Boston Public Library, McKim Building facts for kids
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Boston Public Library
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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Boston Public Library, McKim Building in Copley Square
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| Location | Boston, Massachusetts |
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| Built | 1895 |
| Architect | Charles Follen McKim; McKim, Mead and White |
| Architectural style | Renaissance Revival, Beaux-Arts |
| Part of | Back Bay Historic District (ID73001948) |
| NRHP reference No. | 73000317 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | May 6, 1973 |
| Designated NHL | February 24, 1986 |
| Designated CP | August 14, 1973 |
The McKim Building is the main building of the Boston Public Library. You can find it in Copley Square in Boston, Massachusetts. When it opened in 1895, people called it a "palace for the people."
This amazing building holds the library's special research collections. It also has cool exhibit rooms and offices. Inside, you'll see beautiful decorations. It even had the first children's room in the whole country! There's a peaceful central courtyard, like a fancy garden, surrounded by arches. The library often shows off its rare books, old papers, and artworks in special exhibits.
Contents
History of the Library Building
How the Library Started
The Boston Public Library began in 1852. Its first location opened in 1854. It was in two small, dimly lit rooms at the Adams School on Mason Street. Because that space was too small, a new building opened in 1858 at 55 Boylston Street. This new library cost $365,000 and could hold 70,000 books.
Building the McKim Library
By 1880, the library needed an even bigger home for its growing collection. So, a famous architect named Charles Follen McKim was chosen. He worked for the firm McKim, Mead, and White. McKim designed the grand new building at the corner of Dartmouth Street and Boylston Street. It opened in 1895 and cost $2.268 million. This huge library could hold 2 million books!
Amazing Architecture and Art
Design of the McKim Building
Charles Follen McKim's design for the library was inspired by many famous buildings. For example, the front of the building, facing Copley Square, looks a bit like the Bibliothèque Sainte-Geneviève in Paris. The arched windows on the side are similar to a building in Rimini, Italy, called the Tempio Malatestiano.
The open-air courtyard in the middle of the library is like the 16th-century Palazzo della Cancelleria in Rome. In the center of this courtyard is a copy of a statue called Bacchante and Infant Faun. It's one of the most famous works by Frederick William Macmonnies.
Cool Building Technology
McKim also used new building technology. The library was one of the first big buildings in the United States to use a special system of thin tile vaults. These are called catalan vaults. They were brought from Spain by a builder named Rafael Guastavino. You can see seven different types of these Guastavino vaults in the library. What's cool is that the ceramic tile patterns are visible inside. In earlier projects, these vaults were usually covered with plaster.
Grand Entrance and Sculptures
The main entrance has three large arches. Inside each arch are bronze doors made by Daniel Chester French in 1904. These doors show artistic pictures of things like Music, Poetry, Knowledge, Wisdom, Truth, and Romance.
Next to the entrance, you'll see two statues. One represents Science and the other Art. These were made by Bela Pratt in 1912. Above the arches are the seals of Massachusetts, the Library, and the city of Boston.
A Landmark Building
The McKim building is very important for its architecture and history. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. Then, in 1986, it became a National Historic Landmark. This means it's considered a truly special place in the United States. It was the first major building in the United States built in the Beaux-Arts style. It was also the first large city library building in the country.
Beautiful Murals Inside
The library is famous for its amazing murals, which are large paintings on the walls.
- One set of murals is by John Singer Sargent. It's called The Triumph of Religion and is considered one of his best works. It was recently cleaned and restored.
- Another famous series of murals is by Edwin Austin Abbey. These paintings tell the story of the Grail legend.
- There are also paintings of the Muses of Inspiration and other ideas by Pierre Puvis de Chavannes. These murals were painted on linen and then attached to the library walls. They are the only murals by Puvis outside of France.
Messages on the Walls
McKim wanted the building to have important messages carved into its stone, like old Roman buildings.
- On the south side, it says: "FOUNDED THROUGH THE MUNIFICENCE AND PUBLIC SPIRIT OF CITIZENS" (meaning it was started by generous citizens).
- On the east side, it says: "THE PUBLIC LIBRARY OF THE CITY OF BOSTON • BUILT BY THE PEOPLE AND DEDICATED TO THE ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING" (meaning it was built by the people to help learning).
- On the north side, it says: "THE COMMONWEALTH REQUIRES THE EDUCATION OF THE PEOPLE AS THE SAFEGUARD OF ORDER AND LIBERTY" (meaning education helps keep society safe and free).
Above the main entrance, it proudly says: "FREE TO ALL". Below the second-story windows, you can find lists of names of famous writers, artists, scientists, and thinkers.
Across the street, there's a monument to the poet Kahlil Gibran. He was an immigrant who learned a lot at the Boston Public Library. The monument has a quote from him: "IT WAS IN MY HEART TO HELP A LITTLE, BECAUSE I WAS HELPED MUCH." This shows how much the library meant to him.
Bates Hall: A Special Reading Room
Bates Hall is named after Joshua Bates, who was a very generous supporter of the library. A writer once called Bates Hall "vast and hushed and illuminated with a profusion of green lampshades like fireflies." It's a very peaceful and important place for reading.
The design of Bates Hall is like an old Roman basilica. The ceiling has strong, decorative squares called coffers. These make the ceiling look like a beautiful sculpted canopy. On the east side, there are many arched windows that let in soft light.
Amazing Collections for Research
The Boston Public Library has a huge research collection. It includes more than 1.7 million rare books and old papers!
Here are some cool things you can find in the collection:
- Very old books from the Middle Ages.
- Early editions of plays by William Shakespeare.
- A large collection of Spanish literature.
- Many works by Daniel Defoe, who wrote Robinson Crusoe.
- Records from early Boston history.
- The personal library of John Adams, one of America's founding fathers.
- Important papers about the movement to end slavery, including those of William Lloyd Garrison.
- Many old prints, photographs, postcards, and maps.
- One of the biggest collections of drawings by Thomas Rowlandson.
The library is also very strong in music. It holds the old papers of the Handel and Haydn Society. It also has music scores from famous composers like Serge Koussevitzky and Walter Piston.
Images for kids
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Cornerstone laying, 1888
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Under construction, 1889
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First floor plan
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Under construction, 1890
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Bates Hall in the late 19th century
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Exterior view
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Courtyard looking north with the campanile of Old South Church in the background.
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Early postcard
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View west across Copley Square, 1920
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Henry Vane in the vestibule
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Detail of the Knowledge door
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Detail of Science
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Dancing Bacchante and Infant Faun, ca.2006.
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Main Entrance with Arts in 2007
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Entrance stairway, ca. 2010
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View down the entrance stairway in 2014
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Detail of Science in 2014
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Night view looking southwest
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See also
