Today the Buffalo Museum of Science (BMS), Buffalo Bills, and Buffalo Sabres announced a new partnership and unveiled plans for a new sports-focused science exhibit. The exhibit, which will focus on the science of sports, is anticipated to open at the Museum in fall 2025. Interactive exhibit displays will highlight physics, sports health, technology, and fandom culture.
“There are many layers of science in sports. From statistics to equipment technology, medicine, and even the influence of social science on the fan and athlete experience, the exhibit will put scientific elements of sports that can easily go unnoticed at the forefront of the exhibit experience,” said BMS President & CEO Gary Siddall.
Some of the highlighted experiences include a “Shout” chamber to measure the decibel level of a fan’s cheer, a media desk for guests to translate sport statistics, and a design-your-own mascot display. The BMS teased that a custom, built-for-Buffalo interactive that the BMS describes as an activity exploring arcs, accuracy, and momentum, will give an undeniable nod to a well-known Buffalo Bills tailgating tradition.
Siddall added the highlighted sports and athletic topics will extend beyond football and hockey and will also include adaptive sports. The Bills and Sabres partnership is the first of expected collaborations to shape the exhibit and accompanying programming, including player meet and greets with museum guests.
The BMS is working with the renowned Ohio-based exhibit company Roto to design the exhibit. Museum personnel shared a rendering that presents a conceptual view of the exhibit's entrance, showcasing a prominent jumbotron centerpiece and a design aesthetic enriched with Buffalo’s home-team branding.
The BMS reports that 27 percent of the overall $2.8 million budget to produce and install the exhibit has been raised to date, including a commitment from the Buffalo Society of Natural Sciences and a $200,000 capital grant earmarked for the project from Empire State Development.
The Buffalo Bills and Buffalo Sabres organizations are providing the BMS with their brand assets and imagery licensing for the exhibit design and promotion. Team representatives said they are thrilled to partner with one of Buffalo’s leading cultural institutions to reinforce the importance of STEM learning and highlight its importance outside of the classroom.
"The Bills and Sabres are excited to serve as partners with the Buffalo Museum of Science on its new exhibit highlighted the science of sports. Both sports teams' rich history and tradition add to BMS' mission of inspiring joyful exploration of science and nature through engaging experiences. Through this exhibit, our fans can see the science behind their hometown teams," said Pete Guelli, EVP & Chief Operating Officer of the Bills and Sabres.
Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes said, “Sports empower youth by fostering teamwork, confidence, and discipline. However, many kids in Buffalo lack equitable access to athletics and opportunities to explore the science behind the game. By igniting a passion for learning, sports inspire students to delve into STEM, uncovering the science of every play, the math in statistics, and the technology that enhances their experience. Initiatives like the exhibit at the Buffalo Science Museum celebrate these diverse layers of sports, nurturing a love for both play and learning in our youth.”
Senator Sean Ryan said, "Everyone knows Buffalonians are some of the most passionate sports fans in the country. We're born into our Bills and Sabres fandom and raised to take pride in our teams. We do our best learning when we feel a connection to the subject matter, so I'm thrilled to see this exciting partnership between the Buffalo Museum of Science and our city's biggest professional teams. This new exhibit will bring science closer to home for fans of all ages and help people connect with their favorite sports in a whole new way."
The new exhibit will be the first of the museum’s permanent exhibits to undergo a complete renovation since the Buffalo in Space exhibit opened in 2018. The new experience will replace the Museum’s health sciences exhibit, Explore YOU, that opened in 2012.
Siddall, who joined the Buffalo Society of Natural Sciences in February, shared the museum looks to this new experience as a catalyst to kick off the development of a master exhibit plan to renovate all the museum’s permanent exhibit experiences. “Science is always changing, and so should the experience at the Buffalo Museum of Science.”
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ABOUT THE BUFFALO SOCIETY OF NATURAL SCIENCES
The Buffalo Society of Natural Sciences manages the Buffalo Museum of Science and Tifft Nature Preserve with the mission of inspiring joyful exploration of science and nature through engaging experiences, unique resources, and exceptional staff. Located in East Buffalo, the Buffalo Museum of Science inspires multigenerational learning through interactive science studios, exhibits, programming, and its extensive collection of more than 700,000 belongings, objects, and specimens. Tifft is a 264-acre urban wetland preserve on reclaimed former industrial land in South Buffalo and serves as the Museum's "living collection”. The Preserve offers five miles of hiking trails free of charge year-round, as well as environmental education, stewardship, and outreach. Learn more at sciencebuff.org and tifft.org.
