Explore Buffalo

Explore Buffalo is a nonprofit heritage tourism and preservation organization based in Buffalo, New York. It produces guided tours, educational programs, and advocacy focused on the architectural, industrial, and cultural history of the Buffalo–Niagara region. The organization connects residents and visitors with landmarks, neighborhoods, and historical figures through walking tours, bus tours, and special events.

History

Explore Buffalo was founded in 2001 amid a resurgence of interest in Buffalo's late 19th- and early 20th-century architecture, industrial sites, and urban revitalization projects. Early influences included preservation efforts surrounding the Guaranty Building (Buffalo), campaigns to save the Richardson Olmsted Complex, and public attention generated by restorations of the Ellicott Square Building and the Iroquois Hotel (Buffalo). The organization emerged alongside civic initiatives such as the revitalization of the Canalside (Buffalo) waterfront and the preservation debates over the Buffalo Central Terminal. Founding leadership drew on networks connected to the Buffalo History Museum, the Preservation League of New York State, and local academic institutions like the University at Buffalo and the Canisius College history programs. Over time, Explore Buffalo expanded as Buffalo attracted attention from national outlets and heritage tourism studies centered on places like the Frank Lloyd Wright Martin House Complex and the Silos & Smokestacks National Heritage Area.

Programs and Tours

The organization offers a rotating calendar of walking tours, bus tours, and seasonal excursions highlighting landmarks such as the Buffalo City Hall, H.H. Richardson Complex, Alden B. Dow House, and neighborhoods like the Allentown (Buffalo) and Elmwood Village. Signature events have included bus routes showcasing industrial sites such as the Larkin Building site and the Griffis Sculpture Park area, as well as themed tours tied to the work of architects like Louis Sullivan, H. H. Richardson, Frank Lloyd Wright, and firms such as Green & Wicks. Explore Buffalo has produced programs tied to cultural institutions including the Albright–Knox Art Gallery, Shea's Performing Arts Center, and the Kleinhans Music Hall. Tours frequently reference transportation history tied to the Erie Canal, the New York Central Railroad, and the Buffalo and Niagara Falls Railroad. The organization has also collaborated on special events connected to the National Trust for Historic Preservation and regional festivals such as Buffalo Feastival and First Night (Buffalo).

Preservation and Education Initiatives

Explore Buffalo engages in public history and advocacy intersecting with preservation campaigns involving the Richardson Olmsted Complex, debates over the future of the Buffalo Central Terminal, and adaptive reuse projects like the Hotel Henry (Richardson Complex). Educational initiatives have linked with the Buffalo Urban Renewal Agency efforts, historic landscape projects at the Front Park (Buffalo), and programming for students in partnership with the Buffalo Public Schools and university archival collections at the University at Buffalo Libraries. The organization has produced interpretive materials referencing major preservation frameworks such as the National Register of Historic Places listings in Erie County and case studies involving the National Historic Landmarks in the region. Collaboration with the Preservation League of New York State and the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation has supported training, walking audits, and community workshops.

Organizational Structure and Funding

Explore Buffalo operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with a board of directors composed of professionals from the fields of architecture, planning, history, and tourism, drawing expertise from institutions like the Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy, the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, and academic partners including the University at Buffalo School of Architecture and Planning. Funding sources include membership dues, ticket sales for tours, grants from entities such as the New York State Council on the Arts, project support from the National Endowment for the Humanities, corporate sponsorships from regional businesses, and philanthropic gifts connected to local foundations like the John R. Oishei Foundation and the Margaret L. Wendt Foundation. Volunteer docents and interns often come from programs at the Canisius College Department of History and the SUNY Buffalo State history and preservation curricula.

Community Impact and Partnerships

Explore Buffalo has contributed to increased heritage tourism in the Buffalo region, helping draw attention to preservation projects and adaptive reuse developments along corridors like Delaware Avenue (Buffalo) and the Buffalo River. Partnerships have included civic and cultural organizations such as the Buffalo History Museum, the Albright–Knox Art Gallery, the Buffalo Niagara Convention & Visitors Bureau, and neighborhood groups in Black Rock (Buffalo), Masten Park, and Hamlin Park. Collaborative programming with economic development actors like the Buffalo Urban Renewal Agency and advocacy groups including the Preservation League of New York State has supported campaigns to preserve landmarks and interpret immigrant, industrial, and architectural histories tied to communities such as the Polish Hill, Little Italy (Buffalo, New York), and the Cobblestone District. The organization’s tours and workshops have been cited in planning discussions involving the Canalside (Buffalo) redevelopment and proposals for reuse of the Buffalo Central Terminal.

Category:Non-profit organizations based in New York (state) Category:Historic preservation in the United States