Mary Baker Eddy Library facts for kids
The Mary Baker Eddy Library is a special place in Boston, Massachusetts. It's like a big library and museum. Here, you can find important papers from Mary Baker Eddy. She was the person who started Christian Science.
The library is on Massachusetts Avenue. It is part of the Christian Science Center. The building used to be for the Christian Science Publishing Society. The library keeps all of Mary Baker Eddy's letters and writings. These have been open for people to see since 2002. The library also has cool exhibits. One of the most famous is the Mapparium. This is a huge stained-glass globe you can walk inside! It shows the world as it looked in 1934.
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The Publishing Society Building
The Christian Science Publishing Society building is one of many buildings. They are all part of the Christian Science Plaza. The plaza was made bigger in the 1970s. An architect named Araldo Cossutta helped design it. The building itself is made of limestone and granite. It was designed by Chester Lindsay Churchill.
This building once held all the Church's publishing work. This included big printing presses. You can see special words carved on the outside of the building. These words include Purity, Mercy, Peace, Faith, Hope, and Love. There are also verses from the Bible.
Explore the Mapparium
The Mapparium is the main attraction at the library. It is a giant globe made of 608 stained-glass panels. It is as tall as a three-story building! Visitors walk through the middle of the globe. They use a glass bridge that is thirty feet long. When you stand in the center, you can see the whole world. It looks just like a real globe, without any flat map distortions.
The Mapparium has some amazing sound effects too. These were not planned! Because it's a round glass room, sounds act strangely. If you stand in the very middle, your voice sounds like it's all around you. It's like you are speaking into your own ears. Also, if you whisper from one end of the bridge, someone at the other end can hear you clearly. This is called a "whispering gallery" effect.
The Mapparium was built in 1935. Most of the glass panels are still the originals. Only one panel has been replaced. When you visit, you might notice old country names. For example, Africa is shown as many colonies. The USSR is shown as one big country. In 2002, new LED lights were added. They light up the globe and play music. This helps show how the world has changed since 1935.
Old Books and Papers
Historic Bible Collection
The library has more than 460 old Bibles. This includes some very rare ones. There is a Coverdale Bible from 1535. There is also a Tyndale Bible from 1550. You can also see first editions of other famous Bibles. These include the Matthew Bible (1537) and the King James Bible (1611). You can see these Bibles at the library. Some are also available to view online.
Mary Baker Eddy's Writings
Since 2014, the library has been putting Mary Baker Eddy's papers online. You can find them at mbepapers.org. This collection has over 28,000 letters she wrote. It also has more than 35,000 letters sent to her. You can also find her sermons and other writings.
Researching History
The library's archives opened to researchers in 2002. These archives have helped many people learn about history. The Research & Reference Services are on the fourth floor. Here, you can look at original items. These items tell the story of Mary Baker Eddy's life. They also show how the church she started grew.
The collections include letters, old writings, and photos. There are also books, videos, and other materials. These are great for deep research. Some special collections include the Calvin A. Frye diaries. There are also records from the church and publishing society.
Sometimes, scholars can get special help. The library offers short-term research fellowships. These help people do their own research.
See also
In Spanish: Biblioteca Mary Baker Eddy para niños
