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Free museum day in Buffalo attracts a crowd

by jmaloni

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Thu, Oct 30th 2014 07:40 pm

Mayor Brown and Arts Services Initiative of WNY partnered with 15 local museums, providing free access to culture to more than 2,500 residents

On Sept. 27 - proclaimed "National Museum Day Live!" in Buffalo by Mayor Byron Brown - museums and cultural institutions across Western New York welcomed more than 2,500 visitors into their spaces, free of charge, as a part of Smithsonian Magazine's 10th annual "Museum Day Live!" initiative. Brown and Arts Services Initiative of Western New York teamed up on this effort by recruiting local participating organizations and promoting the day to the public.

"Museum Day in Buffalo was a great success that introduced over 2,500 people to the many wonderful opportunities for life-long learning and enjoyment at Buffalo-area museums and cultural institutions," Brown said. "Buffalo is known for its museums and cultural institutions, and I look forward to teaming up again with Arts Services Initiative of WNY on future events that showcase our city's great cultural treasures in a way that's affordable for all."

"Making the arts for everyone is a guiding principle of Arts Services Initiative, and we're thrilled that over 2,500 of our residents and visitors were able to use 'Museum Day Live!' to access arts and culture for free," said ASI Executive Director Tod A. Kniazuk. "It's a great addition to our year-round Arts Access program and an unqualified success. We're happy to team with the City of Buffalo and our local culturals to bring Museum Day back in 2015."

The following local museums and cultural institutions participated in "Museum Day Live!":

  • Albright Knox Art Gallery
  • Buffalo History Museum
  • Buffalo Museum of Science
  • Buffalo Niagara Heritage Village
  • Buffalo Religious Arts Center
  • Burchfield Penney Art Center
  • The Colored Musicians Club
  • Fenton History Center
  • Forest Lawn Cemetery
  • Herschell Carrousel Factory Museum
  • Lower Lake Marine Historical Society
  • Nash House Museum
  • Roger Tory Peterson Institute of Natural History
  • Steel Plant Museum
  • Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural Site

Attendance at some of the larger venues was in the hundreds.

"It was great that the Western New York arts community came together for the day to celebrate our museums and galleries," said Burchfield Penney Museum Director of Marketing and Public Relations Kathleen Heyworth. "We had the best attendance ever for Museum Day, which was awesome, and we hope the city and ASI get behind the event again for 2015."

At smaller venues, the day attracted new audiences.

"(It was) a great day; glad to have been able to partaken in it," said Colored Musicians Club Museum President George Scott. "It brought in many people who were curious about (The Colored Musicians Club Museum) - mostly locals. Some returned later in the evening for a live concert. We are definitely interested in participating next year."

For more information, visit: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/museumday/.

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