Experiencing History With You

Waterway of Change

Visit Us at Canalside

This exhibit invites visitors to explore the transformative story of the Erie Canal. It begins with the traditional homeland of the Haudenosaunee and the canal’s opening in 1825, tracing how it helped turn Buffalo into a bustling port and shipping hub by the late 19th century.

It also highlights the diverse perspectives of Indigenous Peoples, Black individuals, women, and immigrant communities affected by the canal’s development, offering a richer understanding of its cultural and historical significance.

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Shop Uniquely Buffalo Gifts

Museum Shop

Find a variety of gifts in-person at our Museum Shop as well as a selection of gifts in our online store.

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Picture Store

Browse our extensive photo collection and decorate your home or office with classic Buffalo images.

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View Full Calendar

On This Day In Buffalo

Monday, December 22

Tuesday, December 23

Niagara Cantilever Bridge opens, 1883

President Trump pardons felon & former Rep. Chris Collins, 2020

Blizzard of 2022 begins, 2022

Erie County Correctional Facility dedicated, 1985

Erie County Correctional Facility, 11581 Walden Ave, Alden, NY 14004, USA

Wednesday, December 24

Treaty of Ghent signed, ending the War of 1812, 1814

Belgium

First mass celebrated at St. Margaret's Church, 1916

St Margaret R. C. Church, 1395 Hertel Ave #2, Buffalo, NY 14216, USA

Blizzard of 2001 begins, dropping 70+ inches of snow

Western Star, first masonic lodge founded in Buffalo, 1813

Thursday, December 25

Buffalo Stockyards founded, 1863

First mass celebrated at Our Lady of Victory Basilica, 1925

Our Lady of Victory Basilica, 767 Ridge Rd, Buffalo, NY 14218, United States

Nine smallpox victims quarantined, 1903

First mass celebrated at St . Bernard's, 1907

Friday, December 26

Kwanzaa first celebrated in Buffalo, 1966

Death of anchorman Irv Weinstein, 2017

Wood pulp paper first exhibited in Buffalo, 1854

First telephone installed in Buffalo, 1877

204 Pearl St, Buffalo, NY 14202, USA