About

Our Heritage, Your Village

Buffalo Niagara Heritage Village is located on a 35-acre campus and our Historic Village contains ten historic buildings built during the 19th century. These buildings were moved to our campus when they were threatened with demolition during the Town’s rapid growth and development. A dedicated, ongoing program of preservation and conservation has resulted in these buildings being restored to their 19th-century appearance, so that visitors may experience what life was like in the Buffalo Niagara Region during an earlier era.

Our indoor museum features rotating exhibits, the Niederlander Research Library, and a collection of 40,000+ artifacts.

 BNHV carries out its educational mission through exhibits, interpretation of authentic agricultural and rural life practices within the Historic Village and on our working farmstead, programs, group tours, classes, artisan workshops, community outreach activities, and community access to a variety of artifacts and historic resources retained in our Collections and Research Library.

 

 

 

Time Line

 

  •  

    1972-1975
    A Museum Begins!

    Buffalo Niagara Heritage Village (BNHV), formerly the Amherst Museum, was originally established in 1972 by the Town of Amherst. As a department of the Town of Amherst, the Museum focused on the history of the Town and its impact on the Buffalo Niagara Region. Three buildings were moved to this site Hoover House House, Bigelow House, and the Williamsville Schoolhouse.

  •  

    1975
    A Big Move

    The museum relocates to 3755 Tonawanda Creek Road with the three original structures to grow the footprint of the museum. 

  •  

    1976-1996
    Growing Larger

    With more space, the museum began to grow more!

    • 1976- Rubeck House & Sweet Home Schoolhouse, and the museum was chartered by the New York State Department of Education Board of Regents as an educational institution
    • 1978 - Schmitt Log House
    • 1983 - Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church
    • 1984 - Lavocat House
    • 1986 - Shaw Exhibit Building to house and display the growing collection. 
    • 1994 - Elliott House
    • 1996 - Doctor's Office/ Barbershop
  •  

    2011
    New Name, Same Great Musuem

    In 2011, BNHV became an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation.

  •  

    2015-2021
    Time to Cultivate the Land

    Starting in 2015 BNHV begane to develop and grow the farm on the site.

  • 2015- Chicken Coop was added 
  • 2016-2017 - Main Barn was built
  • 2016- Ram Barn and Sheep Pasture
  • 2020 - BNHV dedicated its mission to highlighting the rich agricultural and rural heritage of the Western New York region through a synergy of educational and interpretive initiatives throughout our Historic Village, farmstead, exhibits, and collections. BNHV believes in energetic, hands-on, all-senses immersion. A primary interpretive sub-focus under our new mission is maker culture: the who, what, why, and how of the things that people make in agricultural and rural spaces.
  • 2021 - Ewe Barn and Lambing Shed 
  •  

    Today
    50 and Still Going Strong 

    2025 marks the 50th anniversary of when we moved to this location on 3755 Tonawanda Creek Road. As we continue 

  

BNHV carries out its educational mission through exhibits, interpretation of authentic agricultural and rural life practices within the Historic Village and on our working farmstead, programs, group tours, classes, artisan workshops, community outreach activities, and community access to a variety of artifacts and historic resources retained in our Collections and Research Library.

 

 

 

Land Acknowledgement: 

We acknowledge that we are on the land of the Haudenosaunee People and the Wenrohronon People, who have stewarded this land for many generations.

 

DEAI Statement: 

Buffalo Niagara Heritage Village respects and appreciates all the unique characteristics and attributes of our staff, board, volunteers, and guests. Our mission is to preserve, interpret, and exhibit the agricultural history and rural heritage of the Buffalo Niagara region. We want this mission to be all encompassing of anyone who walks through our doors. Our goal is to reach people of various backgrounds and to share our knowledge. We work as a team to deliver diverse, accessible material to people of all ages, learning styles, and backgrounds. 

We are committed to providing diverse information with resources for continued education, accessible methods of communication, and to developing our organization as a safe space for continued discussion as a community forum. At BNHV, we grow better together. 

S