Providence Plantation, a center for living history presentations about 18th century frontier life, is scheduled to have a “Christmas on the Frontier Plantation” program from 4 to 7 p.m. Dec. 4 at the center, 300 Textor Hill Road. Reservations are required. For admission and more information, call 724-538-8818 or visit the website, www.frontier-history.org.

Harmony Museum on Mercer Street, Harmony, features the Yobp-Eckstein village and train-trolley display in the Wagner House annex during regular guided museum tours, which are 1 to 4 p.m. daily except Mondays and holidays. Reservations are suggested for weekends and required for groups. Call 724-452-7341 or 888-821-4822, or visit www.harmonymuseum.org.

<B>Heinz History Center</B>, 1212 Smallman St., is showing ”Vatican Splendors: A Journey through Faith and Art” containing original works by Michelangelo, Bernini and Giotto in the largest Vatican exhibit ever to visit North America., through Jan. 9. Nearly 200 rare pieces of art and historical objects from the Vatican are shown along with a special collection of Western Pennsylvania religious artifacts. The History Center is closed Thursday, but will have extended hours from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Tickets are $20 for adults, $17 for senior citizens and students with college ID, and $13 for children ages 6 to 13: children age 5 and younger are admitted free. Tickets are available online at www.ticketmaster.com, or by calling 888-588-4226.<B>National Aviary</B>, 700 Arch St., will present a holiday bird show at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. daily starting Friday and continuing through Jan. 2 immediately following “Wings!” in the Helen M. Schmidt FliteZone Theater. Light Up Night at the Aviary is Dec. 3 with doors opening at 5 p.m., tree lighting at 6:30 p.m. and holiday bird shows at 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. Light Up Night tickets are $20 for adults and $17 for children. Show seating is limited. Call 412-258-9439.<B>ToonSeum</B>, Pittsburgh’s Museum of Cartoon Art at 945 Liberty Ave., features “The Art of Caroll Spinney,” a new exhibit that explores the life one of the world’s best-loved puppeteers through his original paintings and sketches, through Jan. 30. Spinney is best known for his portrayal of Oscar the Grouch and Big Bird on “Sesame Street.”Museum hours are 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sundays. Closed holidays. Admission is free for veterans throughout the month of November. Regular admission is $4 for adults and $3 for children ages 5 to 17; children younger than 5 are admitted free. Visit www.toonseum.org.<B>Children’s Museum</B>, 10 Children’s Way, Allegheny Square, which will be closed on Thanksgiving Day, regularly has the exhibit “Whoosh!” featuring a Whirlwind Room, cockpit of an old-school airplane, rockets and bubbles, through May 29. “Tough Art” continues through Jan. 16. A Mister Rogers Sweater Drive is being conducted through Dec. 17. Museum hours are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays to Saturdays; and noon to 5 p.m. Sundays. Admission is $11 for adults; $10 for senior citizens older than 65 and children ages 2 to 18, and free for children younger than 2. Parking is $5 for nonmembers. Call 412-322-5058 or visit the website www.pittsburghkids.org.<B>Carnegie Science Center, </B> North Side, has reopened the Miniature Railroad & Village for the holiday season. New to the exhibit is a renovated scale replica of Lakemont Park’s Leap-The-Dips in Blair County. Regular science center hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays through Fridays and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturdays. Hours will be limited for Steelers home games and the holidays as follows: closed Nov. 25; Dec. 12, 19 and 25. The center will close at 4 p.m. Dec. 23, 24 and 31, but will remain open until 7 p.m. Dec. 26 to 30. General admission is $17.95 for adults and $9.95 for children ages 3 to 12. Omnimax films are extra. Call 412-237-3400.