New Location for Museum at Main and North Forest in Williamsville

After two years of working with the Town of Amherst and $40,000 secured by Assemblymember Jim Hayes, People Inc’s Museum of disABILITY History is set to move and expand at the former Mennonite Meeting House at the corner of North Forest and Main Streets this August. The circa 1834 which is on the list of historic places is currently used by the Town to store records. People Inc will lease the facility from the Town, rehabilitate this landmark – located on the highly traveled Main Street - and open it up to the public.

“This is great opportunity,” said People Inc President and CEO, Dr. James Boles. “An underused property that was becoming dilapidated will now be open and renovated. It is the only ‘brick and mortar’ museum in the country dedicated to disability history and it will be right here in Williamsville, N.Y.” said Boles.

In a balanced manner, through the use of its collection, traveling exhibits, educational programs and virtual website, the museum “acts as a gateway to the under-documented history of people with disabling conditions and as an educational platform from which the future of an accepting society can be seen.”

Items in the collection include historic postcards, reports from asylums and state schools, photos and engravings of individuals with disabilities, adaptive equipment, movies with disability themes and a library of over 400 volumes. Educational programs include tours, outreach programs and lectures to schools on Disability History, Disability Etiquette and Awareness. The Museum also offers a Disability Awareness Merit Badge program for Scouts and hosts an annual Disabilities Film Festival.

“We are most grateful to Assemblymember Jim Hayes for his realization that not only should this history be recognized but also the potential of this new facility for the community. We would also like to thank Supervisor Satish Mohan, Councilmember Bill O’Laughlin and former Councilmember Jane Woodward” concluded Boles.