Q. What is Buffalo Niagara Heritage Village?
A: Buffalo Niagara Heritage Village (BNHV) is a non-profit history museum and educational institution located in Amherst, NY. Our mission is to preserve, interpret, and exhibit the agricultural history and rural heritage of the Buffalo Niagara region. We are the non-profit successor to the Amherst Museum, which opened in 1972. BNHV was founded as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization in 2011. Our current location features 10 historic buildings and dozens of animals on a 35-acre campus.
Q. Why is BNHV moving to Amherst Central Park?
A: BNHV is excited about the move, as it is an opportunity for us to continue the growth our organization has experienced in recent years. The new location will allow us to offer more educational and community programs in a space that is more easily accessible and better suited to our programs than our current campus.
Q. What is the timeline on this project?
A. We will have an adjusted season in 2024, but we will still have our regular events and educational programs at our current location. We are projecting to be open at Amherst Central Park by late 2025 or early 2026.
Q. What will happen to the historic structures?
A. The buildings will be moving with us to our new campus! At Amherst Central Park, the historic village will be designed to provide an immersive, welcoming and engaging community experience. Each of our historic structures have been moved to our current site from its original location in Amherst/Williamsville by a team of experts, and just as they did at that time, each building will receive the specific attention needed to move it safely to the new location. We are taking every precaution necessary to safely and properly move them, and to ensure their long term stability.
Q. What will happen to the current building?
A. After we move, the current site will remain as Town property and will be used to host an archive and record center for the Town of Amherst. For more information, please contact the Town of Amherst here.
Q. What will happen to the animals?
A. Our animals are an important part of our educational programming, so of course they’re moving with us! They are excited for their own, brand-new living structures, pastures, and amenities! They will be safely and carefully transported to the new facility. We do not believe they will be a disruption to the area, and are taking precautions to ensure this.
Q. What will happen to the museum and artifacts?
A. Our new museum at Amherst Central Park will include new exhibits that will include our current collection of historic artifacts representing Amherst history and the history of agriculture in New York State. Artifacts that are not on display will continue to be housed and cared for in accordance with standard preservation practices.
Q. What will the experience be like at the new location?
A. Our new location at Amherst Central Park will offer an experience that is more interactive, immersive, and accessible than ever before. The story of Amherst will serve as a representation of the rural communities that were the foundation of New York State in the nineteenth century. Through interactive activities and interpretation, this history will come alive in the Historic Village. Exhibits in the new Interpretation Center will connect this history with the present through explorations of how the past influences our lives and communities today.
Q. How can I find more information?
A. We will continue to share updates as the project moves forward. To stay informed, visit our Updates page and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter/ X, Tik Tok, YouTube.
For questions about the artifacts, farm animals, and BNHV programming, please contact guestservices@bnhv.org
For questions abut the land, buildings, and other inquiries for the Town of Amherst, please use this form.
