FIELD TRIPS
History can be told through a boat, a tool, a material, or a traditional skill. Community boatbuilding has provided us with a fun and unique platform to teach students about Buffalo's maritime history and heritage. We want students to experience history and find applicable, valuable knowledge and skills to carry on.
At the Buffalo Maritime Center we use wooden boatbuilding and experiential learning to provide historical and environmental context to Buffalo’s waterways. We have two exhibit spaces that we invite students to visit and there are opportunities for hands-on learning during all of our programs.
Students that visit our exhibits will:
For more information about our Water & Wood exhibit, click here.
For more information about the Erie Canal Boat Seneca Chief, click here.
To schedule a field trip, see the drop down menus below.
Erie Canal Boat
Seneca Chief
Students will visit the Erie Canal Boat Seneca Chief and rotate through four stations to learn about the history of canal boats and the extensive impact of the Erie Canal on NYS, the presence of the Haudenosaunee in Buffalo, traditional boatbuilding skills, and human impact on our waterways.
School Tours: May & June, 2025
Group Size: 40 students
Duration of Program: 1.5-2 hours
Grade Level: 3-12
Contact chelsea@buffalomaritimecenter.org to schedule your field trip!
Water & Wood:
Canoes of NYS
This exhibit details the evolution of what has become the most common boat type in the world. It traces the canoe from the early watercraft of North America through a transition to recreational paddling to what is one of the most accessible watercraft today. As you explore, you will see the evolution of canoeing in New York State and the Northeast.
Students will have the opportunity to explore the Buffalo Maritime Center boatshop, the exhibit space, and try some traditional hand tools during their visit.
School Tours: Monday - Friday, 2025
Group Size: 20 students
Duration of Program: 1.5 - 2 hours
Grade Level: 3-12
To schedule your field trip, contact Chelsea@buffalomaritimecenter.org
EDUCATOR RESOURCES
Visit our Educator Resources Page for lesson plans and resources to help acclimate your students to the topics of boatbuilding, maritime heritage, Erie Canal history, and environmental impact. Our programs are aligned with select NYS Learning Standards that can also be found on the Educator Resources Page.
If you have any questions, please contact:
Chelsea Moore
BMC Education Director
chelsea@buffalomaritimecenter.org