Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site
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.
About under an hour from Boston, 1 hours from Providence and 2 hours from Hartford by car.
Alerts
- ClosureParking Lot Closure
Due to ongoing construction, the parking lot is closed. Ample street parking can be found along Dudley Street, including the Brookline Reservoir. For accessible parking, please visit our "Contact Us" page for more information.
- CautionConstruction
There is ongoing construction due to roofing project. Please practice caution on the grounds and do not enter marked areas.
- InformationGrounds Inaccessible to Visitors 10/19, 10/20, and 10/21
Due to restoration work on the landscape, the grounds will be inaccessible to visitors Monday-Wednesday, October 19-October 21. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.
Fees & passes
Free. No entrance fee here.
Hours
| Seasonal Park Hours | Varies by day ▾
|
Hours by date. Standard hours apply on every date not listed.
| Dates | Hours |
|---|---|
| Standard hours |
|
| Sep 19 to Nov 1, 2026NowFall Hours |
|
| Nov 17, 2026 to May 28, 2027Closed November 2025 through May 2026 | Closed |
| May 29 to Jun 14, 2027Spring Hours |
|
When to go
July draws the most visits here and February the fewest, averaged over 2021 to 2025.
Visitor centers
- Visitor CenterPassport stamp
Visitor center, bookstore, and self guided exhibits too the right at the front of the house. Design office tours depart from the visitor center. Entrances accessed through back parking lot or main house entrance through front vestibule are staff entrances.
No campgrounds, no webcams or things to do in Park Service data. What is here comes from the official page. The rest lives there.
Checked nightly. Modules appear as soon as the Park Service publishes the data.
Explore
Films
National Park Service productions, public domain.
Events
- 10:00 AM · free · registration required
- 10:00 AM · free · registration required
- Fall Walks and Talks: Social Clubs, Impressionism, and Olmsted11/0701:00 PM · free · registration required
Map
Interactive map by the National Park Service
Historic landmarks nearby
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Public land nearby
Distances are approximate. Wilderness Atlas publishes a center point and an acreage for each area rather than a boundary, so each area is treated here as a circle of the same size and the figure is the gap to that circle.
Guidebooks for New England
We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject.
Reference
Weather & climate
Summer: Warm temperatures, average high temperature around 80 degrees Fahrenheit, often with humidity. July and August bring the hottest temperatures. Fall: Cooler temperatures, mean temperatures between 45 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit, sometimes rainy. Peak fall foliage is in mid-October. Winter: Cold, with snow, average low temperature around 25 degrees Fahrenheit. Spring: Cold to cool temperatures, average mean temperatures between 40 and 60 degrees Fahrenheit.
Questions people ask
Does Frederick Law Olmsted charge an entrance fee?
No. Frederick Law Olmsted is free to enter.
Source: National Park Service
What are the hours at Frederick Law Olmsted?
Standard hours are 9:30AM - 4:30PM on Sunday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, and it is closed on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. Dated exceptions are listed under Hours.
Source: National Park Service
Is anything closed at Frederick Law Olmsted right now?
3 active alerts as of October 14, 2026: Grounds Inaccessible to Visitors 10/19, 10/20, and 10/21; Parking Lot Closure; and more.
Source: Alerts
How busy is Frederick Law Olmsted?
7,240 recreation visits in 2025, number 364 of 387 units that report visitation.
Source: Most visited parks
Is there cell service at Frederick Law Olmsted?
At the park's reference point, FCC coverage maps show Verizon 4G LTE, AT&T 5G, and T-Mobile 5G. Coverage inside the park varies by location.
Source: FCC Broadband Map
When was Frederick Law Olmsted established?
1979.
Source: Wikipedia
What is the weather like at Frederick Law Olmsted?
Summer: Warm temperatures, average high temperature around 80 degrees Fahrenheit, often with humidity. July and August bring the hottest temperatures.
Source: Weather & climate
Follow this park
- Alerts feed (RSS)
- Every active Park Service alert for this unit, one item each, rebuilt with the nightly data refresh.
- Add dates to your calendar (.ics file)
- Fee-free entrance days that apply here and each published hours exception, as all-day events.
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