Thanks FLO: Celebrating the Life and Legacy of Frederick Law Olmsted
Thanks FLO Outside!
Through October 2022
Even if you already saw the exhibit “Thanks FLO,” that wrapped up in the Baker Visitors Center on May 8, you still haven’t seen everything yet! Now through October, The North Carolina Arboretum’s celebration of Frederick Law Olmsted, his legacy, and his 200th birthday moves outside, where his influence can be seen throughout the gardens. In a series of eights stations, guests can learn about Olmsted’s design principles and how they fit into majestic and famous public gardens both around the country and right here in Asheville.
The signs, marked by depictions of Olmsted designed by artist John Singer Sargent, are displayed in English and Spanish, and pair design principles with historical and detailed images from the Arboretum. Then there is always the larger-than-life statue of Olmsted standing above the Blue Ridge Court and framed by the majestic Pisgah National Forest. The statue, the first of its kind, was created by internationally known artist Zenos Frudakis exclusively for the Arboretum and was introduced to the public in 2016.
Thanks FLO in the Baker Visitors Center
February 12 – May 8, 2022 (This exhibit has closed)
Who was the visionary who designed some of America’s most iconic gardens and parks? Find out at an all-new exhibit celebrating the life and work of Frederick Law Olmsted (FLO).
The exhibit on the man who planned both Central Park (his first major design) and Biltmore in Asheville (his final one), takes center stage in the Baker Visitor Center Exhibit Hall and at select locations in the landscape on the occasion of his 200th birthday. Thanks FLO features a retrospective of Olmsted’s life through landmarks and key moments and shows off a selection of his most iconic designs through vintage postcards, maps and green screen technology.
Step into the designing game and build a park using interactive tools and take a selfie that puts you front and center in iconic Olmsted parks. Outdoor exhibits await discovery and illustrate the design principles Olmsted used while designing and building parks, greenways, campuses and private estates across the United States.
The exhibit is created in conjunction with the National Association for Olmsted Parks (NAOP) in celebration of Olmsted’s 200th birthday on April 26, 2022.
