Conservancy honors Frederick Law Olmsted by educating guests on 150-year history
The Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy, the first nonprofit organization in the nation to manage and operate an entire urban park system, opened the exhibit "Our Better Nature" in The Buffalo History Museum that celebrates Frederick Law Olmsted's designs in Buffalo. The display that will be open now through January 2018 will enable visitors to better understand and see what makes the park system so unique, and how, on Aug. 16, 1868, Olmsted's first visit to the area forever changed the landscape of this great community.
"This inspiring exhibit tells a 150-year story, while evoking an emotional connection to our Olmsted parks and their special legacy," said Stephanie Crockatt, executive director of the conservancy. "Through this spectacular exhibit, citizens of Buffalo will be energized around Olmsted's extraordinary vision, and as the city's partner and steward we encourage every visitor to become an Olmsted admirer and take pride in our award-winning park system.
"I would like to extend a special 'Thank you' to Melissa Brown and her team at The Buffalo History Museum, exhibit curator Lauren Becker, and all of our generous partners and donors for making this visual experience possible."
Curated by Lauren Becker, The goals of "Our Better Nature" are to:
•Showcase how Olmsted designed these parks to ensure green space for generations;
•Educate the community to appreciate this gift and vision for a better world, and Olmsted's ability to plan and make his vision a reality;
•Draw visitors into the fast-changing world of the late 19th century, so they, too, can relate to the desperate need for an urban park movement.
"Frederick Law Olmsted's work and vision shaped the character and identity of the city," said Melissa Brown, executive director of The Buffalo History Museum. "As we celebrate 150 years of our parks system and Olmsted's design, we are thrilled to show our pride of being in an Olmsted landscape and support the conservancy as they continue to educate the community about Olmsted's vision."
It is the hope of the conservancy that, when exploring the exhibit, visitors will be struck by the power of these parks to create connections across generations and communities. These historic spaces have been part of the Buffalo community for 150 years and the conservancy encourages all park lovers to play a part in ensuring their existence for the next 150.
