The name 'The Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society' is now a thing of the past. The landmark institution announced Thursday it will now simply be known as The Buffalo History Museum.
The 150-year-old museum also has a new logo and work will begin soon on installing a new signature sign outside of the campus at Elmwood Avenue and Nottingham Court.
Executive Director Melissa Brown says the decision to re-brand was made after research showed a lack of identity among many in the community.
"One of the things we were realizing is that a lot of people recognized us for the building, but there's the stigma of the name 'the society.' What is a society? Do you have to be a member to participate?" Brown told WBFO News.
The Museum is also redesigning its website, buffalohistory.org, and it has a new street address: One Museum Court.
Brown says a new signature sign that uses re-purposed marble from the old St. Joseph's Cathederal will soon be in place outside the building on Elmwood Avenue.
"It'll be an 8' x 4' x 5' sign with the new logo, made from a polycarbonate. It'll be translucent and it'll be lit from within with raised lettering. The base will be the reclaimed marble," Brown said.
Brown says the changes reflect how museum leaders want to outwardly express the momentum they see happening in-house.
The executive director says she hopes the new direction will attract visitors to view the many new programs, exhibits, and events being held at the museum in this, its 150th anniversary year. She says she hopes to see the new sign in place in time for the museum's Paint The Town event on November 9.
