Innovation Lab :  Innovation Lab

A man observing two boys playing on iPads

From 2014 to 2020, the museum operated the Innovation Lab, the goal of which was to generate and develop new solutions to challenges confronting museums and society in the 21st century. During that time, the Innovation Lab received numerous grants to pursue projects that explore art and creativity with an interdisciplinary focus. Explore selected projects below.

Art of Visual Comprehension

The museum collaborated with Vanderbilt University; The Ontario College of Art and Design University; and the University at Buffalo, including the Ross Eye Institute, to scientifically test whether the kind of visual arts training museums are well equipped to provide can improve visual perception and visual cognition.

Art Heals

The museum partnered with the Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer on a pioneering study of the role art plays in both psychological and physiological aspects of healing.

The Society for the Advancement of Construction-Related Arts (SACRA)

The Innovation Lab was a foundational partner of SACRA, which uses design arts to address critical needs related to neighborhood stabilization, preservation, and workforce training in Western New York. 

Education Discovery Project

The Education Discovery Project sought to begin to address the gaps in the educational experiences of our region’s schoolchildren.

ArtGames 2.0

The ArtGames app featured seven unique video games based on seven artworks in the museum’s collection.

Initiative Sponsors

The Innovation Lab was founded with leadership support from The John R. Oishei Foundation, The Seymour H. Knox Foundation, and the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and the New York State Legislature.