Interactive, Multimedia Exhibits at the Longshed Building Will Welcome Visitors During 2025 Erie Canal Bicentennial Commemoration

See Pictures of Waterway of Change Here; Free, Timed Ticketing Available Here

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the opening of “Waterway of Change: Complex Legacies of the Erie Canal,” an engaging new visitor experience at Canalside in Buffalo commemorating the Erie Canal Bicentennial. The 2,900-square-foot exhibit invites guests of all ages and abilities to explore Buffalo’s canal legacy through an inclusive and engaging lens. Housed in the Longshed building, Waterway of Change brings the canal’s layered history to life with short films, interactive touch screens, immersive audio, and historic artifacts. Complementing the indoor experience, a series of outdoor interpretive displays along the historic towpaths will offer visitors a deeper connection to this transformative chapter in New York’s story.

“Waterway of Change shares the remarkable story of the Erie Canal, and the area now known as Canalside, with visitors,” Governor Hochul said. “As we commemorate the 200th anniversary of the Erie Canal, this multi-faceted experience will draw more people to Buffalo’s waterfront and help them connect to its history in a new and participative way.”

The exhibit traces Canalside’s history, beginning with its significance as the ancestral land of the Haudenosaunee and acknowledging the impacts of their displacement. Visitors will also experience how the area transformed from a rural village at the time the Erie Canal opened in 1825 to a bustling 19th-century port and shipping hub. It also highlights the diverse perspectives of Indigenous Peoples, Black individuals, women, and immigrant communities affected by the canal’s development, offering a richer understanding of its cultural and historical significance.

“Waterway of Change” will be open Sundays, Mondays and Wednesdays, noon to 5 p.m. and Thursdays through Saturdays, noon to 8 p.m. Free, timed-admission ticketing is available here.

Empire State Development President, CEO & Commissioner Hope Knight said, “Waterway of Change showcases the multilayered history of the canal, from its technical innovations and contributions to Buffalo’s rapid transformation to the lived experience and perspective of the people who were part of the journey. The Erie Canal’s legacy is alive in Buffalo, and I encourage all New Yorkers to visit this unique experience at Canalside as a starting point for your Bicentennial commemoration.”

The Buffalo History Museum is providing operational and support services for “Waterway of Change.” The Museum plans to create unique guided experiences both inside the new visitor center and outdoors, at the ruins, thresholds, and replica Canal terminus. Programming will be geared toward all ages and abilities, including sensory friendly quiet hours, tours for school groups of all ages, and tour bus experiences for adults. The Museum is also operating a gift shop on site.

The Buffalo History Museum Executive Director Melissa Brown said, “The Erie Canal changed everything—and its legacy still influences who we are. The Buffalo History Museum is excited to partner with ECHDC to share stories that invite curiosity, conversation, and deeper connection to this place. We’re honored to collaborate on Waterway of Change to help ground this bicentennial moment in context—offering Canalside as both a destination and a lens to better understand how this place took shape, and how it continues to shape us.”

Local Projects, a New York City-based multi-disciplinary exhibition and media design firm, worked with Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation to create the visitor experiences for the Longshed and Canalside. Other partnerships represented include Buffalo’s Hadley Exhibits, which handled exhibit fabrication, and the Buffalo History Museum, which has provided interpretive content and historical guidance through all phases of the project. That collaboration included consultations with a diverse group of community stakeholders and subject-matter experts to ensure Buffalo’s Erie Canal story is shared with visitors from multiple perspectives and viewpoints.

Funding for “Waterway of Change” is from the New York Power Authority, through relicensing agreements tied to the operation of the Niagara Power Project. Exhibits are sponsored by Upstate Laborers Union, Local 210.

A free shuttle service will be available at Canalside starting Memorial Day weekend as ECHDC is projecting a higher amount of seasonal foot traffic and vehicles at Canalside and surrounding area. The shuttle will operate on a fixed route, covering key locations between parking lots surrounding Canalside and attractions within the Canalside property. The shuttle will run on a constant route loop, estimating the pickup at each location to be every 15 minutes.

Please visit the ErieCanalTurns200.com, and connect on Facebook, TikTok and Instagram for the latest information, including Canalside programming dates and times, shuttle route and information and Waterway of Change exhibit operating hours.

Visit Buffalo Niagara President & CEO Patrick Kaler said, “This summer promises to be a banner year for tourism in Buffalo, and the opening of the Waterway of Change exhibit at Canalside is the perfect way to kick it off. As we commemorate the bicentennial of the Erie Canal—a marvel that transformed our region and our nation—we’re proud to welcome visitors and travel writers alike to experience this new, immersive journey through history. The story of the canal is the story of Buffalo’s rise, and we’re thrilled to share it in such an engaging and innovative way.”

New York Power Authority President and CEO Justin E. Driscoll said, “For the last 200 years, the Erie Canal has influenced the evolution of New York’s economy, culture and communities, especially in Western New York. Through funding support for “Waterway of Change”, NYPA continues to honor the Erie Canal’s legacy, fostering a deeper appreciation of its historical significance and providing a new way for New Yorkers to connect with one of our state’s most treasured assets.”

New York State Canal Corporation Director Brian Stratton said, “As we commemorate 200 years of the Erie Canal and contemplate its next century of operation, one of our main objectives is sharing the many diverse stories about this historic waterway yet to be told with as many audiences as possible. This new exhibition at Canalside proudly and honorably delivers on that objective.”

State Senator April N. M. Baskin said, “Students of history may recall that the ‘Wedding of the Waters’ occurred 200 years ago when Governor DeWitt Clinton boarded a boat from Buffalo to Albany and then New York City and poured water from Lake Erie into the Atlantic Ocean. Now, as we commemorate the historic Erie Canal bicentennial, we have an opportunity to learn more about the complex background of this iconic waterway. Kudos to all involved who have brought this rich history to life using modern exhibits and immersive technology, allowing us to experience the recreational and historic Canal in a new and exciting way.”

Assemblymember Jon D. Rivera said, “I’m elated to join with all of Erie County in commemorating the bicentennial of the Erie Canal, and the new “Waterway of Change” exhibit offers a powerful opportunity to reflect on the transformative legacy that the canal has had on Buffalo, New York State, and our nation. This exhibit honors the ingenuity and ambition that built the canal, while also giving voice to the diverse communities whose stories are too often left untold. I’m proud to see this dynamic and inclusive experience take shape right here at Canalside, inviting visitors of all ages to connect with our shared history in a meaningful way.”

Buffalo Mayor Christopher P. Scanlon said, “As we commemorate the Erie Canal’s bicentennial, Waterway of Change ensures that Buffalo’s waterfront continues to be a place of learning, reflection, and inspiration. The Erie Canal helped shape Buffalo into a city of opportunity, and this new exhibit at Canalside thoughtfully captures both the progress it fueled and the complex legacies it left behind. I thank Governor Hochul, the Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation, and all the partners who helped bring this thoughtful and dynamic attraction to life.”

Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz said, “Erie County and the Erie Canal are inextricably linked, and ‘Waterway of Change’ will provide a fascinating look at the Canal’s history and how our county and the City of Buffalo grew right along with it. The Canal’s western terminus was the site not only for explorers and pioneers to head out to the western frontier but also for businesses and settlers to come here and stay on the shores of Lake Erie to form our early community. This in-depth historical experience provides a rich and varied portrait of the people who built early Buffalo, bringing their struggles and aspirations to life. It’s local history coming alive and is sure to interest visitors to Canalside.”

About Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation

The Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation (ECHDC) is governed by a nine-member board consisting of seven voting directors and two non-voting, ex-officio directors. The seven voting directors are recommended by the New York State Governor and are appointed by the New York State Urban Development Corporation d/b/a Empire State Development as sole shareholder of ECHDC. The two non-voting, ex-officio director positions are held by the Erie County Executive and the City of Buffalo Mayor.

As a subsidiary of Empire State Development, the state’s chief economic development agency, the Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation supports and promotes the creation of infrastructure and public activities at Canalside, the Ohio Street corridor and the Outer Harbor that is attracting critical mass, private investment and enhance the enjoyment of the waterfront for residents and tourists in Western New York. Its vision is to revitalize Western New York’s waterfront and restore economic growth to Buffalo based on the region’s legacy of pride, urban significance, and natural beauty.