Beautiful Examples of Olmsted’s Buffalo Legacy

Published on April 26, 2018 | Last Updated August 1, 2022

Visit some of Buffalo’s most beautiful parks and neighborhoods, and you’ll see the enduring work of landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted.

Olmsted was already renowned for designing Central Park in New York when he came to Buffalo in 1868 and convinced city leaders to create a whole system of parks and parkways here. His work in Buffalo continues to be recognized an astounding 150 years later; the Guardian named his system of parks and parkways among the 10 best in the world.

From the iconic Buffalo AKG Art Museum (closed for renovations and re-opening 2023) to the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens and the Richardson Olmsted Campus, some of Buffalo’s most recognizable landmarks are set against the backdrop of Olmsted’s remarkable landscapes. Here are 12 examples of Olmsted’s Buffalo legacy taken by our talented Instagram #InTheBUF community!

: The Parkway System – Photo by Christopher Hyzy

: Richardson Olmsted Campus – Photo by Drew Brown

: Front Park – Photo by @inspired.buffalo

: Martin Luther King, Jr. Park – Photo by Drew Brown

: Botanical Gardens at South Park – Photo by @frantastic_143

: Symphony Circle – Photo by @elektronut

: Cazenovia Park – Photo by Eric Dacey

: Riverside Park – Photo by @igersbuffalo

: Rumsey Bridge at Delaware Park – Photo by Drew Brown

: Hoyt Lake – Photo by Scott Balzer

: Delaware Park – Photo by Christopher Hyzy

: Riverside Park – Photo by @bfloparks

Brian Hayden

Brian Hayden served as Visit Buffalo Niagara's Communications Manager from 2014 to 2020 after working as a newspaper reporter and social media manager in Northern New York. Tweet to him @brian_hayden.