The Buffalo History Museum

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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06/19/2026

M&T Third Friday Juneteenth

06/19/2026

M&T Third Friday

06/19/2026

Juneteenth Junior History Buffs

06/19/2026

Juneteenth Junior History Buffs

06/19/2026

Juneteenth Junior History Buffs

06/27/2026

“Queen” City History Tours: History, with a Twist of Drag Flair

07/01/2026

Stars, Stripes and Stitches: 250 Years of American Quilts

07/08/2026

Canalside Lecture Series: The Seneca Chief Returns

07/11/2026

Pan-American Walking Tour

07/14/2026

Memory Cafe

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.

Picture Store

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

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On This Day In Buffalo

Friday, June 12

St. Paul's Episcopal Church cornerstone laid, 1850

Church St.

Niagara Falls dewatered to study geological conditions, 1969

Niagara Falls, NY, USA

Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show performs, 1885

Buffalo Driving Park (now the Hamlin Park neighborhood)

Albright-Knox Art Gallery (Buffalo AKG) reopens after expansion, 2023

Buffalo AKG Art Museum, 1285 Elmwood Ave, Buffalo, NY 14222, USA

Saturday, June 13

Bethel Synagogue incorporated,1848

Larkin Square opens, 2012

Seneca & Swan

Niagara Falls Municipal Airport opens, 1929

Death of playright A.R. Gurney, 2017

Sunday, June 14

Buffalo's first suffrage parade, 1913

Wadsworth grain elevator destroyed by fire, 1878

Gates Circle fountain formally presented to City by Mrs. Pardee, 1904

Gates Circle, Gates Cir, Buffalo, NY, USA

Buffalo Courier-Express begins publishing, 1926

Monday, June 15

100,000th telephone installed in Buffalo, 1925

Final inspection of troops at Fort Porter, 1926

Front Park

Tifft House hotel opens, 1865

465 Main St, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA

Nik Wallenda crosses Niagara Falls on tightrope, 2012

Tuesday, June 16

Buffalo City Planning Association incorporated, 1920

Industrialist Spencer Kellogg born, 1851

Galway, NY 12074, USA

Scientist Marie Curie visits Buffalo, 1921

Fire breaks out in tower of St. Stanislaus Catholic Church, 1923

St. Stanislaus B&M Roman Catholic Church, 389 Peckham St, Buffalo, NY 14206, USA

AAM Accredited Museum Badge