Buffalo And Erie County Historical Society

COLLECT & PRESERVE ARTIFACTS; SHARE LOCAL STORIES; CREATE EXHIBITS & PROGRAMS; EDUCATE & ENTERTAIN

MUSEUM COLLECTIONS - CATALOGUE AND SAFEGUARD A VAST ARRAY OF TREASURES. MORE THAN 100,000 PHYSICAL OBJECTS AND OVER 220,000 ARCHIVAL ITEMS COMPRISE OUR COLLECTION AND SHAPE OUR UNDERSTANDING OF WNY'S STORY. CUSTOMIZED ARTIFACT STORAGE UNITS AND CLIMATE CONTROLLED STORAGE AREAS ARE FEATURES OF OUR OFF-SITE COLLECTIONS FACILITY. THREE FULL-TIME STAFF MEMBERS, TOGETHER WITH SPECIALLY TRAINED INTERNS AND VOLUNTEERS, CARE FOR THE COLLECTIONS. THEY PROCESS NEW DONATIONS AND CONDUCT INVENTORY WORK IN ACCORDANCE WITH OUR COLLECTIONS MANAGEMENT POLICY AND PROCESSING MANUAL. COLLECTIONS STAFF ALSO PRIORITIZE AND RECOMMEND ARTIFACTS FOR CONSERVATION TREATMENT. ANNUALLY, WE SPEND AT LEAST $20,000 ON ARTIFACT CONSERVATION FROM A FUND RESTRICTED FOR COLLECTIONS CARE AUGMENTED BY SPECIAL GRANTS AND DESIGNATED GIFTS. ACCEPTED 1600 THREE-DIMENSIONAL ITEMS TO BE ACCESSIONED, HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDING: 1554 BUFFALO BILLS ITEMS AS PART OF THE GREG D. TRANTER DONATION; NEARLY A DOZEN LOCAL WORKS OF ART, A PHARMACY BOTTLE COLLECTION, AND CONTEMPORARY MATERIAL ASSOCIATED WITH LOCAL SERVICE MEMBERS.

MUSEUM PROGRAM AND EXHIBITS - THE BUFFALO HISTORY MUSEUM PLAYS A CRITICAL ROLE IN BOTH PRESERVING THE LEGACY OF OUR REGION AND UNDERSTANDING THE UNIQUE CHARACTER AND CULTURAL IDENTITIES OF ITS PEOPLE. WE ARE DISTINCTIVELY LOCATED AT THE CROSSROADS OF PAST AND FUTURE A VIBRANT, HISTORIC DESTINATION SET AT THE HEART OF A RE-ENERGIZED CULTURAL CORRIDOR. SINCE 1862, WE HAVE SERVED AS THE COMMUNITY'S HISTORICAL AMBASSADOR, THE DEDICATED SAFEKEEPER AND STORYTELLER OF OUR COLLECTIVE MEMORY. THROUGH A COLLECTION OF NEARLY 500,000 OBJECTS AND AN EVER-CHANGING ARRAY OF EXHIBITS AND PROGRAMS, WE SHARE THE STORIES OF OUR REGION'S TRIUMPHS AND STRUGGLES. OUR 2020-2030 MASTER PLAN BUILDS ON OUR GENERATIONS-LONG COMMITMENT TO WESTERN NEW YORK BY ESTABLISHING A NEW VISION AND BY REFOCUSING ON HOW WE ENGAGE WITH COMMUNITIES TO SHARE THEIR HISTORIES FROM THEIR PERSPECTIVES. OUR GOAL IS TO FOSTER AN ATMOSPHERE OF STORYTELLING, CONVERSATION, AND ENGAGEMENT THAT IS BUILT ON INPUT FROM OUR WHOLE COMMUNITY. WE AIM TO CREATE CONTENT AND CONNECT WITH PEOPLE OF DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS, SHARING DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES ON HISTORY AND HOW IT CONNECTS WITH CONTEMPORARY ISSUES. WE BELIEVE SHARING IN LOCAL HISTORY BUILDS AND FOSTERS COMMUNITY, CREATING A STRONGER SENSE OF PLACE AND IMPROVING QUALITY OF LIFE. IN A RECENT SURVEY, ALMOST 60% OF OUR VISITORS SAID THAT THE MUSEUM CONTRIBUTES TO THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE.CREATING ACCESS FOR ALL TO EXPERIENCE HISTORY -COMPLETE COLLECTIONS STUDIES AND PLAN FOR CENTRALIZING COLLECTIONS AT OUR RESOURCE CENTER. -OFFER VIRTUAL AND IN-PERSON EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES PROVIDING LOCAL STUDENTS THE CHANCE TO DISCOVER THEIR HISTORY, SUPPORTING AND REINFORCING THE WORK OF LOCAL EDUCATORS.-AWARD-WINNING PODCAST REACHING AUDIENCES FAR BEYOND OUR WALLS WITH OVER 50,000 DOWNLOADS TO DATE AND LISTENERS IN EVERY STATE AND OVER 30 COUNTRIES.-DIGITIZING MORE COLLECTIONS RECORDS WITH TRANSITION TO PASTPERFECT ONLINE EDITION -WORKED WITH UB IDEA CENTER TO DEVELOP UNIVERSAL ACCESS PLAN COLLECT AND PRESERVE OUR COMMUNITY'S STORIES-CONTINUE DEVELOPING OUR NEW CONTEMPORARY COLLECTING INITIATIVES, INCLUDING: COVID PANDEMIC AND BLIZZARDS OF 1977/2022.-CONFRONT WHITE SUPREMACY AND SYSTEMIC RACISM WITH OUR PARTNERS IN THE MAY 14TH BUFFALO MASSACRE COMMUNITY MEMORY COALITION-CONTINUE TO BUILD PASTPERFECT ONLINE ARTIFACT DATABASE, PROVIDING REMOTE ACCESS TO COLLECTIONS BY ADDING MORE RECORDS AND VIDEO/AUDIO CONTENT WHEREVER POSSIBLE.-CREATE ACCESS TO RESOURCES DIGITALLY INCLUDING A PERSONAL NAME INDEX TO OUR COLLECTION OF ERIE COUNTY CLERK RECORDS-CONTINUE DIGITAL PRESERVATION INITITIATIVE WITH NEWPAPERS.COM CREATING ACCESS TO OUR VAST NEWSPAPER COLLECTION.-CONTINUE TO FOSTER RELATIONSHIPS WITH UNIVERSITY OF BUFFALO, BUFFALO STATE UNIVERSITY, AND OTHER HIGHER EDUCATION PROGRAMS, CREATING INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEIR STUDENTS TO DEVELOP RESEARCH AND COLLECTIONS MANAGEMENT SKILLS.-STEWARD THE ONLY STANDING STRUCTURE FROM THE 1901 PAN AMERICAN EXPOSITION, A NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK BUILDING OVERLOOKING MIRROR LAKE AND OLMSTED'S DELAWARE PARK. EXHIBITS, PROGRAMS ATTRACT DIVERSE AUDIENCES-TO RESCUE THE COLOR: SALVAGED RENDERINGS OF THE RAINBOW CITYFEATURED MORE THAN A HALF-DOZEN COLORIZED RENDERINGS OF THE 1901 PAN-AMERICAN EXPOSITION. THE RENDERINGS REVEAL AN IMPORTANT FEATURE OF THE EXPOSITION THAT BLACK-AND-WHITE PHOTOS AND FILM FOOTAGE NEVER COULD, THE DAZZLING COLOR SCHEME AT THE FAIR DESIGNED BY ARTIST AND ILLUSTRATOR C.Y. TURNER, THE DIRECTOR OF COLOR FOR THE PAN-AM. THE RENDERINGS WERE ORIGINALLY NOT INTENDED TO LAST AND WERE NEARLY DISCARDED IN THE FALL OF 1901. ARTIST CARL HIRSCHBERG, A COLLEAGUE OF TURNER'S, SALVAGED THEM, RECOGNIZED THEIR HISTORIC IMPORTANCE AS ONE OF THE FEW INDICATORS OF THE EXPOSITION'S NOTED COLOR SCHEME, AND DONATED THEM TO THE BUFFALO HISTORICAL SOCIETY TO ENSURE THEIR CARE. THE MUSEUM INVESTED MORE THAN $50,000 OVER A SEVEN-YEAR SPAN TO CONSERVE AND FRAME THE RENDERINGS, WHICH DEPICT THE EXPOSITION'S HORTICULTURAL, GRAPHIC ARTS, AND FORESTRY BUILDINGS.-HISTORY MAKERS II INTRODUCES GUESTS TO THE STORIES OF EIGHTEEN OF OUR COMMUNITY'S MOST NOTABLE OR IMPACTFUL MEN AND WOMEN PAIRED WITH OBJECTS AND PORTRAITS ILLUMINATING THEIR STORY. FEATURED SUBJECTS INCLUDE JOHN ALBRIGHT, GLENN CURTISS, WINIFRED STANLEY, EVA NOLES, WILLIAM WELLS BROWN, WILLIAM FARGO, AND MORE THAN A DOZEN ADDITIONAL FIGURES FROM THE 18TH, 19TH, AND 20TH CENTURIES.-ONE OF THE MOST ICONIC PIECES IN THE BUFFALO HISTORY MUSEUM'S COLLECTION, A MASTERWORK FROM A NATIONALLY SIGNIFICANT ARTIST, IS BACK ON DISPLAY INSIDE THE MUSEUM FOR THE FIRST TIME IN OVER A DECADE. IN 1868, ARTIST JOHN MIX STANLEY COMPLETED HIS MONUMENTAL CANVAS, THE TRIAL OF RED JACKET. THE 9-BY-6 FOOT OIL PAINTING FEATURES SEVENTY-FOUR FIGURES AT THE BUFFALO CREEK RESERVATION. AT THE CENTER IS SENECA ORATOR SAGOYEWATHA, ALSO KNOWN AS RED JACKET, WHO IS SHOWN DEFENDING HIMSELF AGAINST CHARGES OF WITCHCRAFT. IN THIS EXHIBIT, GUESTS DISCOVER THE STORY BEHIND THE PAINTING, ITS SUBJECTS, AND ITS ARTIST. CO-CURATED BY DR. JOE STAHLMAN, THE DISPLAY ALSO PROVIDES THE HISTORIC CONTEXT FOR THE BUFFALO CREEK RESERVATION DURING THE EARLY NINETEENTH CENTURY.- SAY THEIR NAMES: HONOR THEIR LEGACIES EXPANDED ON OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE UNCROWNED QUEENS INSTITUTE TO FEATURE THE BIOGRAPHIES OF ERIE COUNTY'S AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY ELDERS. THE MUSEUM AND THE UNCROWNED QUEENS PARTNERED TO CREATE CURRICULUM BASED ON THE EXHIBIT TO BE SHARED WITH THE BUFFALO PUBLIC SCHOOLS.-ON THE SHOULDERS OF GIANTS: INNOVATION IN AMERICAN STAINED GLASS CURATED BY THE STAINED GLASS ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA (SGAA) IN COLLABORATION WITH JUDSON STUDIOS PAID HOMAGE TO GENERATIONS OF STAINED-GLASS ARTISTS WHO HAVE PUSHED THE BOUNDARIES OF THE MEDIUM. THE EXHIBIT MARKED THE SGAA'S 120TH ANNIVERSARY AND FEATURED WORKS BY AMIR FALLAH, JAMES JEAN, NARCISSUS QUAGLIATA, JUDITH SCHAECHTER, AND MORE.-THE ANNUAL CHERRY BLOSSOM FESTIVAL, A WEEK-LONG CELEBRATION OF THE JAPANESE GARDENS AND MULTICULTURALISM IN BUFFALO IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OLMSTED PARKS CONSERVANCY, MUSIC IS ART, FRIENDS OF THE JAPANESE GARDEN, AND CHERRY BLOSSOM FESTIVAL VOLUNTEERS. -M&T FREE THIRD FRIDAYS OFFER FREE GENERAL ADMISSION EACH MONTH-EXHIBITS IN DEVELOPMENT INCLUDE: ERIE CANAL 2025 AT CANALSIDE AND THE RETURN OF THE RAINBOW CITYDOUBLING OUR CAPACITY FOR YOUTH EDUCATION AND ENRICHMENTTHE CONTINUUM EXHIBIT IS FOUNDATIONAL TO LOCAL HISTORY EDUCATION. THE EXHIBIT EXTENDS OUR INTERPRETATIONS OF LOCAL INDIGENOUS PEOPLES, SETTLEMENT, IMMIGRATION, INDUSTRIALIZATION, PAN AMERICAN EXPOSITION, ARCHITECTURE, ERIE CANAL, AND THE CONTINUING EVOLUTION OF ERIE COUNTY. EXHIBIT CONTENT ALIGNS WITH SOCIAL STUDIES CURRICULUM AND CREATES ACCESS FOR ALL STUDENTS TO HAVE ENGAGING, PERSONAL MOMENTS WITH HISTORY.REACTIVATED EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING OUR EDUCATION COORDINATOR INCREASED THE NUMBER OF BUFFALO PUBLIC SCHOOL FIELD TRIPS FROM 9 SCHOOLS IN 2022 TO 30 SCHOOLS IN 2023. WE REINVIGORATED THE DOCENT AND VOLUNTEER PROGRAM, ADDING NEW TRAININGS AND ACTIVITIES TO REENGAGE OUR VOLUNTEER BASE. WE ALSO CREATED A NEW CHILDREN'S PROGRAM FOR M&T THIRD FRIDAYS, JUNIOR HISTORY BUFFS, THAT INCLUDES A STORY-TIME ACTIVITY WITH MUSIC AND A HISTORY LESSON.DEAI INITIATIVES FORM A PRACTICE, TAKING ACTION-CO-CREATE EXPERIENCES TO AMPLIFY DIVERSE VOICES FROM THE COMMUNITY ABOUT ISSUES THAT AFFECT BUFFALO'S FUTURE. -SUPPORT THE MISSIONS OF PARTNER COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS BY SHARING OUR RESOURCES TO DELIVER COLLABORATIVE PROGRAMS. -OFFER NEW WAYS FOR GUESTS AND PARTNERS TO PARTICIPATE THROUGH VIRTUAL AND ON-SITE FREE PROGRAMMING.-SUSTAIN RELATIONSHIPS WITH ESTABLISHED COMMUNITY PARTNERS, SEEKING 1-2 ADDITIONAL COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO CREATE COLLABORATIVE EXHIBITS AND PROGRAMS.-CONTINUE TO FOSTER THE DYNAMIC OF THE MUSEUM'S DEAI COMMITTEE AT BOTH THE BOARD AND STAFF LEVELS, REALIZING KEY GOALS AND NEW OPPORTUNITIES.LOCAL HISTORY FEEDS DEVELOPMENT AND PLACEMAKING WORK IN WESTERN NEW YORK LOCAL HISTORY SHAPES AND CONTRIBUTES TO THE REVITALIZATION OF WESTERN NEW YORK. MANY RECENT DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS ARE DISTINCTIVE BECAUSE THEY CELEBRATE OUR LOCAL STORY, I.E., CANALSIDE, LARKINVILLE, RICHARDSON OLMSTED COMPLEX, AND BUFFALO RIVERWORKS. WE ARE THE TRUSTED SOURCE FOR AUTHENTIC, UNIQUE RESOURCES. POTENTIAL AUDIENCES INCLUDE THE GROWING COMMUNITY OF PRESERVATIONISTS, GENEALOGISTS, AND CASUAL RESEARCHERS.REMOVING BARRIERS TO ACCESS AND PARTICIPATION - IN 2023, THE MUSEUM SERVED A TOTAL OF OVER 35,000 INDIVIDUALS. THE MUSEUM TRACKED 14,425 GENERAL ADMISSION GUESTS TO THE MUSEUM FOR A VISIT. IN ADDITION, THE MUSEUM SAW OVER 2,000 ATTENDEES TO OUR PROGRAMS IE. HAPPY HOUR HISTORY LECTURES, M&T THIRD FRIDAYS, AND FAMILY PROGRAMMING. 1,000 GUESTS ATTENDED EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING, BOTH ON AND OFF SITE, AND 8,300 ATTENDED OUR SPECIAL EVENTS IE. CHERRY BLOSSOM FESTIVAL, PAINT THE TOWN, PARTY ON THE PORTICO, AND RED JACKET AWARDS CEREMONY.

LIBRARY - RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL TWO-DIMENSIONAL ITEMS IN THE COLLECTION: BOOKS, PAMPHLETS, LETTERS, DIARIES, PERSONAL PAPERS, ORGANIZATIONAL & BUSINESS RECORDS, PERIODICALS, NEWSPAPERS, SCRAPBOOKS, PHOTOGRAPHS, POSTCARDS, PRINTS, DRAWINGS, POSTERS, MAPS, ATLASES, MICROFILMS, AND EVEN SOME DVDS.IN 2023, NEARLY 549 PATRONS USED OUR LIBRARY'S RESOURCES FOR ON-SITE RESEARCH, MANY OF THEM ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. THE DIRECTOR OF THE LIBRARY AND 1 PART-TIME ASSISTANT SERVICED THESE GUESTS AND TOURS, ANSWERED HUNDREDS OF TELEPHONE AND EMAIL QUERIES, AND SCANNED HUNDREDS OF ARTIFACTS TO FULFILL REQUESTS. DIGITAL PRESERVATION MAKES COLLECTIONS ACCESSIBLE- TODAY, MOST OF BUFFALO'S ENGLISH-LANGUAGE, PUBLIC DOMAIN NEWSPAPERS FROM 1811-1923 ARE SEARCHABLE ONLINE AT NEWSPAPERS.COM. THIS PARTNERSHIP PROVIDES ACCESS, OTHERWISE COST-PROHIBITIVE, FOR MUSEUM/RESEARCH LIBRARY USERS.2023 ARCHIVAL ACQUISITIONS INCLUDE:STAFFING CAPACITY IN THE ARCHIVES REMAINED REDUCED. FROM THE GREG D. TRANTER COLLECTION, HUNDREDS OF PAPER COLLECTIONS WERE REHOUSED AND NUMBERED. OVER 773 DONATIONS WERE ADDED TO THE COLLECTION, WITH NEARLY 300 TO OUR DIGITAL CONTEMPORARY COLLECTIONS.