Pittsburgh is known as a city of neighborhoods, with its numerous ethnic communities that have their own distinct characteristics and backgrounds. The city is home to the River City Brass Band, the country's only professional all-brass band, and to the American Wind Symphony, which performs on a barge moored at Point State Park. Pittsburgh also hosts the nationally acclaimed Three Rivers Shakespeare Festival, the International Poetry Forum, and the Three Rivers Arts Festival. Other attractions include the Carnegie Science Center and Planetarium, Allegheny Observatory, and the Pittsburgh Aviary, which houses more than 7000 birds. The East End is home to the Pittsburgh Zoo, which has recently been transformed into a natural habitat.
Sports provide a vital, exciting alternative in entertainment.
Pittsburgh is home to some of the best major league teams like the Steelers, Pirates, and Penguins. Carnegie Mellon is located in the Oakland section of Pittsburgh. Ten minutes east of the downtown business district, Oakland is the cultural and educational center of the city. The Oakland area is also home to the University of Pittsburgh, the internationally recognized University Health Center, and The Carnegie, a complex that features the Museum of Natural History, the Museum of Art, the Carnegie Public Library, and the Carnegie Music Hall. The Carnegie Mellon campus is bordered by Schenley Park, which has a conservatory, golf course, tennis courts, outdoor swimming pool, ice skating rink, and jogging and cross-country ski trails on 500 acres.