Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh lets kids play with “real stuff” in 11 different areas that encourage exploration, interaction and discovery. Watch as your child experiences the satisfaction of building his own toy car and racing it. Or, help them to create mesmeric patterns on a screen of luminous phosphorescent colours. Whether your child is exploring a variety of do-it-yourself maker activities in the MAKESHOP or creating a special work of art in the Studio, they’ll be engaged for hours.

This museum appeals mostly to toddlers through early teens with 80,000 square feet (7,400 square metres) of fun. Car enthusiasts will enjoy the Garage, where they can take a car for a test drive, build their own toy vehicles, or design a track on which they can race toy cars. Creative children will love the Studio area, where they can paint or sculpt to their heart’s content. Kids of all ages will enjoy making a splash in the Waterplay area. During the warmer months, the Backyard area is open for business expect mud pies and plenty of digging.

Don’t miss the chance to embrace the unusual in the Attic, where the Gravity Room will send your mind into a spin with its confusing proportions. Children can also create a puppet show, or have their future read by Zelda, a fortune-telling machine.

If you’re travelling with very young children then head to the Nursery, an area designed specifically for infants. Here, children can sculpt with sand, paint with water or ride a seesaw that creates bubbles with its motion.

When it’s time to refuel, head to the Big Red Room Café in the Grand Hall of the Buhl Planetarium. A range of sandwiches, pizzas and other light meals are on offer here.  

Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh is located on the city’s North Side. You can get there by public transport from downtown. Metered parking and paid parking lots are available nearby. The museum is open daily, except for public holidays, and there is a charge for entry.