The park is located in east Buffalo and bisected by Fillmore Avenue.

[1] The park is on a 56-acre (23 ha), slightly L-shaped site and was originally conceived as a place for military displays and active children's sports.

It contains four contributing structures: The brick Shelter House (1904), Buffalo Museum of Science building (1926), Greenhouse (1907), and Humboldt Park Casino (ca.

The park originally contained a large wooden refectory, designed by Calvert Vaux; it was destroyed by fire in 1877.

In July 2009, a neatly manicured, tree-and flower-filled pedestrian pathway was unveiled by the Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy.