Buffalo Niagara Heritage Village facts for kids

The Hoover House, one of Amherst Museum's historic buildings.

Buffalo Niagara Heritage Village, formerly called the Amherst Museum, is an open-air museum located in Amherst, New York. The Museum's mission is to preserve, interpret, and exhibit the agricultural history and rural heritage of the Buffalo Niagara region. A 35-acre (140,000 m²) site, the Museum includes 10 historic buildings moved from their original sites, a main exhibit building, a collections storage facility, the Niederlander Research Library, and a Museum Store.

An educational institution, Amherst Museum was chartered by the State of New York. Formed as a department of the Town of Amherst, the museum was privatized in January 2011. The name changed in 2012.

Collections

Buffalo Niagara Heritage Village is home to a collection of over 40,000 items reflecting the agricultural, domestic, and industrial past of the Buffalo Niagara region. BNHV's collection is composed of artifacts representing the agricultural and industrial trades, heritage crafts, and material culture of 19th- and 20th-century Western New York. Ten historic buildings from the Town of Amherst have been relocated to the 35-acre campus and are available for self-guided and guided tours, which illustrate rural life in 19th-century Buffalo Niagara.

Living history

Cooks hard at work in the kitchen at Elliott House.

The Museum's interpreters, docents, and volunteers provide a living history experience for visitors.

Guilds

Buffalo Niagara Heritage Village offers membership to many robust and active guilds. Membership within our guilds offers opportunities for camaraderie, heritage skill building, and more.

Events

Buffalo Niagara Heritage Village offers community events and workshops throughout the year.