Explore & More has a wide range of fun, engaging and educational programming offered daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly and seasonally, as well as on school holidays & breaks with something new and exciting happening every day in the museum. Program topics can include subjects ranging from STEM activities, art, music, culture and cooking to learning more about ourselves, our health, and our region.
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Join us every day for fun and engaging open studio time daily in our Cooking Galley, Art Studio and Tinkering Tank for hands on creative play time. Open studio times are included with admission. There are also paid classes with take home projects available by reservation through our website calendar.
We’re cooking up fun for little ones every day of the week in our Cooking Galley! Stop by for daily drop-in classes, with hands-on activities and demonstrations that target different age ranges and skill levels.
Drop into the art studio and let your creative juices flow! Materials will remain consistent from day to day with different themes for visitors to interact with these materials in new purposeful ways.
Experiment, investigate, problem solve, take apart and build in our own maker space using real-world tools and materials. Each day follows a different theme led by a facilitator.
ages 3-5, september – june
Take learning to another level with twice weekly activities for preschool students to participate in a facilitated 2-hour program targeted to develop skills essential for Kindergarten success. The program includes museum exploration, circle time (including story time, counting practice, weather identification etc.), fine/gross motor development lessons and a take home art project. Each month there is a focused theme with changing weekly topics that fit within the theme.
ages 2-3, september – june
The Children’s Garden is a 1 hour program in our third floor Tinkering Tank for our littlest ones (ages 2-3) along with their parent or caregiver to engage with each other, follow a simple routine and make new friends. Join in activities such as modeling clay time, stories, music/movement and creative art experiences. It’s time to PLAY, LEARN and GROW! Come join the fun with our garden of friends.
Join us the first Saturday of each month for a full day of fun and engaging healthy activities located throughout the museum’s play zones and educational studios at Fearless Family Play Day presented by BlueCross BlueShield of Western New York. These family friendly activity days are held the first Saturday of each month, with BlueCross BlueShield of Western New York members receiving $3 off admission with proof of membership at check-in.
Click here for more information on Fearless Family Plays Days.
Get those wheels turning this weekend with STEM based activities power the play across the museum the third Saturday of each month presented by National Grid. Come play your way through Science, Technology, Engineering & Math based activities that are so fun, kids don’t even know they’re learning!
Bite Size Buffalo – March 8th
Touch A Truck – June 14th
Honk for Heroes – September 12th
Countdown to Noon! – December 31st
$15 admission on special event days (*$4 for members)
Once a month, these special Au-Some Evenings give children with autism spectrum disorder and sensory processing disorder, their friends and family an opportunity to play and learn together in an understanding and supportive environment. Families will have access to the museum space and play zones, including our cafe. Featured activities include a music center, therapy dogs, art projects and gross motor activities. Explore & More will also have a social narrative about the new museum and its play zones, quiet kits, as well as calming sensory friendly spaces in the museum. Visit page to learn more.
Click here to reserve your spot today!
Membership most definitely has its benefits! Member only events are our way of showing our appreciation to our members for their support. In addition to year-round included admission, Explore & More offers exclusive museum access with quarterly events available only to members with unique programs with bonus play and learning opportunities.
For over a decade now, Explore & More has brought fun and engaging free outdoor programming to our beautiful waterfront. We bring crafts, projects, activities and games themed to coincide with what is happening in the museum on big activity days or themed to play zones within the museum on others.
Building graham cracker houses is one of our favorite traditions at Explore & More. The results are always delicious, but children are challenged to make a house that is beautiful as well as structurally sound. We offer this onsite as well as in the community, visiting libraries throughout the region.
january
Children and their families come together to explore topics of diversity, acceptance, tolerance and kindness through the teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. This program ties closely with our current play zone, Being Good Neighbors, as we teach even our youngest visitors what it means to be a good neighbor.
february
Each February we kick off break week with a President’s Day Celebration. Children learn about the electoral process by voting on his/her favorite exhibit.
october
Explore & More’s Annual Day of Sharing is celebrated on Indigenous People’s Day (Columbus Day). This day long program celebrates Native American culture including story-telling, hands-on activities and lessons about food traditions. Community partnerships with world-renowned Iroquois artists and other cultural organizations help to ensure an accurate and respectful representation of Haudenosaunee culture.
november
We are eternally grateful to all our nation’s heroes, past and present, for the tremendous sacrifices they have made to protect our country, our freedom and our way of life. Each year on Veterans Day we take the time to learn about and celebrate our brave armed forces and honor all who have served.
november
We keep the family togetherness going with extra fun on hand the day after Thanksgiving. Bring the out of town relatives to Explore & More to show them how to play the kid-led way! Come make some new family memories and start a new tradition!
Join us as we dive into the creative world of art and explore a different concept, process and technique each day including: process art, color mixing, light and color, music, dance and so much more.
It’s a week full of worldly fun for the little ones as we travel around the globe with crafts, activities and more that keep little explorers laughing and learning each day.
Escape break week boredom with a full week of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematic activities. Each day children explore different STEM concepts through hands-on activities.
Join us on April 28, 2020 as the grown-ups take over for this unique benefit showcasing Buffalo’s interactive play museum! Be treated to great entertainment and participate in fun activities while you sip, sample, and savor creative cocktails and hors d’oeuvres provided by Be Our Guest Catering. This event also features wonderful basket raffles, silents auctions, and opportunities to bid on one-of-a-kind packages. All proceeds benefit Explore & More’s mission, operations, and programming.
Join us on June 14, 2020 for some big fun at our 11th annual Explore & More Touch A Truck! This year’s event is at Canalside, where children of all ages can climb in, on, and around every construction, utility, big rig, and specialty vehicle imaginable! This year we’ll feature over 35 vehicles, along with dozens of hands-on activities for the whole family.
It’s your turn for fun! Grab your friends and join us for our fourth annual Incredible Hunt Presented by HUNT Real Estate. Don’t miss this grownups-only day of play where teams face off to see who knows Buffalo best by hunting for clues in this app-based scavenger hunt. Winning teams will be rewarded with prize packs and fun will continue afterward at our Finish Line Party! Date TBA!
You deserve a play date too! Get back in touch with your inner child for a night of museum play exclusively for our grown up friends! Come stay up past your bedtime with four fabulous floors of fun once every quarter.
Play-based professional development training programs designed to help unlock an organization’s potential by focusing on employee teamwork and development through the power of play. Developed and facilitated by experts on play, leadership and business. Click here for more information on Play Leads the Way.
