Boston Public Library | |
 Boston Public Library, McKim Building in Copley Square | |
| Location | Boston, Massachusetts |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 42°20′58″N 71°4′41″W / 42.34944°N 71.07806°W |
| 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 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | May 6, 1973[1] |
| Designated NHL | February 24, 1986 |
| Designated CP | August 14, 1973 |
The McKim Building is the main branch of the Boston Public Library at Copley Square in Boston, Massachusetts. The building, described upon its 1895 opening as a "palace for the people", contains the library's research collection, exhibition rooms, and administrative offices. The building includes lavish decorations, a children's room (the first in the nation), and a central courtyard surrounded by an arcaded gallery in the manner of a Renaissance cloister. The library regularly displays its rare works, often in exhibits that will combine works on paper, rare books, and works of art. Several galleries in the third floor of the McKim building are maintained for exhibits.
