Massachusetts General Hospital, Bulfinch Building facts for kids
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Massachusetts General Hospital
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An early view of the Bulfinch Building
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 Location in Boston
Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
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| Location | Fruit Street, Boston, Massachusetts |
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| Area | 4 acres (1.6 ha) |
| Built | 1818 |
| Built by | Alexander Parris |
| Architect | Charles Bulfinch |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 70000682 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | December 30, 1970 |
| Designated NHL | December 30, 1970 |
The Bulfinch Building is a very important part of the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts. It was designed by a famous architect named Charles Bulfinch. Construction began in 1818 and finished in 1823. Later, it was made much bigger between 1844 and 1846.
This building is a National Historic Landmark. This means it's a special place recognized for its history. It's a great example of a building style called Classical Revival. It's also one of the few old public hospital buildings from the early 1800s that is still standing. Inside, you'll find the Ether Dome. This is an old operating room. It's famous because it was where doctors first publicly showed how to use ether to make patients sleep during surgery.
What Does the Bulfinch Building Look Like?
The Bulfinch Building is a long, rectangular building with two floors. In the middle of its longest side, there's a huge entrance with tall columns. This is called an Ionic portico. The building is made from white granite stone. It has a sloped roof.
The center part of the building has a square attic section. There are chimneys at the corners. In the very center, there's a round, shallow dome. Over the years, the inside of the building has been changed many times. This was done to meet the hospital's changing needs.
History of the Bulfinch Building
Charles Bulfinch designed the building in 1817. It was built over the next five years by Alexander Parris. When it was first built, the building had smaller sections on the sides. It could hold about 73 patients.
The building was made much larger between 1844 and 1846. Five more sections were added to each side. This almost doubled the building's size. The original entrance hall, designed by Bulfinch, was also changed a lot.
The Famous Ether Dome
Bulfinch's design included an operating room under the dome. He might have gotten this idea from the Pennsylvania Hospital building. He probably saw it during a visit in 1816. This operating room is now known as the Ether Dome.
On October 16, 1846, something very important happened here. It was the first time doctors publicly showed how to use ether to make someone unconscious for surgery. This was a huge step forward in medicine. Because of this event, the Ether Dome was named a National Historic Landmark in 1965.
The entire Bulfinch Building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970. It was also named a National Historic Landmark that year. It was recognized for its beautiful Classical Revival style. It's also one of the oldest public hospital buildings in the United States. Today, the Bulfinch Building is surrounded by the much larger, modern parts of the hospital.
