Central Park,
New York, NY The Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC Biltmore Estate,
Asheville, NC Yosemite National Park Yosemite National Park,
Yosemite, CA Niagara Falls State Park,
Niagara Falls, NY Stanford University Campus,
Palo Alto, CA U.S. Capitol Grounds,
Washington, DC Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site,
Brookline, MA

Celebrating Olmsted

Parks for All People

Central Park,
New York, NY

2022 marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of Frederick Law Olmsted, social reformer and founder of American landscape architecture. Please join the National Association for Olmsted Parks, partners, friends and the public as we explore Olmsted’s living legacy.

Join the Celebration

Frederick Law Olmsted illustration by David Lee Csicsko

Frederick Law Olmsted

Landscape Architect, Author, Conservationist (1822-1903)

Frederick Law Olmsted was born in Hartford, CT, in 1822. Not until he was 43 years old did he decide to devote himself fully to landscape architecture. His experiences as a farmer, journalist for The New York Times, administrator and public servant all influenced his later thinking and career.

Learn more about Frederick Law Olmsted

Join the

Celebration

Feature Event

Oak Spring Garden Foundation

October 1, 2021
Virtual Exhibit

Frederick Law Olmsted: Landscapes for the Public Good is now available. This downloadable exhibit features 23 panels of vivid photos and drawings, exploring the many facets of Olmsted’s life and legacy. Curated by Dr. Caroline Mesrobian Hickman of the University of Maryland and in conjunction with the Oak Spring Garden Foundation, the exhibit explores the many […]

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Upcoming Events

September 14 – 15, 2021

Olmsted Forum: “Olmsted in the Field: Landscape Travels and Design Practices”

University of Virginia School of Architecture
Charlottesville, VA  
May 15 – December 11, 2021

Forest Therapy Walks at Planting Fields

Planting Fields Foundation
Oyster Bay, NY  
June 20, 2021 – April 26, 2022

From Seeds to Tribute Trees in Riverside, Illinois

Riverside, Illinois natural areas. See website for specific location for seed hunts each month. Botanical Boxes available through The Seed in Riverside.
Riverside, IL  
October 1 – 28, 2021

The Seven S’s of Olmsted Design: Camden, Maine’s Harbor Park and Village Green

Camden Public Library
Camden, ME  
October 24, 2021

5K Walk/Run and Kids Fun Run

Planting Fields
Oyster Bay, NY  
October 26, 2021

The Historic Designed Landscape Legacy of Camden and Rockport, Maine

Camden Public Library
Camden, ME  
A sketch of the Olmsted firm’s plan for the campus Washington University.
October 27, 2021

Symposium: The Olmsteds and Campus Design

National Building Museum
Washington, DC  
October 28, 2021

It’s all interconnected: nature contact today, planetary health tomorrow

Zoom
 
Washington National Cathedral
November 1, 2021

Annual Meeting

All Hallows Guild: Washington National Cathedral Gardens
Washington, DC  
Find an Event

Get Involved

We invite everyone to be a part of Olmsted 200, the national celebration marking the 200th anniversary of the birth of Frederick Law Olmsted. Find out how you can participate and show your commitment to our natural and historical heritage.

Recent News & Articles

Olmsted Insider Newsletter

Olmsted Insider: October 2021

As we celebrate the many accomplishments of Frederick Law Olmsted, Olmsted 200 also examines how his values and principles can help address challenges facing public parks today. For his time, Olmsted espoused some fairly radical perspectives — believing that parks belonged to all people and contributed to public health and well-being. More than 100 years later, his dynamic ideas about democratic spaces live on.
Spotlights

Spotlight on… The Rochester Park System

Rochester, NY is one of only four cities in the U.S. with an entire park system designed by Frederick Law Olmsted. Olmsted was commissioned in 1888 to design the first park for the city on 20 acres of donated land. However, Olmsted recommended the addition of lands along the Genesee River, north and south of […]
Parks & Public Spaces

Concert Grove and London Planes – A Look Inside Prospect Park

Prospect Park Gardener, Jesse Brody, here muses on the London Plane Tree that provides the canopy in Prospect Park’s Concert Grove.
See all articles