Art & Architecture Tours at the Central Library

The landmark Central Library in Copley Square features notable architecture spanning three centuries, as well as treasured art and decorative installations within. A summary of key points of interest can be found on our Art & Architecture page.

Public Art & Architecture tours are free of charge and run at the following times:

Mondays at 2:00 pm
Tuesdays at 2:00 pm
Thursdays at 6:00 pm
Fridays at 11:00 am
Saturdays at 11:00 am
Sundays at 2:00 pm

Tours last approximately one hour and start in the McKim Building Vestibule, just through the Dartmouth Street entrance. Tours are subject to guide availability.

Unauthorized guides are not permitted to lead tours within the library. When planning your visit, please make note of days when the library will be closed due to holidays; inclement weather may also affect opening hours.

Interested in joining a public tour?

Public tours are currently limited to 30 people per tour guide, and we ask that individual parties larger than five people refrain from joining the public tours so as not to overcrowd the group.

We do not take reservations. To claim your spot on the tour, when you arrive at the library, head to the McKim Building Welcome Desk (which is right through the library entrance on Dartmouth Street). There, a staff member can give you and each member of your party a sticker to wear to signify you as a member of the tour group. Staff will start handing these stickers out an hour before the tour starts, and on a first-come, first-served basis.

All student visits must be scheduled and receive approval ahead of time. Please contact the Tours office at tours@bpl.org or 617-859-2216 at least one month but no more than two months in advance to inquire about booking a school visit/tour. School group visits must provide one adult chaperone per 10 students.

Grades K-12: Offerings may vary depending on the age of the students. In general, we do not coordinate visits that last more than one hour. Please contact the Tours office at tours@bpl.org or 617-859-2216 for more details.

College classes: College professors are welcome to lead their students on self-guided visits through the building. We allow classes of up to 30 people, but do not book any self-guided visits during our public tour times. Please reach out to the Tours office at tours@bpl.org or 617-859-2216 at least a month in advance to receive approval for a self-guided visit.

For any groups that are interested in a visit to the Norman B. Leventhal Map & Education Center, please visit their website.

All visitors are welcome to visit the library and explore on their own any time during the library’s open hours; you do not need to be on one of our public tours to visit. Groups of more than 5 people must register with the Tours Office at least one month ahead of your planned visit. Please contact tours@bpl.org or 617.859.2216 to register.

Please note that non-BPL affiliated tour guides are not permitted to lead tours inside the library as it is in violation of the library’s Appropriate Use Policy.

The following materials provide much of the same information that is shared on our guided tours and may be useful for those visiting that are not able to join a guided tour:

• Art & Architecture Virtual Booklet (also available in print format at both entrances to the Central Library)
• Central Library Points of Interest

The Boston Public Library strives to make our resources accessible to all users through a variety of collections, services, and specialized equipment. The McKim Building has Art & Architecture points of interest across three public floors. Each floor is reachable by elevator if you are not able to use the stairs. If you have any questions about accessibility on our public Art & Architecture tours, please email tours@bpl.org or call 617.859.2216. For further information about accessibility at the Central Library, see our accessibility page.

For more information about the program requirements and the responsibilities of volunteer Art & Architecture tour guides, please refer to the position overview. While applications are reviewed and candidates contacted on a rolling basis, we are not always in a position to onboard new guides. Interested candidates should complete the application and return to tours@bpl.org. Please contact tours@bpl.org or call 617.859.2216 if you have an questions.