Frank Lloyd Wright’s Martin House, Buffalo, New York
At the turn of the 20th century, Buffalo was a prosperous and proud industrial city, drawing worldwide attention as the site of the 1901 Pan-American Exposition. The city’s wealth and prominence attracted well-known architects for high-profile projects, including H. H. Richardson, Louis Sullivan, and Daniel Burnham—as well as upstarts like Frank Lloyd Wright, who looked to make his name with his first major office building.
The Larkin Soap Company’s headquarters brought him that recognition, as well as the foundation for a strong and lasting friendship with one of his most important patrons, Darwin Martin. Over the next decades, Wright would go on to produce a series of iconic structures throughout the United States, but he referred to the complex he built for Martin and his family as “perfect.” The Martin House and Wright’s other Buffalo designs have become vital parts of the city’s architectural and cultural history. Bill Keene, a lecturer in architecture and urban studies, leads a 4-day tour that highlights significant works by Wright and his contemporaries.
The tour begins with a welcome dinner and introduction to tour staff before an educational lecture. The following day, local architectural historian and guide Martin Wachadlo leads a driving tour highlighting the rich architectural heritage of Buffalo, stopping at and touring many buildings by masters of American architecture. Among them are the Guaranty Building (now the Prudential Building), a pioneering skyscraper by Louis Sullivan and Dankmar Adler; the Buffalo State Hospital, the largest commission of H.H. Richardson’s career, which has since been transformed into a hotel and history center; the Ellicott Square Building by Burnham, the largest office building in the world when it opened in 1896; and Wright’s exterior of the William R. Heath House.
Included in the day is a guided tour of Buffalo City Hall, an Art Deco masterpiece noted for its stunning mosaics. The evening includes a tour of the East Aurora campus of the Roycrofters, members of an early-20th-century American Arts and Crafts movement, and dinner at the historic Roycroft Inn.
At Graycliff, Darwin and Isabel Martin’s summer house overlooking Lake Erie, master docents detail the history of the light-filled house, created by Wright at the request of Isabel Martin in reaction to the couple’s darker residence in town. A tour of the 1905 Martin House complex in Buffalo gives visitors a comprehensive look at the beauty of the main home as well as exploring the rest of the property, including the Barton House and gardener’s cottage.
Before an airport dropoff for individual departures, enjoy a morning tour of the Buffalo Transportation Pierce-Arrow Museum, home to an extensive collection of historic automobiles, and get an in-depth tour of the Tydol gas station. Visit Kleinhans Music Hall, designed by Finnish-American father-and-son duo Eliel and Eero Saarinen, known for its combination of graceful structural beauty and extraordinary acoustics. Conclude the trip with a tour of Wright's Fontana Boathouse, built in 2007.
Know Before You Go
- Program begins Thursday, August 21, at 6 p.m. with dinner in Buffalo and ends Sunday, August 24, with a transfer to Buffalo Niagara International Airport or the Amtrak train station. (tentatively 3:00 p.m.).
- Cost includes 3 nights of accommodations at the Hyatt Regency Buffalo, bus transportation, services of a study leader and Smithsonian representative, 8 meals (3 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 3 dinners), gratuities, taxes, and entrance fees.
- Single-room supplement $240 (factored into the Single Room Member and Single Room Non-Member pricing).
- Singles registering at the double-room rate are paired (on a nonsmoking basis) if possible, but must pay the single-room supplement otherwise.
- Travel information: Flights are not included; participants make independent flight arrangements to and from Buffalo, New York.
- Important note: Once the tour has reached its minimum registration, participants will be notified and encouraged to purchase airline tickets. This will occur no later than 60 days prior to the start of the program.
- Once participants are registered, additional information will be sent via email. For questions, please call the tours office at 202-633-8599. We highly suggest registrants consider personal trip insurance. Travel insurance provides additional coverage against unforeseen incidents that require last-minute cancellations.
General Information
- Smithsonian Associates is a mask-friendly environment. Please feel free to bring and wear a mask at any time during a tour, both for your safety or the safety of others.
- As we aim to move away from single use water bottles, guests are strongly encouraged to get in the habit of bringing their own reusable water bottle on tour.
- For additional tour information:
