Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site

By /
Fairsted
Fairsted, the home and office of landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted. Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site.
Dark wood box with four shallow drawers on large wooden table with blueprint
A box of colored pencils and a draftsmen's handbook sit on a table in the drafting room. These materials reflect the period during which Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr. was the senior partner in the Brookline, MA landscape architecture firm.
A shaded bench and plants in a sunken garden surrounded by bushes
Landscape Architect Frederick Law Olmsted designed the Hollow on his Brookline, MA property to be a peaceful, picturesque sunken garden.
Wicker chairs around table in room with rock covered wall with views outside
Fairsted's Plant Room was the Olmsted family's favorite room in the house. With the rock walls and large windows to view the South Lawn, it was the perfect mix of interior and exterior.
Large flat grassy area with one tree in middle, other on sides, next to large house
Fairsted's South Lawn served as an apple orchard for the previous owners, but the Olmsted's turned it into a sprawling open lawn where they hosted gatherings.
Large room with wooden tables and stools
The Drafting Department housed the most office employees, with drafting being a crucial stage in a landscape design project.
Room with wooded drawers along all the walls
In nearly one hundred years of active practice, the Olmsted office would produce sixty thousand images, all stored in wooden boxes along the walls
Photos: National Park Service

About 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.

Plan a Visit

NPS DesignationNational Historic Site
Park State / Territory MembershipMassachusetts
Current Alerts3
Visitor Centers1
Campgrounds0
Things To Do0

Core visitor information on this page is sourced from the National Park Service. NPD proximity sections use NPS reference coordinates and straight-line distance. Local source bundle updated Sep 27, 2026. View the official NPS page.

Weather & Conditions

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.…

NPS Reference Location

Park state / territory membership: Massachusetts. This map uses the National Park Service reference coordinate. It may represent an administrative or reference point rather than a park entrance, trailhead, visitor center, or the nearest access point. Use the official NPS directions below when planning travel.

Operating Hours

Hours for the visitor center and house at Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site vary by season. The grounds are open year-round, dawn to dusk. In the summer, the site is open Thursday to Sunday. In the spring, the site is open Fridays and Saturdays. During the winter season, the house is closed to the public, with tours available by appointment only.

Friday9:30AM - 4:30PM
MondayClosed
Saturday9:30AM - 4:30PM
Sunday9:30AM - 4:30PM
Thursday9:30AM - 4:30PM
TuesdayClosed
WednesdayClosed

Activities

Guided ToursSelf-Guided Tours - WalkingJunior Ranger ProgramMuseum ExhibitsShoppingBookstore and Park Store

Current Alerts

Outdoor Programs Canceled Friday and Saturday, September 25 and 26, 2026

Olmsted NHS will cancel Cultural Landscape Tours on Friday and Saturday, September 25 and 26, 2026, due to a severe weather advisory issued by the National Weather Service. Please feel free to call the site at (617) 566-1689 for updates.

Parking 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.

Construction

There is ongoing construction due to roofing project. Please practice caution on the grounds and do not enter marked areas.

Getting There

Site is located on the southwest corner of Warren and Dudley Streets in Brookline, south of Route 9, near the Brookline Reservoir. Site is 0.7 miles from the Brookline Hills MBTA stop on the Green Line, D Branch.

View Official Directions

Contact & Address

The NPS-listed address may be an administrative office, visitor center, mailing/contact location, or other park facility rather than a park entrance.

NPS-Listed Address99 Warren Street, Brookline, MA, 02445
Phone6175661689
Emailfrla_interpretation@nps.gov

Topics & Themes

Landscape DesignSchools and EducationSocial MovementsConservation MovementWars and ConflictsCivil War

Visitor Centers

Visitor Center

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…

Nearby National Park Service Sites

These sites are ordered by straight-line distance between NPS reference coordinates. This is useful for comparison, but it is not road mileage. Trails, parkways, rivers, and distributed units may extend far from their reference point.