Explore & More (a Children's Museum)
430 Main St East Aurora, NY 14052
716/655-5131
Wed.-Sat. 10-4. Closed on holidays.
Admission charge (approx. $2-3).
Unique museum encourages children to touch as they experiment, discover, play and learn. Geared to children up to age 10.

Herschell Carousel Factory Museum
PO Box 672
North Tonawanda NY 14120-0672
716-693-1885
Fax 716-743-9018
There was a children's riddle that asked: "What goes up and down and round and round...but never leaves its place?" The answer...and a fascinating look at America's past...can be found at the Herschell Carousel Factory Museum in North Tonawanda. Here an old merry-go-round carousel still goes round and round and up and down to the delight of children of all ages. Mirrors flash light and color. Brightly painted horses, lions, all sorts of animals dance up and down, carrying riders on exciting trips to the pure joy of childhood. Organ music, impossible to ignore, adds to the sensation of whirling speed. The experience is so American…so like America was at the beginning of the Twentieth century.

The Carousels:
The Herschell Carousel Factory Museum currently operates two historic carousels inside its building complex in North Tonawanda. The large 1916 #1 Special carousel is 40 feet in diameter, has 36 hand carved horses and over 580 lights. This carousel was one of the first machines the company shipped after it opened for business at the Thompson Street location in 1915.
It rotates at approximately 6.5 revolutions per minute and was intended as a thrill ride for adults. The carousel is unique because it combines two completely different styles of horses. The large wild looking horses on the outer row of the machine are the "new and improved" 1916 Allan Herschell style. The two inner rows of horses are an older style dating from the late 1890's. A number of the wooden horses are currently undergoing restoration at the Museum. A Wurlitzer military band organ, circa 1910, plays the lilting sounds associated with a carousel ride.

Located in the Children's Gallery is a small 1940's aluminum carousel. Called a "Kiddie Carousel" in the Allan Herschell Company catalog, it was created specifically for small children to ride without the need for adults to accompany them. The horses are child-size and the machine moves more slowly than a full sized carousel. The Kiddie Carousel has been completely restored and while adults cannot ride on the machine, it is a delight to the eyes.
Both carousels operate daily during the Museum's open hours. We take great care to preserve them, as both are rare historical artifacts. Therefore, if maintenance is necessary, one or both carousels may be shut down for a short period of time. Paid admission to the Museum includes one free ride on either carousel. Additional ride tokens may be purchased for 25¢. Small children under 43 inches in height may ride on the large 1916 carousel if they are accompanied by an adult. The Kiddie Carousel is restricted to children under 43 inches in height.

Toy Town Museum
636 Girard Avenue
East Aurora, NY
(716)687-5151
Fax (716) 687-5098
100 years of toys, games, music and literature for children. Fisher Price toy collection from 1930-1970. Rotating exhibit of various toy collections also. ToyWorks is an interactive learning section of the museum for children to explore.

Buffalo Museum of Science
1020 Humboldt Parkway
Buffalo, NY
(716) 896-5200
Tues-Sun. 10-5 Fri. 10-10
The museum maintains an impressive collection that runs the gamut from anthropology to zoology.

Tifft Nature Preserve
1200 Fuhrmann Boulevard
Buffalo, NY
(716) 823-1492
Daily: dawn - dusk
A 265 acre refuge located three miles south of downtown Buffalo near the shores of Lake Erie. This is the environmental science center of the Buffalo Museum of Science. There are five miles of nature trails, three boardwalks and a 75 acre cattail marsh, making it an ideal place for bird watching. Hiking and picnicking are also popular activities in this natural paradise.

Niagara Aerospace Museum
6929 Williams Road
Niagara Falls NY 14304
716-297-4148
Fax 716-297-4148
The Niagara Region was home to Curtis Wright and Bell Aircraft (later Bell Aerospace) who produced warplanes during World War II. Later, Bell Aircraft became famous for its jet and rocket engineering. Some international visitors may fly directly into Niagara Falls International Airport, originally home to Bell Aircraft. Bell's old buildings can be seen just south of the runway. The nearby Niagara Aerospace Museum is a new and growing museum. It is dedicated to preserving the history of powered flight and the man-made thunder that rolled over Niagara on the wings of war birds. It also recounts some of the history of associated industries such as Calspan, Cornell Aeronautical Labs, and Moog. The WWII Bell Airacobra, early helicopters, gasoline and jet engines, civilian airplanes are on display. A visit to the Niagara Aerospace Museum is a visit to the panorama of American flight.

Aquarium of Niagara
701 Whirlpool St.
Niagara Falls, NY 14301
(716) 285-3575
Closed Thanksgiving and Dec. 25
Free parking.
Admission charged.
Handicapped Accessible
Included in New York State Master Pass.
The aquarium displays more than 1,500 aquatic animals ranging from the Great Lakes to the coral reefs and is home to the state's largest collection of Great Lakes Fish. Visitors can see California sea lions, sharks, piranha, river otters and more. Highlights include a colony of endangered Peruvian penguins and an outdoor harbor seal pool. The penguins are fed daily at 9:30 and 2:30, the seals at 11 and 3:45; sharks and otters are fed on alternate days at 11:30am.