Richardson Olmsted Campus Interior Tour

Led by expert docents, you’ll gain access to spaces that have gone untouched since the 1970s, experiencing the site’s original structures as well as the healing landscape designed to serve as a therapeutic environment. Plus, you’ll learn about the philosophies of mental health advocate Dr. Thomas Story Kirkbride and how his ideas influenced architect Henry Hobson Richardson and landscape architects Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux who applied those principles throughout the grounds.

Tours are available from June through September. Richardson Olmsted Campus Interior public tours, in partnership with the Lipsey Architecture Center Buffalo and Explore Buffalo, can accommodate up to 20 guests. The buildings on the Richardson Olmsted Campus are under renovation – access may be limited to some areas owing to work in progress. The tour ends at the Hotel Richardson for a "before and after" moment. 

On the day of your tour, please meet at the Lipsey Architecture Center gallery on the ground level of the Richardson Olmsted Campus towers building. Use the entrance of the Richardson Olmsted Campus facing the campus of Buffalo State University - not the entrance facing Forest Avenue. Parking is available on site near the entrance to the Lipsey Architecture Center and The Richardson Hotel. 

Ticket sales support the non-profit Lipsey Architecture Center Buffalo’s mission to celebrate WNY’s architectural bounty.

All guests should be aware that tours of yet-to-be-redeveloped buildings have stairs and floors that are very uneven. Much of the campus is an active construction site. Wear closed-toe shoes – they are required. We provide hard hats. Tours will vary each week depending on construction activities.

Tour dates for 2026 will take place Saturdays and Sundays at 10:00am. 

Check in time 9:45am

Richardson Olmsted Campus Interior Tour Price: $30 per person
Richardson Olmsted Campus Tours are a partnership tour and there is no Explorer Pass member discount for these tours. Explore Buffalo provides the ticketing platform for these tours that are led by Richardson Olmsted Campus docents.

Tour Procedures & Policies: 

• Reservations are required for all Richardson Olmsted Campus Interior Tours. Walk-ups without reservations cannot be accommodated. Tours are limited to a maximum of 20 people per tour. 
  • Reservations close two hours before the tour's scheduled start time (for example, reservations close at 8am for a 10am tour). 
  • Explore Buffalo walking tour passes are not valid for Richardson Olmsted Campus Tours. 
  • The docent for your tour will have a list of tour reservations for their tour; you do not need to print or bring any tour confirmation. 
• The minimum age for this tour is 16, with a guardian. 
• Accessibility: This tour includes stairs and uneven surfaces, and is not wheelchair accessible. 
• Closed-toe shoes are required for this tour. This is an interior tour and tours proceed rain or shine. Please dress warm, especially on a cool day, as there is no heat in these buildings. 
• See our FAQs page for our refund policy and answers to other questions.
• By confirming your reservation for any Explore Buffalo tour, you acknowledge and accept Explore Buffalo's tour policies.