Places: North Side

Perhaps no other neighborhood in Pittsburgh offers more variety in entertainment than the… Perhaps no other neighborhood in Pittsburgh offers more variety in entertainment than the North Side. Located north (surprise, surprise) of the Allegheny and Ohio rivers, this residential and commercial area is a scintillating smorgasbord of science, art, history and birds.

Originally an independent city known as Allegheny City, the North Side was annexed to Pittsburgh in 1907. Culturally diverse, it was founded by immigrants from Britain, Germany, Croatia, the Czech Republic and a laundry list of other countries. Remnants of this unique mix of culture still remains and is reflected in residential areas like the British-founded Manchester and German-populated Allegheny East, also known as Deutschtown.

Arguably the best known of these historic neighborhoods is the Mexican War Streets. Filled with beautiful architecture and nationally renowned gardens, the area was laid out by former Allegheny City mayor, William Robinson Jr., who named each street after battles and generals from the Mexican-American War.

The commercial area of the North Side offers something for just about everyone: the sports fanatic, the nature lover, the science buff and the art critic, alike.

For those who can’t get enough of the black and gold, the North Side is a veritable sports heaven. Home to both the Pittsburgh Steelers’ stadium, Heinz Field (also home stadium for your Pittsburgh Panthers football team), and the Pittsburgh Pirates’ ballpark, PNC Park, the area has a constant influx of adrenaline-filled, Terrible Towel-wielding, die-hard yinzers. Beware: traffic jams and road rage abound on game days.

Next door to the football stadium, North Side visitors will find the Carnegie Science Center. Truly one of a kind, it offers interactive learning activities. Experience a magnitude four earthquake or the sensation of flying. Why read about the physics when you can experience its effects first-hand? The Science Center also boasts a four-story theater, known as the Omnimax, where museum-goers can become visually immersed in topics as diverse as the deep sea and outer space. See, learning really can be fun.

But wait, there’s more! If the Science Center didn’t satisfy your cravings for knowledge and discovery, why not take a trip to the nearby Allegheny Observatory? This astronomical research institution and historical landmark is more a center of ongoing research than a tourist attraction. However, it is available to University students, and some professors even hold their classes within the building. But if research and classes aren’t your thing, you can learn and profit from the work of others instead by taking a tour of the observatory (open from April until October).

For those with a flare for the artistic, the North Side has several great art museums, including The Andy Warhol Museum, devoted to its namesake, a Pittsburgh-native and controversial artist of the 60s, 70s and 80s, and the Mattress Factory Art Museum, a contemporary art museum with a focus on interactivity. For those looking to create art themselves, the Manchester Craftmen’s Guild is a multi-disciplined arts and learning center that focuses on anything from ceramics, visual art and photography to performing arts and jazz music.

But conceivably the most delicious of North Side attractions is the National Aviary. Housing more than 600 individual birds, it is the nation’s only independent indoor nonprofit aviary and also the nation’s largest aviary. It houses more than 200 separate species of birds, many of which are threatened or endangered. Visitors can enjoy various programs sponsored by the aviary, including trainer talks, bird presentations, and feedings.

To gain access to all these magical places and more, simply board a 500-line Port Authority bus. Just be prepared to be enchanted and amazed. The North Side is just that good.