Private Tours

NOTICE: OUR PUBLIC AND PRIVATE TOURS ARE CLOSED FOR THE 2020 SEASON. WE WILL RESUME IN SPRING 2021.

Private Two-Hour Tours

Reservations for private tours may be made via telephone at 716-601-1153 or email by contacting us at beth@richardson-olmsted.com.  A minimum of 48 hours to arrange a tour is required, although a week or more is preferred.

In-Depth Tour:  $40.00 per person, 1-10 people of the same household or social circle, ages 16+

Take a deep dive into the rich past of the Richardson Olmsted Campus on this two-hour guided tour of unoccupied buildings. Led by an expert docent, visitors will gain access to spaces vacant since the 1970s.  During the tour, visitors will experience some of the site’s original structures as well as the healing landscape designed to serve as a therapeutic environment for patients.

• The tour is for up to 10 people of the same household or social circle, ages 16 and up.
• Flat, sturdy, closed-toe shoes are required.
• A mask or appropriate face covering must be worn on-site throughout the tour. 
• For your safety, we reserve the right to refuse entry to anyone who is unable or unwilling to comply with these safety requirements.
• This tour requires the ability to walk for the full duration of the tour as well as to climb several flights of stairs.
• Tours are conducted rain or shine.

Following NYS mandated safety guidelines, visitors will be required to wear face coverings. Please review all our safety guidelines here before reserving your tour experience.

Patient Life Tour:  $40.00 per person, 1-10 people of the same household or social circle, ages 16+

What was it like to live at the Buffalo State Asylum for the Insane?  Go behind-the-scenes and back in time to learn about what life was like when the Richardson Olmsted Campus was home to thousands of people, including patients, doctors, nurses, attendants and staff.

• The tour is for ages 16 and up.
• Flat, sturdy, closed-toe shoes are required.
• A mask or appropriate face covering must be worn on-site throughout the tour. 
• For your safety, we reserve the right to refuse entry to anyone who is unable or unwilling to comply with these safety requirements.
• This tour requires the ability to walk for the full duration of the tour as well as to climb several flights of stairs.
• Tours are conducted rain or shine.

Following NYS mandated safety guidelines, visitors will be required to wear face coverings. Please review all our safety guidelines here before reserving your tour experience.

Photography Tour:  $60.00 per person, 2-10 people of the same household or social circle, ages 16 +

Join us for an exclusive opportunity to capture the interior spaces of the iconic Richardson Olmsted Campus, a National Historic Landmark.  The 148-year-old former state hospital facility consists of purpose-built structures and a healing landscape that created a therapeutic environment then considered the most progressive treatment available for mental illness.

Photographers will be paired with an experienced docent to guide them through a collection of spaces in various states of disrepair and stabilization. Your guide can also provide context on the history and future of the Richardson Olmsted Campus as you explore the site.

• The tour is for ages 16 and up.
• Flat, sturdy, closed-toe shoes are required.
• A mask or appropriate face covering must be worn on-site throughout the tour. 
• For your safety, we reserve the right to refuse entry to anyone who is unable or unwilling to comply with these safety requirements.
• This tour requires the ability to walk for the full duration of the tour as well as to climb several flights of stairs.
• Tours are conducted rain or shine.

Following NYS mandated safety guidelines, visitors will be required to wear face coverings. Please review all our safety guidelines here before reserving your tour experience.