The adventuresome life of this pioneer merchant is intertwined with several major formative events in Niagara Frontier history. In 1840, Thompson also became the first popularly elected mayor of Buffalo.

"Tony" Bannon, director of the museum, tells the story of George Eastman with choice photos from one of the world's greatest photo image collections.

The Rev. J. Edward Nash House stands today as one of the few remaining landmarks of Buffalo's twentieth century significance in local and national history across racial lines. It was from this house that Rev. Nash, early in the twentieth century, led and helped to orchestrate some of the foremost civil rights causes of Buffalo and the nation.

Described as a "realist with a Slavic feeling for color and a considerable talent for caricature," artist Eugene Dyczkowski's memorable work ranged from: bucolic landscapes to Depression-era scenes, figure studies and abstract paintings. He was the founder of the Polish Arts Club of Buffalo.