The Prudential Center is a landmark mixed-use complex in the Back Bay, centered on the 52-story Prudential Tower, one of Boston’s tallest and most recognizable buildings. The complex spans shopping, dining, and offices at 800 Boylston Street, with a large enclosed mall connected via the Prudential Bridge to the adjacent Copley Place, creating a sheltered indoor route on cold or rainy days.
For decades the tower’s top floors housed the Skywalk Observatory, but that attraction closed in 2020. In June 2023 the top three floors reopened as View Boston, an observation experience with indoor galleries and an open-air rooftop deck offering sweeping 360-degree views of the city, the harbor, and the Charles River. Below, the center serves as a Back Bay hub for shopping and a seasonal site for events, sitting beside the Christian Science Plaza and within easy reach of Newbury Street.
Good to know
- The original Skywalk Observatory closed in 2020; the observation deck now operates as View Boston (opened 2023)
- Includes a shopping mall connected to Copley Place via an indoor bridge
- The Prudential Tower is one of Boston’s tallest buildings
- Adjacent to the Christian Science Plaza and Newbury Street; check viewboston.com for observation-deck hours and tickets
Getting there
- Address: 800 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02199
- Neighborhood: Back Bay
- Nearest T: Prudential (Green Line E branch); Copley (Green Line) and Symphony (Green Line E) are also nearby