By Kate Bartlett
Explore Buffalo has proudly offered docent led tours of historic Buffalo landmarks (and beyond) for 11 years. Through a generous partnership with Ciminelli Real Estate Corporation, Explore Buffalo will offer free downtown walking tours Thursdays throughout the summer season.
Free tours include Best of Buffalo, Architecture Timeline, Downtown Deco, Masters of American Architecture, Turn of the Century Treasures, Presidents in Buffalo, Downtown Mob Tour and Scandalous Buffalo. Most tours are ninety minutes and one to two miles in length. All are led by certified docents and offer unique opportunities to discover Buffalo history and architecture.
Brad Hahn, Executive Director for Explore Buffalo, encourages everyone to take part in a free tour to explore downtown Buffalo this summer. “It’s such a great opportunity to gain a deeper appreciation of places we may we see frequently, passing by without knowing much about them. It’s a great opportunity to be a tourist in your own backyard and learn about Buffalo.”
Explore Buffalo and the Ciminelli Corporation hope to bring more people to Downtown Buffalo through these tours. “Buffalo is such a great place to visit 7 days a week,” says Brad. “We’re hoping people will take part in these tours, stay for lunch, grab a coffee and enjoy all that our wonderful city has to offer.”
The free tours offer a variety of themed tours focusing on a different perspective of downtown. This offers the opportunity to learn about different aspects of Buffalo. The Architecture Timeline looks at the evolution of commercial architecture, how and why buildings changed along with the different internal mechanics and design styles from the 1800’s, 1920’s and modern day. The Presidents in Buffalo tour focuses on the Presidents history in Buffalo, who visited when, who lived and worked in Buffalo. “Each tour is so unique and offers different insights. Two tours may walk the same streets, but offer a totally different perspective by highlighting different attractions.”
According to Brad, Buffalo is home to some of the most famous buildings in the world. “Buffalo is an architectural museum; people come from great distances, across the country, even from around the world to view these buildings. We hope to open your eyes to some of these masterpieces as you Explore Buffalo with us.”
Save the Date for Doors Open Buffalo September 28th, when Explore Buffalo offers a glimpse inside 30 buildings, most of which are not typically open to the public. This year marks the 5th year of Doors Open and as always, it is free.
For more information on all tours and Doors Open visit https://explorebuffalo.org/ and follow on Social Media @ @ExploreBflo (Instagram) and https://www.facebook.com/ExploreBuffalo.
“The walking tours hosted by Explore Buffalo are a great way to experience the history, beauty, and vibrancy of the City of Buffalo from a new perspective. Supporting their free tours is just one way we can share that experience and help build relationships with the city one-step at a time.” – Kyle Ciminelli, President of Ciminelli Real Estate