While kids are immune to the charms of museums holding art and other esoteric material, science museums, with hands-on exhibits, are another story entirely. Just tell children they'll be able to experience an earthquake, play hide-and-seek with a robot, build a bridge or examine a cat mummy, and they'll be ready to go. One museum they're sure to get a kick out of is the Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

CARNEGIE SCIENCE CENTER

PITTSBURGH, PA: At the Carnegie Science Center, you'll make your own earthquake, experiment with a tornado and spin yourself a hurricane while exploring the physics of seismic waves, convection currents and air flow in the SciQuest gallery. A wind chamber combines warm and cool air currents to produce a four-foot tall tornado, which changes as you add or remove air flow; and take a seat in the Earthquake Cafe's diner booth and select one of three earthquakes. You'll feel the seismic waves of an earthquake in full motion as the room shakes with the seismic waves replicated from three real life earthquakes. Call 412-237-3400 for more information.

Please keep in mind that phone numbers, addresses, and prices are subject to change. Updated July 2005.