Carnegie Museum of Art will offer a vibrant array of programming throughout the summer to complement the 2008 Carnegie International, including events that take advantage of the museum's lovely open-air Sculpture Court.

The International Year influenced other venues, most notably the Westmoreland Museum of American Art, Greensburg, which has produced a wonderful complement, "Painting in the United States." The International, which opened in 1896, was suspended during World War II and the museum organized instead exhibitions of American art. The Westmoreland show reconstructs a sampling of those exhibitions comprising 48 paintings, 42 of which were exhibited at the then Carnegie Institute of Pittsburgh between 1943 and 1949.

Pittsburgh is also celebrating its 250th anniversary this year, and many exhibitions complement that occasion, most notably "A Panorama of Pittsburgh: Nineteenth-Century Printed Views," guest curated by Christopher W. Lane, with examples from private, public, corporate and club collections, at The Frick Art & Historical Center.

Sadly, these are the last days for The Tom Museum, artist Tom Sarver's ingenious performance/installation work in the Mexican War Streets that is also his home. It opened Sept. 9, 2006, and will close its doors May 31. If you haven't seen it, it's well worth a visit.

For full listings, check the Weekend Mag Guide. The following are the major shows coming in.

-- Mary Thomas, Post-Gazette art critic (mthomas@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1925)

The 49th Three Rivers Arts Festival returns June 6, once again having to devise a new footprint because of ongoing construction Downtown, through June 22; the 34th Westmoreland Arts and Heritage Festival will be at Twin Lakes Park east of Greensburg July 3-6; and the 39th A Fair in the Park closes the summer season in Mellon Park, Shadyside, Sept. 5-7.

"Life on Mars, the 2008 Carnegie International" continues through Jan. 11. "Abstraction Art before 1950: Watercolors, Drawings, Prints, and Photographs," more than 80 works, opens June 13 and remains until Oct. 18. 412-622-3131.

"Piet (Mondrian) in Pittsburgh," 24 abstract paintings from 1907-37, and "Transformer: The Work of Glenn Kaino," large-scale mixedmedia and kinetic sculpture by the Los Angeles artist, continue through Aug. 31. Through June 1 are "Contemporary Prints From The Bank of New York Mellon Collection," "Ceramic Explosion: The Work of Martin Klimas" and "Neke Carson: Eyeball Portraits and Beyond" and "Neke Paints Andy '72." 412-237-8300.

Continuing through June 8 is "Steel: Pittsburgh Drawings by Craig McPherson." "A Panorama of Pittsburgh: Nineteenth-Century Printed Views" opens June 28 and runs through Oct. 5. 412-371-0600.

Recently opened "Inner and Outer Space" runs through Jan. 11. The popular "Gestures: Illustrations of Catastrophe and Remote Times" has been extended through June 15. The Tom Museum closes May 31. The annual Urban Garden Party is June 13 (6 p.m. VIP Pre-Party $200; 7-11 p.m. $85), and the family friendly Community Garden Party is June 15 (noon-5 p.m., free). During July and August a BigBot, part of the Robot 250 exhibition, will be stationed in the Winifred Lutz Garden, with more robots at the 1414 Monterey St. satellite. 412-231-3169.

"I'm Not There: Jim Campbell & Mark Scheeff" continues through June 21, followed by "Out of This World," featuring five artists, July 11-Sept. 13. 412-471-5605.

"Pittsburgh Now," Burgess, Ciotti, Hosking, Lipchak, O'Hearn, Rosensteel and Rostek, runs through June 13 with artist talks May 17 and 24. On June 27 "You Are Here" -- "art that addresses place, real or imagined" -- guest curated by Robert Raczka, opens June 27 and continues through Aug. 9. 412-325-7723.

"VOICES," an exhibition of sculpture organized by the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts, continues through June 7. Opening June 27 is "5 Contemporary Masters," five seminal artists whose work is included in the Society's permanent collection. They were also among early artists exhibited by Elizabeth Rockwell Raphael in her Store for Arts and Crafts and People-Made Things in Verona, now the Society for Contemporary Craft. At the One Mellon Center satellite gallery, Ronald Nigro presents sculpture made of recycled computer equipment June 6 through Aug. 31. 412-261-7003.

"Alternative Focus," photographs by Bostonian Jesseca Ferguson and Pittsburgher Tom Persinger, May 23-June 14, followed by "250 Years of Plants: Botanical Works by Regional Photographers," 18 Western Pennsylvania photographers view the region's natural world, in celebration of Pittsburgh's 250th anniversary, June 25-Sept. 13. 412-431-1810.

"Glass & Steel: Art Transcends Industry," held in conjunction with Pittsburgh's 250th anniversary celebration, comprises works by 31 regional artists and continues through Sept. 5. 412-365-2145.

The "2008 Biennial," exhibiting Southwestern Pennsylvania artists, also at Pittsburgh Filmmakers, and "Philadelphia Selections: Career Development Program Fellows From the Center for Emerging Visual Artists" continue through Aug. 24. 412-361-0873.

The "2008 Biennial" continues through Aug. 24, also at Pittsburgh Center for the Arts. Complementary Biennial events are scheduled, the next being screenings May 22 (from the Orgone archive) and May 29 (Eileen Maxson) at Melwood Screening Room. A wild and crazy lineup of artists are creating installations for the June 6 "Media Tonic 3: uncensored," which also presents performance by Chuck Prophet and Paper Rad and multimedia by Mulekicked Visions (VIP Party $150, after 8 p.m. $15 general admission). 412-681-5449.

A Nancy Crow retrospective, curated by Petra Fallaux, debuts June 12 and runs through Aug. 15. 412-268-3618.

"Edward Donovan: Naturalist Artist, Author and Collector," selections from the Institute's large collection of the artist's works, continues through June 29. The annual Open House, with talks and institute tours, will be held June 22-23. 412-268-2434.

Young artists are spotlighted in the "Pittsburgh Public High Schools 2008 All-City Arts Showcase" through May 23. 412-322-1773.

"Resonance and Disintegration, Transport and Reintegration," paintings and prints by Juliana Morris inspired by study of Kabbalah, opens with an artist lecture and reception beginning at 7 p.m. May 22. The exhibition continues through Aug. 1 at the JCC, Squirrel Hill. 412-521-8011.

"KIM BECK/Looked Overlooked" continues through June 6. 412-321-8664.

The 2008 "Westmoreland Juried Biennial," showcasing artists working within a 125-mile radius of Greensburg, continues through June 8. Artists' talks will be held at 7 p.m. May 22 (Kathleen Dlugos, Ron Nigro, Patrick Ruane) and at noon May 28 (Gloria Hersch, Bernadine Saint-Auguste). "Painting in the United States" opens June 29 and continues through Oct. 19. "BILL WADE: Waterfall Spirits," the 2006 recipient of The Westmoreland Exhibition Award from the AAP Annual Exhibition, also opens June 29, through Aug. 24. 724-837-1500.

At Loretto "Cents & Sensibilities: Benjamin Franklin and Popular Culture," a 300th anniversary commemoration of his birth with more than 200 pieces of Franklin memorabilia, continues through July 20. A Ben Franklin Day June 28 includes children's activities from 1-4 p.m. and a 7 p.m. lecture by Roy E. Goodman, exhibition co-curator and curator of printed materials for the American Philosophical Society (free; please reserve by June 26). "A Celebration of the Wolf Family Donations to the Permanent Collection" opens Aug. 1, through Oct. 26. "From Charles Burchfield to Peter Adams: Watercolors and Pastels From the Permanent Collection" continues through Sept. 14 (the latter in upstairs gallery accessible by stair only). 1-814-472-3920. The newly opened "Portraits of the Eastern Frontier: Featuring Robert Griffing, John Buxton and Chas Fagan," historical paintings and sculpture by six artists, continues at Ligonier Valley through Aug. 30. Lunch a l'Art with Griffing Aug. 21 ($13, RSVP by Aug. 18). The Annual Spring Garden Party is June 7 ($125). 724-238-6015.

A reception for the "International Association of Pastel Societies 11th Juried Exhibition" will be held from 1-3 p.m. June 8 (continuing through Aug. 3). The "72nd National Midyear Show" will open with a 1-3 p.m. reception July 13 and continues through Aug. 24. 1-330-743-1711.

"Arms and Armor From Imperial Austria" continues through June 1. 1-216-421-7340.