Over two decades ago, Explore & More opened in a 500-square foot room in a school basement. The idea of having high-quality play-based learning for children from all over Western New York had been cultivated in the minds of a small group of dedicated parents, educators and toy designers. The museum with its all-volunteer staff saw 1,000 visitors that first year.\\Flash forward 21 years later, to Explore & More today, currently housed in a space 14 times that size, serving over 60,000 children and their family members each year. Several national and international studies since have continued to confirm the idea on which the Museum began—that play is essential to healthy brain development in children.\\With nationally recognized and award-winning programs and exhibits, the most generous free admission policy in the area, and a mission to provide critically important informal learning experiences for all, Explore & More has become an important asset to the well-being of children and families in Western New York.\\Dating back to 2007, Explore & More became the first organization to offer free programming at Canalside. The early partnership with the Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation (ECHDC) led to Explore & More being selected as the anchor attraction on Buffalo's revitalized waterfront – a year-round draw for residents and tourists that will ignite children's imagination, economic development and community partnerships.\\As Victor Hugo once remarked, "Nothing is as powerful as an idea whose time has come." As we look toward our future downtown, in the heart of Buffalo's economic revitalization, it is very clear that Explore & More at Canalside is an idea whose time has come.