Buffalo Transportation Pierce-Arrow Museum, New York

Written By Kelsey Cecil

Buffalo, New York · Updated October 19, 2026 · 12 min read

Museum with a major rail exhibitOpen Thursday to Saturday; winter hours can change

The Buffalo Transportation Pierce-Arrow Museum preserves the story of the cars, bicycles and vehicles made in Western New York, with Buffalo's Pierce-Arrow and Thomas Flyer automobiles at its heart and a Frank Lloyd Wright filling station built inside its walls.

  • Frank Lloyd Wright filling station
  • Pierce-Arrow and Thomas Flyer cars
  • Over 70 Western New York vehicles
  • Free on-site parking
  • Wheelchair accessible

Buffalo Transportation Pierce-Arrow Museum at a glance

Hours
Thursday, Friday and Saturday 11 am to 4 pm; winter and weather changes possible
Admission
Adults $20, seniors (65+) $20, children 12 and under $10
Seasonal events
Pierce-Arrow 125th Anniversary (2026), Pan American Exposition 125th Anniversary (2026)
Plan for
1 to 1.5 hours
Best for
Car lovers, architecture fans and families with older kids
Best ages
Ages 6 and up
Parking
Free on-site lot; enter at 201 Seneca, at Seneca St. and Michigan Ave.
Accessibility
Handicap accessible; one or two wheelchairs available to borrow.

Hours and prices as the museum posts them, checked October 19, 2026. Confirm before you go.

Look inside the book

Taking the kids to Buffalo Transportation Pierce-Arrow Museum? Bring Rally along.

In Rally Takes the Train, a corgi's little legs can't manage the big train stairs, so Dad gives him a boost. It takes about five minutes to read, a good fit for the drive to Buffalo.

Page 1 of 8

Rally Takes the Train book cover: a watercolor corgi peeking from a red train

Like it so far? See the full book

25 hand-painted pages, paperback, $13.99 with fast shipping from Amazon.

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Every page is real watercolor on paper, painted by hand by Leslie Dunn. Nothing in this book was made with AI.

When Buffalo built cars for presidents

Around the turn of the twentieth century, Buffalo was a city of industry, and two of its car makers earned a worldwide name for quality, style and power. Pierce-Arrow built luxury automobiles that became a favorite of presidents and celebrities, and Thomas Flyer cars carried the same Buffalo reputation. They were not alone: more than 70 different vehicles were made in Western New York, including early electric cars and machines from small makers such as Automatic Transportation, Buffalo Electric, Lippard-Stewart trucks, Motorette, Playboy and the Lad's Car, also known as the Motorbob.

The museum exists to make sure the world remembers that legacy. Much of its collection came from founders James and Mary Ann Sandoro, who spent more than 45 years gathering cars, parts and memorabilia. Today the museum is a nonprofit educational institution that acquires, preserves, displays and documents Western New York's automotive history in whatever form it survives, and keeps archives on its collection to share with researchers, other museums and teachers.

Its most ambitious project came in 2002, when the museum built Frank Lloyd Wright's design for a Buffalo filling station. Wright drew the station but it was never built in his lifetime. The museum's version, with its striking copper work, has since won awards. A volunteer board led by people including James T. Sandoro keeps the work going, along with local sponsors and donors who share pieces of their own family transportation stories.

From a Jell-O wagon to a rocket car

Inside the downtown building you walk among Pierce-Arrow automobiles, Thomas Flyers and a gallery of vehicles made in Western New York: the Buffalo Electric carriage, the very rare 1948 Playboy, the lightweight Motorette and the streamlined 1938 Thomas Rocket Car. A 1902 Buffalo Electric shows why electric cars once appealed to drivers who did not want to crank an engine or handle gas and oil.

Beyond the cars, there are vintage bicycles, motorcycles, hood ornaments and a deep collection of auto memorabilia and a TRICO exhibit. The museum is also home to the National Women's Transportation Hall of Fame. Unusual pieces include an original Jell-O wagon from about 1900, which the museum acquired from the television show American Pickers, a 1904 Arrow rear entry tonneau and a 1901 Packard race car. The full scale Frank Lloyd Wright Buffalo Filling Station stands indoors as the centerpiece. The museum focuses on cars and road vehicles rather than trains, which makes it a good contrast for a family rail weekend in Buffalo.

Don’t miss

  1. Frank Lloyd Wright's Buffalo Filling StationDesigned by Wright but never built in his lifetime, it was constructed by the museum in 2002 and has won awards for its use of copper.
  2. Pierce-Arrow automobilesBuffalo's luxury car maker built vehicles favored by presidents and celebrities, and the museum's namesake collection shows why.
  3. The 1900 Jell-O WagonA rare advertising wagon from about 1900, acquired from the American Pickers television show.
  4. 1938 Thomas Rocket CarA futuristic Western New York design that shows how far local builders were willing to push car styling.
  5. 1901 Packard Race CarOne of the museum's most historic pieces, part of its set of unique and special vehicles.
  6. National Women's Transportation Hall of FameA gallery honoring women in transportation, housed at the museum.

Shiny cars, old bikes and a wagon from a TV show

Kids who love vehicles will find plenty to point at: electric carriages, motorcycles, vintage bicycles, a rocket-shaped car and a full size filling station. The Jell-O wagon tends to get a laugh from parents who remember American Pickers. This is a look and learn museum with valuable cars, so it suits children who can keep their hands to themselves better than toddlers who need to climb.

The museum is handicap accessible and has one or two wheelchairs to borrow, and there is no cafe inside, so plan a snack stop at one of the nearby downtown spots. Photos are allowed for personal use.

Plan your visit: tips for Buffalo Transportation Pierce-Arrow Museum

  • Check the museum's Facebook page or call before a winter visit, since hours change with the season and weather.
  • There are no senior, military or reciprocal discounts.
  • There is no cafe; downtown restaurants and coffee shops are close by.
  • Groups of 30 or more can book guided tours any day of the week at $30 per person.

A collector couple's gift to Buffalo

The museum is a nonprofit educational institution built largely on the collection of founders James and Mary Ann Sandoro and guided by a volunteer board. You can help by visiting, shopping in the gift shop, donating online through PayPal, or offering a story or artifact about Western New York transportation history, which the museum actively invites.

Add some trains to your Buffalo car day

For rail history, the Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburgh Railway Museum in Orchard Park is about 10 miles away, and the North Tonawanda Railroad Museum is also about 10 miles north. If the kids want a real train ride, the Arcade & Attica Railroad is about 33 miles out. See all of our New York train museum pages for more.

Every train museum in New York

Bring Rally along: a train book for the drive

Watercolor of Rally the corgi dreaming about his toy turtle, green bone and yellow ball
From Rally Takes the Train, watercolor by Leslie Dunn.

Looking at this museum's 1900 Jell-O wagon, I thought about how every trip starts with deciding what comes along. In our book, Rally packs his turtle toy, his green bone and his yellow ball before the train ride to his grand-paw-rents. These old cars and wagons carried people's things too, and somebody once packed them with the same care. If your little one is starting to read, our favorite train books for toddlers are a good place to begin.

Free for train families

Print the Rally coloring pages before you go

Watercolor coloring pages from the book, free to print. Tuck a few in a folder with crayons for the drive or the wait for the next train.

Get the free coloring pages
Rally Takes the Train book cover: a watercolor corgi peeking from a red train

A train story for the ride homeRally Takes the Train is a five-minute rhyming picture book about a corgi's first train trip to see his grand-paw-rents. Hand-painted in real watercolor. $13.99 on Amazon, for ages 0 to 8.

Buy on Amazon (opens in a new tab)

More for train families

Work or volunteer at Buffalo Transportation Pierce-Arrow Museum?

We want this page to be the best introduction to your museum on the web. Send new hours, event dates, corrections or photos to kelsey@rallytakesthetrain.com and we will update it. You are welcome to share this page with your members.

Sources

Everything on this page comes from the museum’s own website and social pages and, for history, Wikipedia, checked October 19, 2026.

Pierce-Arrow Museum Buffalo: 20 questions visitors ask

How much are tickets to the Buffalo Transportation Pierce-Arrow Museum?

As of October 2026, admission is $20 for adults, $20 for seniors 65 and over, and $10 for children 12 and under. The museum says it does not offer senior, military or reciprocal program discounts. Check pierce-arrow.com or call (716) 853-0084 to confirm current prices before your visit.

What are the Buffalo Transportation Pierce-Arrow Museum hours?

As of October 2026, the museum is open Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm. Hours change in the winter season and during weather events, so the museum asks visitors to check its Facebook page or call (716) 853-0084 before heading downtown.

Where is the Buffalo Transportation Pierce-Arrow Museum in Buffalo, NY?

The museum is at 263 Michigan Avenue at 201 Seneca in downtown Buffalo, New York 14203, between Seneca Street and Exchange Street. It is close to the I-190 expressway. Enter the free on-site lot at 201 Seneca, at the corner of Seneca Street and Michigan Avenue.

What is the Buffalo Transportation Pierce-Arrow Museum?

It is a nonprofit museum of Western New York transportation history, with a special focus on Pierce-Arrow, Thomas Flyer and other Buffalo-made automobiles. The collection also includes vintage bicycles, motorcycles, auto memorabilia, the National Women's Transportation Hall of Fame and a full scale Frank Lloyd Wright filling station.

What do reviews say about the Buffalo Transportation Pierce-Arrow Museum?

The museum has listings on Tripadvisor and Google, and it invites visitors to leave reviews on both. Reviewers often point to the range of the collection, from Pierce-Arrow and Thomas Flyer cars to the Jell-O wagon and the Wright filling station. Read the latest reviews on those sites for current impressions.

Can you take photos at the Pierce-Arrow Museum?

Yes. The museum allows photographs for personal use, so you can take pictures of the cars, the filling station and the exhibits during your visit. For commercial photography or a private shoot, contact the museum at (716) 853-0084 to ask about arrangements.

Is the Pierce-Arrow Museum a good indoor option in bad weather?

Yes, the collection is displayed indoors, including the Frank Lloyd Wright filling station, which makes it a solid choice on a cold or rainy Buffalo day. Keep in mind that the museum may change hours during winter and weather events, so check its Facebook page or call before you set out.

What is the Frank Lloyd Wright filling station at the Pierce-Arrow Museum?

Frank Lloyd Wright designed a filling station for Buffalo that was meant to change how people refueled their cars, but it was never built in his lifetime. The museum constructed it in 2002 as a full scale exhibit, and the station has won awards for its unusual use of copper.

Who founded the Buffalo Transportation Pierce-Arrow Museum?

Many of the museum's items came from the collection of founders James and Mary Ann Sandoro, who spent more than 45 years collecting. The museum is now a nonprofit educational institution with a board of directors that includes James T. Sandoro, and it continues to acquire and preserve Western New York transportation history.

What cars are at the Pierce-Arrow Museum?

Highlights include Pierce-Arrow and Thomas Flyer automobiles, a 1902 Buffalo Electric, the rare 1948 Playboy, the Motorette, the 1938 Thomas Rocket Car, a 1904 Arrow rear entry tonneau and a 1901 Packard race car. More than 70 makes of vehicle were built in Western New York, and the museum tells many of their stories.

Is the Jell-O wagon from American Pickers at the Pierce-Arrow Museum?

Yes. The museum's original Jell-O wagon dates to about 1900 and was acquired from the television show American Pickers. It is one of the museum's unique and special pieces, displayed alongside other rare vehicles connected to Buffalo's history.

How long does a visit to the Pierce-Arrow Museum take?

The museum says most people spend 1 to 1.5 hours touring the collection. Car enthusiasts and architecture fans who want to study the Frank Lloyd Wright filling station closely may want an entire afternoon. The museum invites guests to stay as long as they like within opening hours.

Is there parking at the Pierce-Arrow Museum?

Yes. Parking is free in the museum's on-site lot, with ample spaces next to the entry and across the street. Enter at 201 Seneca, at the corner of Seneca Street and Michigan Avenue, which is easier than trying to find street parking downtown.

Is the Pierce-Arrow Museum wheelchair accessible?

Yes. The museum is handicap accessible, and it has one or two wheelchairs available for visitors to use. If you need one, call (716) 853-0084 ahead of time so staff can tell you whether a wheelchair is likely to be free when you arrive.

Is the Pierce-Arrow Museum good for kids?

Children who like cars, bikes and odd vehicles usually find plenty to look at, from the Jell-O wagon to the Thomas Rocket Car. It is a display museum with valuable vehicles rather than a hands-on play space, so it works best for kids who can walk through and look rather than climb.

Does the Pierce-Arrow Museum have a cafe?

No, there is no cafe or food service inside. The museum points visitors to nearby downtown restaurants and coffee shops, including Hofbrauhaus, Chef's, Ballyhoo, Public Espresso, Tim Hortons, Pearl Street Grill and Union Pub, so you can easily plan lunch before or after.

Can groups book a guided tour of the Pierce-Arrow Museum?

Yes. Guided group tours are available any day of the week, even when the museum is not open to the public. As of October 2026, groups need at least 30 paid participants and the price is $30 per person. Call (716) 853-0084 to reserve a date.

Can I host a private event at the Pierce-Arrow Museum?

The museum invites people to contact it about arranging a private event among the cars and exhibits. Call (716) 853-0084 or use the contact form on pierce-arrow.com with your date, group size and type of event, and staff can explain what is possible.

How can I donate to the Buffalo Transportation Pierce-Arrow Museum?

You can donate online through PayPal from the museum's website, or call (716) 853-0084 to discuss a gift. The museum also asks anyone with a story, artifact or vehicle related to Western New York transportation to get in touch, since many of its pieces came from local families.

Are there train museums near the Pierce-Arrow Museum?

Yes. The Buffalo, Rochester and Pittsburgh Railway Museum in Orchard Park and the North Tonawanda Railroad Museum are each about 10 miles away. The Arcade and Attica Railroad is about 33 miles away, and the Medina Railroad Museum is about 34 miles.

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