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Smithsonian's National Zoo -- 125 Years
Olmsted Walk:
Evolved from carriageway to walkway, our main visitor path was named for Frederick Law Olmsted, the renowned landscape architect who designed the basic layout and flow of the Zoo. Olmsted's legacy is found in the green spaces, natural atmosphere and curves that create changing views with a focus on landscape, not architecture.
In the late 1880s, Frederick Law Olmsted was approached by the Smithsonian to provide "preliminary counsel" for designing the National Zoo. Olmsted is said to have replied promptly and enthusiastically, saying the area selected for the Zoo was one of great natural beauty which he had known for 30 years and had hoped would be turned into a park. |