Boston Public Library

Boston Public Library is America’s first public library of its kind, a free municipal system serving the city through the Central Library in Copley Square and 27 neighborhood branches. Its collection tops 33 million items, and it offers online service around the clock. For visitors, the Central Library is also a destination in its own right, with free exhibitions, architecture, and events, and it appears in tourism listings as a museum and special event venue.

Established in 1848, the library opened the McKim Building, its Renaissance Revival landmark on Copley Square, in 1895. Current exhibitions include “Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness” at the Central Library. Author talks, genealogy sessions, film series, and heritage month events fill the calendar, while digital collections share rare holdings such as medieval and early Renaissance manuscripts and photographs of the McKim Building under construction.

What to Know

• The library is listed among Boston’s wheelchair accessible experiences.
• A free library card unlocks streaming, downloads, and an A-Z list of online resources.
• The public can submit general program proposals, and musicians can apply for a children’s musician residency.
• Business and career resources include the Kirstein Business Library.