Richardson Olmsted Campus

05/04/2026

The Richardson Olmsted Campus is excited to be a part of Porchfest again this year! Join us for a day of local music on May 16th from 12pm to 6pm on the Elmwood Village’s biggest porch. Thanks to the Elmwood Village Association for organizing this awesome community event.

The event is free to attend, and we hope to see you as you make your way through the festival.

This program and others are partially supported by Erie County.

04/22/2026

Happy Earth Day! In the late 1860s, Frederick Law Olmsted, the nation’s premier landscape architect, was tasked with designing our 203-acre grounds. 250 trees and over 2,000 shrubs were planted to create a healing, restorative landscape for patients. Fresh air, sunlight, exercise, and a connection to nature were all important components of the Kirkbride Plan and the style of care that was administered here at the Buffalo State Asylum.

04/20/2026

H.H. Richardson may have lived in the Boston area…but we won’t hold that against him 😉

Good luck to the Buffalo Sabres during this year’s Stanley Cup Playoffs. Let’s go Buffalo!

04/16/2026

Join thousands of volunteers in caring for our state parks, historic sites, and public lands at New York’s largest single-day volunteer event. I Love My Park Day is a chance to roll up your sleeves and show some love for the public lands that we rely on. On May 5th from 10am to 2pm, we welcome community members to volunteer their time and help preserve our Frederick Law Olmsted designed grounds.

To join us on I Love My Park Day, use the following registration link: https://www.ptny.org/events/i-love-my-park-day/

Can't make it to I Love My Park Day? The Friends of Frederick Garden Club will be meeting throughout the summer! If you are interested in becoming a part of our volunteer team, reach out to: [email protected]

04/08/2026

Exciting news from Campus this week: the non-profit Richardson Center Corporation has completed the removal of the carport that once covered the Richardson Hotel’s main entrance. This decision to remove the carport restored both the Towers Building’s original viewscape and the TenBerke-designed glass entryway. We still have some work to do to fully complete the project, but this is a major step forward in preserving Henry Hobson Richardson’s original architectural vision for the site.

04/08/2026

03/26/2026

Throwback Thursday: Today is opening day for Major League Baseball! Check out this historic photo from 1900 of the Buffalo State Hospital’s Baseball Club. Did you know that there used to be a full diamond on the South Lawn? ⚾️

03/19/2026

Even with the recent cold spell, work continues on the future Lipsey Architecture Center Buffalo! Located on the Richardson Olmsted Campus, this new addition to Buffalo’s cultural corridor will provide orientation, prompt inspiration, and serve as a gathering place to launch new ideas related to architecture and landscape design.

See you in 2027 👀

📸: Joe Cascio

03/13/2026

Join our volunteer team and help support one of Buffalo’s most important historic sites. We are looking for tour docents and chaperones who are interested in providing the community with insight into the 150 year history of the Richardson Olmsted Campus: from the foundations of mental health treatment in America and HH Richardson’s architectural legacy, to Frederick Law Olmsted’s visionary landscape designs.

Our volunteers are invaluable to the continued success of the Campus and provide visitors with tours that prompt reflection and foster dialogue on a wide variety of topics.

To join our volunteer team email:

[email protected]

03/13/2026