Boston Public Library Reviews

Really cool library to check out. There's a historic feeling side and a more modern feeling side. Just walking around and feeling how "grand" it is is worth a visit.

One of Americas best libraries. There's a reason it's so well known. Amazing architecture and iconic study areas.

The BPL is an amazing landmark and continues it's relevance to the city with it's new renovations. Enjoy quiet and scholarly spaces in the old wing or modern and bright nooks in the renovated areas. Free wifi and plenty of seating. A cafe and even a spot for afternoon tea. The courtyard hosts free music on many Fridays. This place is an academic, historical, and architectural hallmark of the city. Worth a quick walk through for tourists and a great study spot or afternoon in for the student or citizen.

Worth a visit to this incredibly beautiful library, which is more like a museum. It's free and open to the public, and as far as I could tell, no issues with pictures as well, though I recommend turning off flash since there are legitimate people working and studying in the library.

The murals and paintings that decorate the walls of the library are amazing to view, especially the Holy Grail quest. There is also a rare books collections which is accessible to the public. All free and definitely worth it.

Historic, prominent institution, but unprofessional staff.

An excellent place to visit if you are a tourist or a student!!! Quiet and interactive environments and art works carved all over its walls and ceilings!!!

A great place to learn and study, the old architecture of the building mixes with the new modern part very good and it has a place for all your needs.

The library is beautiful, with so much art and so many tucked away rooms that you can wander for ages seeing dioramas, old printing presses, and all kinds of rooms to read or work in. The top floor has a room with little balconies that open out to the fountain and courtyard below. In the summer there are free lunch concerts. It's a great place to stop into by yourself for a quiet afternoon.

There are a large number of super mutants in tight quarters here. Bring a shotgun and a semi-automatic rifle.

Very nice library. Very large with multiple floors and a ton of books. Free to get into with an optional donation box. Architecture is amazing and a peaceful place to get away from the busy streets. They plenty of beautiful murals on the walls. Definitely a must see if you are in Boston.

Favorite library. I work right in Copley, so having the library right there is so great. Being able to put a book on hold online and go pick it up couldn't be easier.

Huge library with a great collection of books and movies.

Gorgeous art and marble work. Absolutely picture worthy. Check out the new wing as well.

Beautiful place, well organized, fantastic selection and friendly staff.

Best free knowledge resource in Boston! Most staff are exceptionally helpful AND competent. Tech Central staff are incredibly patient, tolerant, and knowledgeable - truly a great team! And the WGBH News Cafe staff, led by Karen, are wonderful, engaging, polite, and helpful. This facility is a model of what contemporary libraries could be.

Very nice library, with interesting paintings and sculptures!

Visited very few rooms here because our time was limited, but it was really impressive!

We came to look at the art. Well worth the trip. Beautiful! Just beautiful!!

There is no joke but I respect those who want to go

Absolutely amazing building! Highly recommend checking it out, so much to see and it's free to explore!

One of the most beautiful libraries I've ever seen.

So peaceful and the murals are magnificent ... I especially enjoyed the laminated guides with detailed information so one can understand what you are viewing!

Beautiful place inside, stunning gardens outside. Good for pictures and/or study.

Not just a public library, if you happen to be in Boston, this place is worth a visit. Daily guided tours on Art & Architectural insights will provide you with a very interesting perspective of this place.
Free to wander within the compounds of this Library, it also offers a peaceful & serene respite from the busy streets outside.

Go see the Lions, inside and out, marvel at the art work, and ask why 90 percent of US Libraries are hideous.

Employees are very magnificence and mastery their work with their distinctive guidance ... The place is very magnificence; combines the middle era in history with our current age of speed ...

The Boston Public Library is such a beautiful building inside and out!

An essential step during a visit to Boston!

Located on the vibrant Place Copley square, this library, whose building dates from the middle of the XIXth Century, is of beautiful architecture.

The staircase leading to the great hall is awe-inspiring.

Upstairs, the atmosphere is studious and cozy, the furniture contributes to it: noble wooden tables, where the famous green lampshades are arranged.

In the middle of the building, a patio resembling a cloister, with its fountain in the center.

Take a look!

I waited an hour and a half for a computer. I was the first one there. People cut in front of me. They were all given computers and the lady told me to leave. Then they went and disable the computer reservations so that I would not be able to get one.

Beautiful library, classic must-see for Boston tourists. If you're looking for a place to study, be advised that the new side is so smelly! They did a big beautiful renovation and included a cafe, but as a result of the cafe, the entire new building stinks and not of yummy cooking food, but it smells like chemicals. It smells like burning plastic. Gross. I asked and a staff member said that it always smells like that when they cook a specific food. It's not all the time but it comes and goes. When it's bad, it makes me wonder if we're all breathing in toxins. Not sure if something is too close to a heating element as a result of a design flaw or what, but this is not a food smell. It's a chemical smell. Gross! Otherwise, beautiful library with helpful librarians and lovely new brightly colored spaces. Children's area is a must see for anyone with kids.

Beautiful architecture, it is the 2nd library of the United States! In addition, she owes her foundation to a French ventriloquist and philanthropist: Alexandre Vattemare! A must during a stay in Boston!

It was a wonderful library as if it came to the world of Harry Potter.

Simply, this place can't be bigger!
good looking! highly recommended!
If it is not a landmark, it is not a landmark.
Really worthwhile this trip

One of the best libraries with the best architecture. The environment inside the library is very silent and quite. You will see many visitors just visiting the library to see the interiors. The desks and benches are quite comfortable and they have enough light. At times it may be annoying where people just come in to take pictures inside, but if you find your silent peace spot, you would love the study environment.

Beautiful library. Walk inside and just take a stroll.

Loved the architecture of this place. Definitely worth a visit if you're interested in historic visual splendor.

Great study spot! If you are visiting, I highly recommend the art tour. It s only an hour, free, and super interesting. The tour guide was fantastic!

All Massachusetts residents are eligible to receive a BPL card.

The Boston Public Library is one of the more technologically advanced libraries I ve ever been to. The architecture of the building is interesting, they have a lot of good resources, and some informative events are held here as well. I figured it would be a little bigger, but it has everything a good public library needs.

Beautiful library with both modern and historical sections. Extremely grand, Renaissance architecture. Good for photo ops.

Reading is one of my favourite things to do and this library is one of the best places to go. It s amazing, the architecture inside and outside it s just wonderful!!

This place is enormous. About half of the library is historic featuring murals and ornate ceilings in almost every room. The other half is a lot more modern and intended to be functional. If I lived downtown, I think I might be here almost daily.

Apart from the cultural aspects of this space, the location is great. Additionally, the Boston Public Libraries (BPL) offer a ton of services, such as free or discounted attraction passes to nearby museums and aquariums. If you are a resident of Boston and not a member of BPL, you should join and support literacy!

complaint is the need for more hours. reduce reference staff on weekends and after hours like university libraries. the city could have saved money by paying for people's internet service. i saw some Macs on the M level a room of them and want to know what they are going to be used for. i like the convenient location of the library.

This building is now one of my favorites. As an interior designer, I really appreciate architecture and beautiful design. Great place to hangout. The courtyard is gorgeous.

Beautiful place! Love going on weekends to get work done. I recommend you arrive early to get a good seat/desk.

History of knowledge for all. Thus a cultured nation is formed! Free to All.

It is an incredible building. Worth visiting, as much for its architectural interest as for its artistic wealth.

came here for a wedding! beautiful venue in the outdoor courtyard. beautiful private section for the cocktail hour. totally unexpectedly blown away!

Breathtakingly beautiful and so essential to understanding the story of this proud city.

Delicious lobster roll. Fast and friendly service.

It looks like that kind of normal building besides the highway, but after walking in, you will find it looks like the "Roma city" in imagination.

Amazing heritage library , was nice to see that US has protected public libraries in the current digital world

Public library with the importance of education on the wall. The atmosphere that raises the desire for comfort and reading! Must accompany children

Amazingly gorgeous building. Wanted to check out the Koussevitzky room but it was sadly being renovated. A must see building.

This is the first public library in the USA. And it s the most architecturally impressive American public library that I have been to. Definitely worth a visit. Walking inside the building and into the courtyard reminds me of visiting a museum in Europe.

One of the iconic buildings of the city. A must visit

One of the most beautiful libraries I ve ever visited. The details of the ceilings, the sculptures, the mosaics, all those old books and wooden shelves everywhere, plus the kindness of the staff... Amazing place.

It is one of the best places that I have visited modern and at the same time with a touch of neo-Renaissance with paintings captured on the museum-style walls.

The library, founded in 1848, was the first in the United States to allow visitors to borrow books and other materials and use them at home and is the second largest library in the United States in terms of the number of volumes archived. The spacious staircase leads to Bates Hall, the library reading room. The barrel vault of the hall with its coffered ceiling is impressive. The large reading room is equipped with Internet and power connections, which are housed inconspicuously under the large table tops.

The Boston Public Library is amazing! The Bates Room on the second floor is something straight out of a movie. There is a courtyard outside for you to relax and enjoy the architecture, and the breeze blowing by. There are also several art pieces spread around the library. The inside is pristine and well maintained. Before you enter the library, there is a security checkpoint. They also have high tea in one of the rooms, we didn t participate because we went with our little one. We also took her to the second building where they have a huge children section for her to explore and for us to rest.

A great downtown library that clearly services the needs of it's community! I was happy to see so many people using the space to read, relax, and sit back. There is a free architectural tour that takes place every now and then that I highly recommend. I hope to come back!

Awesome place, and there are a lot of diffent section of books. Every first Saturday of an even month they do the Friends of the Library Booksale. If you want newer books for a fraction of the cost this is the event to go to

Boston Public Library at Copley is a library worth of Boston as the ultimate college town. Expansive with very modern furniture. Great place to study or work from. I am lovin' it!

Absolutely beautiful! Must see if you love architecture.

That old library is totally awesome. U most go to it when u come to Boston.

Amazingly beautiful building! More impressive than New York Public Library in my opinion

Beautiful library and one of my parts about visiting Boston. However, with all the history associated with the library, it would have been nice to get some information on the paintings and murals. We walked around and just had to guess at what the history was behind the art. At this point, it's practically a museum with its beauty and art--should supplement the tourism with helpful, historic information throughout library.

The library itself is beautiful both inside and out. They also have farmers markets in front of the main entrance which is cool. The cafes are also convenient, but they have very odd hours, particularly the Map cafe which was closed on a Sunday. A really cool place to visit with family and friends, would recommend to anyone looking for a fun time in Boston!

This is truly a grand and magnificent library! You can also come here during the summertime to listen to musical performances.