THE CARNEGIE SCIENCE MUSEUM MINIATURE RAILROAD & VILLAGE. | PHOTO COURTESY CARNEGIE SCIENCE CENTER

Want to have a say on the next local landmark that will be added to the Carnegie Science Center’s Miniature Railroad & Village?

The public can vote for the next miniature model — from among three nominated landmarks — to be added to this popular display. Cast your vote here by Thursday, July 31. The winning landmark will be added in 2026.

GARARDS FORT POST OFFICE IN GREENE COUNTY. THIS IS THE SMALLEST POST OFFICE IN PENNSYLVANIA. | COURTESY OF THE CARNEGIE SCIENCE CENTER

This year’s nominees are:

• Bethel Township High School – This was built in 1905 and at the time offered Bethel Park students a state-of-the-art education. It’s now owned by Bethel Park Historical Society and is home to the Schoolhouse Arts Center and Reginald’s Coffee Roasters.
• Garards Fort Post Office – This tiny post office, just 5 feet by 10 feet, is located in the unincorporated community of Greene County. It’s the smallest stand-alone post office in Pennsylvania and operates two hours a day, six days a week. The interior of the building hasn’t been updated in 83 years.
• Andrew Bayne Memorial Library – Built in 1885, this Victorian mansion was gifted to the borough of Bellevue in 1912 by Amanda Bayne Balph, daughter of Allegheny County Sheriff Andrew Bayne. When the library opened to the public in 1927, nearly 1,000 people applied for library cards.

The science center last added the Chinatown Inn in October 2024 to honor the last surviving business from Pittsburgh’s Chinatown on Third Avenue, Downtown.

The science center opened up the model selection to the public for the first time in September 2022; the Allegheny County Airport won 22,000 votes to be the next addition in October 2023.

Also, this month, the science center has placed 18 pickles in the miniature village display and is encouraging visitors to find all of them in a scavenger hunt.

ONE OF THE 18 PICKLES THAT HAS BEEN ‘HIDDEN’ IN THE CARNEGIE SCIENCE CENTER MINIATURE RAILROAD & VILLAGE FOR A SCAVENGER HUNT IN JULY. | PHOTO COURTESY CARNEGIE SCIENCE CENTER

The miniature railroad and village first was displayed at the Buhl Planetarium & Institute of Popular Science in 1954. It moved to the science center in 1992. It now features nearly 60 models of historical landmarks and iconic sites.

The attraction is included in the center’s general admission.