Washington Park, home to the Washington Park Arboretum, is located between Seattle's Madison Park and Montlake neighborhoods with its north end fronting Union Bay and SR 520. In addition to the arboretum, its 230 acres are home to the Seattle Japanese Garden, a segment of Lake Washington Boulevard, a playfield, and playgrounds. The boulevard and arboretum were originally designed by the Olmsted Brothers Landscape Architects firm between 1904 and 1939.

Operation of the arboretum is a joint effort of Seattle Parks and Recreation, the University of Washington, and the Arboretum Foundation under the direction of the Arboretum and Botanical Garden Committee, which consists of members appointed by the mayor of Seattle, the president of the University of Washington, and the governor of Washington. The park's urban location has subjected it to intrusions, most notably from traffic and transportation infrastructure. The park is in the midst of major changes to its collections and landscape as it implements the 20-year Washington Park Arboretum Master Plan. The changes include stream and shoreline restoration and a new park trail as mitigation for the SR 520 Bridge Replacement and HOV Program.

Visit HistoryLink.org to learn more about theWashington Park.