Boston Public Library, McKim Building

The McKim Building stands on Copley Square and presents an Italian palace facade with large arched windows and a broad granite staircase. The courtyard in the center follows the model of a Roman palazzo and opens to the sky with a surrounding arcade of columns.

The library opened in 1895 after seven years of construction and became the first major public building in Boston designed after Italian Renaissance palaces. Architect Charles Follen McKim worked with artists and craftsmen from Europe to create murals, sculptures, and decorative tiles.

Pierre Puvis de Chavannes created his only mural work outside France for this library, harmonizing with the interior decorative elements.

The reading rooms on the upper floor offer tables with lamps and large windows that let in daylight. Visitors can walk through the corridors with murals and step into the courtyard without booking a tour.

The staircase at the main entrance displays two marble lion sculptures that visitors often touch and have polished smooth over time. The ceiling in one of the reading rooms carries star constellations made of golden mosaic that become visible only under certain light conditions.

Location: Boston

Inception: 1887

Architects: Charles Follen McKim, Philip Johnson

Architectural style: Renaissance Revival architecture

Floors below the ground: 2

Address: 700 Boylston St, Boston, MA 02117

Website: https://bpl.org

GPS coordinates: 42.34920,-71.07874

Latest update: December 5, 2025 22:31