Venue Directory
Boston Public Library
Comment on Facebook Founded in 1848, by an act of the Great and General Court of Massachusetts, the Boston Public Library (BPL) was the first large free municipal library in the United States. Amenities include a restaurant and café, a peaceful inner courtyard, several comfortable and wifi accessible inviting reading areas.
Among the better known treasures of the Central Library in Copley Square are:
Bates Hall
Acknowledged by many to be architecturally one of the most important rooms in the world, Bates Hall features a majestic barrel-arched ceiling enclosed by half domes on each end, English oak bookcases, busts of eminent authors and Bostonians, and a richly carved limestone balcony. The hall, located on the second floor of the McKim building, is named in honor of Joshua Bates, a London merchant banker born in Weymouth, MA, who in 1852 gave the Boston Public Library $50,000 for the purchase of books.
The Chavannes Gallery
Painted by the renowned French artist Pierre Puvis de Chavannes, exquisite murals adorn the walls of the McKim building's grand staircase and second floor gallery. The central mural depicts "The Muses of Inspiration Hail the Spirit of Light." Eight stairway murals representing the main disciplines of poetry, philosophy, and science complete this allegorical cycle.
The Abbey Room
Murals titled the "Quest of the Holy Grail," by American artist, Edwin Austin Abbey, grace the walls of the Abbey Room on the second floor of the McKim building. The murals are composed of a series of 15 panels featuring 150 life-sized figures illustrating the Arthurian legend. The room also features a beautiful fireplace of French rouge antique marble, dark oak wainscoting, and a beamed ceiling modeled after one in the library of the Doge's Palace in Venice.
The Sargent Gallery
Located on the 3rd floor are spectacular murals painted by John Singer Sargent. The theme of this unusual series is the development of world religions. Sargent considered this effort to be his most important work. Distinctly different from his well-known portraits of distinguished Americans and Europeans and his delicate landscapes, Sargent painted in the style of Italian Renaissance frescos by incorporating the architectural detail of the building into the work.
Library Tours
The library offers tours highlighting the architecture of Charles Follen McKim and Philip Johnson, as well as the many works of famed sculptors and painters. The tours last about an hour and are given by volunteer guides. For a list of currently scheduled tours click here.
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At-a-
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Contact Info
Boston Public Library
700 Boylston Street
Copley Square
Boston, MA 02116Phone: 617-536-5400 | Official Website
Hours:
Central Library hours can be found here:
http://www.bpl.org/general/hours.htm -
Map
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Parking Info
By subway
- Green Line to Copley Station.
- Orange Line to Back Bay/South End Station. Walk down Dartmouth Street to Copley Square.
By car
Interstate 93 (from north or south) Take Storrow Drive exit. Take Copley Square exit off of Storrow Drive. The exit deadends at a signal light. The cross street is Beacon. Take a right on Beacon Street. While on Beacon Street, you will cross Berkeley, Clarendon, and Dartmouth Streets. The next street is Exeter. Take a left onto Exeter (it is a one-way street). While on Exeter, you will cross Marlborough Street, Commonwealth Avenue, and Newbury Street. The next cross street is Boylston. The Library is on the corner of Exeter and Boylston Streets.Mass Pike (Interstate 90) Come all the way into the city on the Mass Pike. Take the Copley Square exit (the sign will read: Prudential Center, Copley Square). The exit road will split, follow the Copley Square (right) lane. You will exit the tunnel onto Stuart Street. You will be on the right hand side of the street. Move to the lane furthest left. Take the left at the next light, Dartmouth Street (approximately 500 feet from the tunnel exit). The Library is on the left of Dartmouth Street, after the next light (approximately 500 feet).
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Accessibility Services
There is no accessibility service information available at this time.
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Current Events
There are no current events at this time.
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Upcoming Events
06/07/13-
08/30/13Concerts in the Courtyard
Boston Public Library
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NOTE: We do our best to ensure all information is accurate. However, it's a good idea to visit the website or call the venue to verify the information.
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Current &
Upcoming Events-
Current Events
There are no current events at this time.
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Upcoming Events
06/07/13-
08/30/13Concerts in the Courtyard
Boston Public Library
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Past
Events-
Past Events
04/08/13 Kip Tiernan Memorial Artist Public Presentations
Boston Public Library02/23/13 2nd Annual Boston Storytelling Festival
Boston Public Library08/09/12 Author event- Robert V. Taylor
Boston Public Library06/09/12 Pride and Poetry
Boston Public Library04/25/12 The Big Thrill
Boston Public Library03/28/12-
07/30/12Forgotten Chapters of Boston’s Literary History
Boston Public Library03/05/12-
03/26/12Monday Night Film Series: Women's History Month
Boston Public Library02/17/12 Infant/Toddler Sing-Along
Boston Public Library02/10/12-
03/15/12American Master Prints 1900-1960
Boston Public Library02/10/12-
03/12/12Treasures: 1482 to the Digital Age
Boston Public Library02/10/12-
03/12/12Unconventional Maps: Exploring the Stories of Cartographic Curiosities
Boston Public Library02/10/12-
03/30/12From Pen to Print: the Handwriting Behind the Book
Boston Public Library02/06/12-
02/27/12Monday Night Film Series: Black and Beautiful: Celebrating African American Actresses
Boston Public Library02/04/12 CALLS FOR SCORES: A Detailed Discussion of the Submission and Evaluation Process
Boston Public Library12/03/11 City-Wide Friends Book Sale
Boston Public Library12/01/11 Lowell Lecture: Tony Horwitz
Boston Public Library11/29/11 Author Talk: Gregory Maguire
Boston Public Library11/17/11 Author Talk: Claire Tomalin
Boston Public Library11/09/11 Author Talk: Niall Ferguson
Boston Public Library11/03/11 Author Talk: Ha Jin
Boston Public Library11/01/11-
02/29/12Art & Architecture Tours
Boston Public Library11/01/11-
12/31/11Home Front: Boston and the Civil War
Boston Public Library11/01/11-
12/30/11Torn in Two: The 150th Anniversary of the Civil War
Boston Public Library09/25/11 Literary Lights for Children
Boston Public Library09/24/11 Curiosity Day!
Boston Public Library08/26/11 The Lemonshiners featuring Sam Cornish
Boston Public Library08/19/11 American Century Music
Boston Public Library08/12/11 Akiko Kobayashi
Boston Public Library08/05/11 Silvina Moreno
Boston Public Library07/29/11 Aires de Argentina
Boston Public Library07/22/11 Will Dailey
Boston Public Library07/15/11 Mass Theatrica
Boston Public Library07/08/11 Atlas Soul
Boston Public Library07/01/11 Pleasant Sweaters
Boston Public Library06/24/11 American Century Music
Boston Public Library06/03/11 Raviv Markovitz Quartet
Boston Public Library04/08/11 First Books: Emerging Authors Share their Experience
Boston Public Library04/08/11 Grant Writing Workshop
Boston Public Library04/07/11 Featured Writers Reading
Boston Public Library04/07/11 What a New Generation of Young Art Critics Thinks
Boston Public Library04/07/11 Selected Conference Attendees’ Reading
Boston Public Library12/14/10 Love Songs & Holiday Cheer
Boston Public Library11/13/10 From Bayreuth to Hollywood: Richard Wagner and the Art of Cinema
Boston Public Library07/16/10 American Century Music's "Eclectic Trio" concert at Boston Public Library
Boston Public Library06/25/10 American Century Music's Boston Public Library Courtyard Concert
Boston Public Library10/14/09 Opera at the Boston Public Library
Boston Public Library06/10/09 Author Talk: Robin Abrahams
Boston Public Library05/28/09-
05/31/10Art & Architecture Tour
Boston Public Library04/25/09 Boston Is Watching
Boston Public Library
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State & Local Resources
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WITH ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF OUR REGIONAL PARTNERS
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