Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site (U.S. National Park Service)

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Frederick Law Olmsted

Frederick Law Olmsted (1822-1903) is recognized as the founder of American landscape architecture and the nation's foremost parkmaker. Olmsted moved his home to suburban Boston in 1883 and established the world's first full-scale professional office for the practice of landscape design. During the next century, his sons and successors perpetuated Olmsted's design ideals, philosophy, and influence.

Park Closure : Preservation Project at Olmsted NHS

Frederick Law Olmsted NHS is currently CLOSED to visitors in order to carry out a construction project involving park buildings, grounds and collections. The park anticipates reopening in 2010.

Learn about the project >>

Olmsted Archives

The Olmsted Archives is currently available on a limited basis for use by researchers during the site’s closure - call 617-566-1689 or click here for details. For access to the Olmsted Research Guide Online (ORGO), visit www.rediscov.com/olmsted. ORGO is an internet accessible database of information about existing records relating to Olmsted design work.

Things to do

During the site's closure the staff will continue to offer a variety of programs that interpret the legacy of Frederick Law Olmsted. The site offers programs throughout the Boston area from walks of local Olmsted landscapes to multimedia presentations for special groups. more...

Ranger with Art of Landscape participant

What's on!

The Art of Landscape: A Four Season Art Exploration of Olmsted's Franklin Park

Once again, Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site and Massachusetts College of Art & Design's Center for Art and Community Partnerships teamed up to provide fifteen third grade student/guardian duos from three Boston Public Schools with opportunities to explore the wonder of Franklin Park through art. Over the course of four seasons, students and parents learned about the seasonal dynamism of landscape, the transformative power of art, and the creative design work of landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted through art-making workshops at Scarboro Pond in Franklin Park. Student and parent work was featured at an exhibition hosted by Massachusetts College of Art. The exhibition – featuring more than sixty pieces in colored pencil, black & white photography, tempera paint and collage – revealed students’ impressions of a relatively unknown section of Olmsted’s Emerald Necklace, and invited viewers to get out and explore the four-season wonder of parks in their communities. This program was designed in collaboration with Art teachers from the James M. Curley Elementary School (Jamaica Plain), the Patrick O’Hearn Elementary School (Dorchester), and the Patrick Lyndon K-8 Pilot School (West Roxbury). Funding for The Art of Landscape program and exhibition was provided by the Bank of America Foundation and the National Park Service Challenge Cost Share program.

To learn more about this program from the Education Specialist e-mail us.

Write to

Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site
99 Warren Street
Brookline, Massachusetts 02445

E-mail Us

Phone

Visitor Information & Park Headquarters
(617) 566-1689

Fax

(617) 232-4073

Climate

New England enjoys four distinct seasons and the weather is known to be highly variable. Summers can be pleasant or hot and humid. Winters can be moderate or frigid and snowy. Dressing in layers is advisable, as the temperature can drop significantly from day to night, even in summer, and breezes can be chilly.