Washington Park Arboretum

Seattle, Washington, United States

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Washington Park Arboretum in Seattle, Washington, is a 230-acre joint project between the University of Washington and the City of Seattle, originally designed by the Olmsted Brothers landscaping firm from 1904 to 1939.

Before colonization, the land was home to the Coast Salish people and included several villages. After logging in the late 19th century, the site was acquired by the city and gradually transformed into a park and arboretum, officially established in 1934.

The arboretum's design, created by James Frederick Dawson, organizes plants taxonomically and features a variety of plant collections including conifers, willows, roses, and alpine species arranged across diverse terrains like woodlands, wetlands, and open meadows. Its historical features also include structures built by the Works Progress Administration in the 1930s, such as the park headquarters. 

The arboretum is a scientific, educational, and recreational space, recognized for its botanical diversity with over 20,000 plants, and it continues to be managed cooperatively by the university and city to provide botanical research, conservation, public education, and enjoyment.