April 26, 2022 marks Frederick Law Olmsted’s 200th Birthday. Olmsted, credited with inventing the profession of Landscape Architecture in the United States, was a consummate advocate for public space, accessible greenery and the democratization of beauty. In honor of his bicentennial, FRIENDS will be hosting two programs, an in-person walking tour in Central Park, and a virtual talk offering a look at Olmsted’s life and work in New York City and beyond.

Led by Cynthia Brenwall, Municipal Archivist and Author of The Central Park: Original Designs for New York's Greatest Treasure, the walking tour will explore how Olmsted’s “Genius of Place,” and inclusive urban vision, helped create Central Park, one of his most renowned works.