PITTSBURGH — The Kamin Science Center in Pittsburgh is marking its 35th anniversary with the addition of a replica of the Andrew Bayne Memorial Library to its Miniature Railroad & Village exhibit.
The new model will be unveiled when the exhibit reopens Saturday.
The Andrew Bayne Memorial Library model is the fourth building selected for the exhibit by public vote.
In a July 2025 poll, the library received 89% of nearly 48,000 votes cast.
The original three-story Victorian mansion in Bellevue was converted into a library and has served the local community since 1927.
“At Kamin Science Center, every experience is designed to ignite curiosity and help people connect with the world around them,” said Jason Brown, the Henry Buhl Jr. director of Kamin Science Center and vice president of Carnegie Museums. “Whether visitors are stepping into the fast lane in Science of Speed, exploring the night sky in Buhl Planetarium, or discovering a treasured local landmark through the Miniature Railroad & Village, there’s always something new to learn, explore and enjoy.”
Created by the museum’s model-making team, the library replica features hand-painted architectural details, including decorative pediments above each window.
The display also includes a recreation of the Lone Sentinel, a historic elm tree that once stood on the library grounds.
Inside, the model is fully furnished with miniature bookshelves and historic marbled fireplaces inspired by the real building.
The model joins the 83-by-30-foot exhibit, which houses more than 60 displays depicting life and history across Western Pennsylvania.
The Miniature Railroad & Village exhibit traces its origins to 1919, when Charles Bowdish began constructing detailed railroad scenes in his Brookville home.
The exhibit moved to the Buhl Planetarium & Institute of Popular Science in 1954 before expanding and reopening at the Science Center in 1992.
The unveiling comes during a broader multiyear expansion at the museum, which opened in the fall of 1991 and was formerly known as the Carnegie Science Center.
The museum is undergoing a renovation project funded by a $65 million gift from Dan and Carole Kamin and their family.
More than 75% of the Science Center’s exhibition spaces are scheduled to be reimagined over the next few years.
The library model addition follows the recent opening of the Science of Speed exhibition.
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