Maria B.
Yelp
A new piece of Buffalo history here. Come see the playboy pinball machine from decades ago (the old fashoined klind where you actually have to launch the ball into the game yourself, not by pushing a button. Or the 1941 Crosley. Or the 1938 Bugati. Or just visit the store for some history replicas for purchase.
It's the grand reopening of this museum.
Some history -
The Pierce Arrow was a bike first. Really. It was. The George N Pierce company actually started as a maker of birdcages and ice chests among other things, sometime in the late 1800's. Then he started to make bicycles. And the demand was there. So he made more. An innovator and inventor both, he improved the bicycle.
In 1901 they created the first Pierce Arrow car. Then they moved to the still standing and occupied Pierce Arrow building on Elmwood.
They made a luxury car, designed and marketed to the wealthy. They were the presidents cars from the Taft to Hoover white houses. Most every famous person in the US drove a Peirce Arrow at some point. Not only were they a status symbol, they were a symbol of continuous innovation and improvement.
In addition to the American roadway cars, Pierce Arrow made trucks that were used in World War I, only improving their brand name even more.
Then came the depression, which was the downfall of many car makers, and Peirce Arrow was sold to Studebaker, who quickly sold it to the Buffalo management team when they went bankrupt in the early 1930's. But it could not be salvaged and went under in the late 1930's.
Mr Jim Sandoro and his family started the museum in the late 1990's. Recently it underwent a major renovation and is much larger. It can be used as a meeting and party/event space now, and having been there for a party I can confirm its terrific. Very large and open, easily houses over 1000 people, it also has a nice room with the museum and the museum store.
This is a non profit, and does charge admission, currently $10 for adult, $8 for seniors, $5 for children, those under 6 free. They do have a parking lot and parking should be no issue if you are there for the museum. If you are there for an event there are a lot of other lots within yards of the museum and parking wont be an issue either. Open from 11-4 Thur-Sun, so a perfect weekend activity. They can do private tours for groups.
The museum houses not only Peirce Arrow info, but information about the history of the transportation industry in Buffalo all around. Mr Sandoro has collected memorabilia for decades, and much is on show here now. In addition, they have received gifts of older model cars and other memorabilia from other Buffalonians. It's a remarkable and very fun collection to see.
Also in the museum, and part of the recent renovation I think, is the Frank Loyd Wright designed (but never built) filling station that was supposed to go on this corner, back in the late 1920's. They "built" it now, inside the museum, although of course its a replica and not intended for real everyday use.
Come visit this place, it not an all day activity, rather a few hours of fun interesting history about the Pierce Arrow, Buffalo, and innovators all around.
Even if you have come in the past, this is a new and improved version of what was there and worth a revisit. Enjoy.
5 stars - its a nice museum and worth your time and effort to come visit.