s likely many of the people I encountered weren’t from PA. I do know a couple of my servers are lifers, but I didn’t pick up a strong accent.
I was here 15 years ago in the fall and loved it. This trip, I am seeing more of the city and still love it. It makes me think I should get out of my car more at home and see my city like a tourist.
Lastly, I am thrilled so few people I’ve met are actual Steelers fans.