Carnegie Museums, Phipps Tropical Forest Panama, LACC Haiti, Nationality Rooms

Let's welcome some new members! And if you joined Meetup a while ago, this event brings lots of new people together and incorporates flexibility tailored to the interests of the group.

This event begins at the wonderful Café Carnegie (inside Carnegie Museum of Art) so people can socialize and get coffee/tea/wine/drink or quick lunch Please note that Café Carnegie does not require museum admission which makes it particularly suitable as we plan the rest of the afternoon.

Because we expect a large turnout for this event (although we'll have a better idea once we know the weather forecast, etc.), we'll incorporate some flexibility.

We realize that while some people may only have a few hours of free time, others may enjoy spending the afternoon or early evening checking out all of the exhibits or perhaps meeting for an optional dinner.

After we're done meeting/eating/drinking at Café Carnegie, we'll gauge of the interests of everyone and the possibility of smaller groups (perhaps 5-15+ people) exploring the following options from 12-5 PM or even later with optional dinner.

Option A -- Spend the afternoon inside the many galleries and exhibits of the Carnegie Museum of Art and Carnegie Museum of Natural History
Of note is that there will be a docent led tour at 1 PM for the Carnegie Museum of Art.

In addition, we expect at least 10 people will get into Carnegie Museums for free based on those in the group that have Carnegie Museums memberships that allow them to bring guests. For those that are interested, priority for free admission will be decided by the order of arrival and recognition of members that are relatively new to the group.

Option B -- Walk over to Phipps to check out the new Tropical Forest Panama exhibit which opens March 1. This is also an opportunity to see the transition between the recent Phipps Orchid and Tropical Bonsai Show (which closes March 9) and Phipps Spring Flower Show (which opens March 22). Although advanced timed tickets are required, we expect timed tickets will be available at the door.

Option C -- Walk over to check out the 31 Nationality Rooms inside the Cathedral of Learning where there will be 1-2:30 PM and 2:30-4 PM docent led tours. Tickets are $10 Adult and $6 Youth (ages 18 and under). To make reservations, please visit Tours | Nationality Rooms

Option D -- Walk over to check out the Latin American Cultural Center (LACC) permanent exhibit and special Haiti: Culture, Religion, and Revolution exhibit on display through June 28, 2025. Haitian paintings, ornate sculptures fashioned from recycled oil drums and other salvaged materials, and Vodou flags with intricately stitched sequin and bead patterns depicting religious spirits. This is the first comprehensive exhibit of the Haiti Friends Collection, assembled over decades of working with Haitian artists. Admission is $12 Adult, $6 Youth/Students, and free for Latin American Cultural Center (LACC) members. Visits are by appointment only.

Option E -- People can discuss if they'd to have lunch or dinner at a nearby restaurant such as The Porch in Schenley Plaza or one of the many restaurants along Craig Street, Forbes Avenue, etc.

In terms of Admission Charges, we'll see if anyone has memberships (e.g., Carnegie Museums, Phipps) which allow them to bring guests in for free. We expect at least 10 people will be able to get into Carnegie Museums for free and several more people for free at Phipps.

Parking The Carnegie Museum has plenty of parking which is conveniently located near the museum entrance at the corner of Forbes Ave & S. Craig Street. Here is a link with more info about parking and directions http://cmoa.org/visit/directions-maps-parking/

Stay Tuned for updates!