The Boston Public Library’s Central Library in Copley Square is both a working library and an architectural treasure. The original 1895 McKim Building, designed by Charles Follen McKim in the Renaissance Revival style, was hailed as a “palace for the people” and is a National Historic Landmark. Inside, visitors find Bates Hall’s vaulted reading room, murals by John Singer Sargent and Pierre Puvis de Chavannes, and a serene Italianate courtyard at the building’s center.
Founded in 1848, the Boston Public Library was the first large free municipal library in the United States. The Central Library pairs the historic McKim Building with the modern Johnson Building, providing reading rooms, exhibitions, and public programs. Admission is free, and the library offers free guided art and architecture tours. Hours and tour schedules vary, so check the official BPL website before you go, and allow time to relax in the courtyard.
Good to know
- First large free municipal library in the United States, founded 1848
- Landmark 1895 McKim Building with Sargent murals and Bates Hall
- Free to enter; free art and architecture tours offered
- Quiet interior courtyard is open to visitors
Getting there
- Address: 700 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02116
- Neighborhood: Back Bay (Copley Square)
- Nearest T: Copley (MBTA Green Line); Back Bay (Orange Line and Commuter Rail) is also nearby