Pittsburgh’s contagious creativity is fed by its renowned cultural institutions, such as the Carnegie Museums of Art and Natural History.

As the snow flies, it’s good to be inside, and the Carnegie Museums of Art and Natural History just made it a bit easier. Throughout the year of 2018, the Carnegie Museums of Art and Natural History will be free to the public the third Sunday of each month.

If you’ve never visited the Carnegie Museum of Art (CMOA), it’s as expansive as it is inspiring. The art museum takes visitors through a comprehensive timeline, from ancient sculpture to contemporary installations. The permanent collection stars more than 30,000 visual art objects, from painting and sculpture to film and digital imagery.

Beyond touring the museum’s permanent collection, here are a few current exhibits you can explore this winter:

William Henry Fox Talbot & the Promise of Photography: This is the largest US exhibition of Talbot’s photography in the last 15 years and, due to the fragile nature of the photographs, exhibitions of Talbot’s work are rare.  Don’t delay, this first-ever opportunity to see these photographs will end on February 11, 2018.

Bradford Young: REkGONIZE: Through a three-channel video installation and a meditation on photography, memory, and movement, cinematographer Bradford Young finds inspiration in Pittsburgh’s Hill District neighborhood. During the early 20th Century Great Migration, African American culture and artistic development flourished in the Hill District, inspiring August Wilson, Charles “Teenie” Harris, Errol Garner, and many others. On display until March 4, this unique installation is not one to be missed!

Hot Metal Modern: Design in Pittsburgh and Beyond: On display through April 1, Hot Metal Modern is a showcase of great design objects from around Pittsburgh, and the stories of innovation and industry behind them.

Looking for an evening out that is a little different from the norm?  Well, you might want to put “Third Thursdays” on your radar. On February 15, not only will CMOA feature Valentine’s Day-focused fun, all CMOA exhibitions and collection galleries will be open to falling in love with all night long. This is not a “one-off.” On the third Thursday of every month, CMOA keeps the art galleries open late, turns up the volume, and welcomes partners throughout the city to create exciting one-of-a-kind programs. Explore the exhibitions, enjoy music, indulge in a late-night café menu, and more! Don’t forget to register online and get your tickets in advance!

To fully experience the breadth and diversity of the world-renowned Carnegie Museums, journey next door to the Carnegie Museum of Natural History to discover an epic collection of artifacts, objects, and scientific specimens used to broaden understanding of evolution, conservation, and biodiversity.

The museum is a marvel of halls ranging from botany and birds to African and Arctic wildlife to minerals, gems, and geology to prehistoric mammals and dinosaurs. “Carnegie Museum of Natural History generates new scientific knowledge, advances science literacy, and inspires visitors of all ages to become passionate about science, nature, and world cultures.”

As you explore, check out the traveling exhibition Kwel’ Hoy: We Draw the Line!, which explores the struggle of Indigenous leadership to protect water, land, and our collective future. In Pittsburgh through March 28, the House of Tears Carvers and members of the Lummi Nation have traveled across North America with a hand-carved totem pole to raise awareness about threats to the environment and public health for the past five years.

There is truly something awe-inspiring for everyone. Within a stone’s throw of Franklin West’s Shadyside apartments, and perhaps on your way home from work or school, the Carnegie Museums of Art & Natural History in Oakland are worth a pit-stop (hey, on weekdays after 3 pm, admission is half-price!). After you’ve been to these once, we’re sure you’ll want to become a member so that you can enjoy free admission to all of the Carnegie Museums—plus, the Carnegie Science Center, and the Andy Warhol Museum—year round!