The Mary Baker Eddy Library — Attraction in Boston

oOoOO, I'm not religious in any way, but the Mapparium at the Christian Science Mary Baker Eddy Library is impressive, inspiring, and dazzling. It's not preachy in the least. You enter across a glass bridge into the interior center of an enormous, illuminated stained glass globe of the Earth, with countries delineated and defined as they were back in 1937, when it was constructed.

Upon entering the "room", you discover that your voice whispered on one side of the bridge can be heard clearly by someone on the opposite side, and words uttered in the center echo back to your ears in surround sound - a surreal and super cool experience!

The stained glass covers every inch, and is lit from behind with many lights. The doors close, and you are treated to a 15-minute light show, with the lights behind the colors shifting and highlighting different areas of the globe, while the calming narration and environmental sounds of birds, water, children playing, etc., thrill your ears with the story of our species' progress in the area of human rights, environmental awareness, and triumphs of modernizations to help mitigate poverty, hunger, child labor, and other social ills.

Again, all spoken in a very inspiring and encouraging tone, not at all proselytizing. Very well done, speaking to all humans.

Admission was extremely reasonable - $5 or $6 for adults, and even cheaper for students - all students, not just college students. And the employees and docents here were all so friendly and cheerful - especially the gentleman who sold our tickets to us, and was soooo friendly and kind!

This place is definitely worth a visit. The entire complex of church, library, reflecting pool, and library, together are such a tranquil and transcendent center.

PS - BONUS! The bathroom seems to be designed by the same people who created the...

This is a wonderful place to visit regardless of your religion. Came for the mapparium but stayed for everything else. Firstly, the space has beautiful in architecture and design. No details were missed from the bathrooms to the door handles. Just beautiful. The new exhibit they set up is extremely well done. It uses some of the latest technology- including large computer tables and an AR mapping book - to tell a story. They clearly worked with a good company to do it as it is really well done. Even computer table cases are customized. As a person who manages an innovation center, I have full respect for the technology and design that went into these exhibits. The staff was incredibly helpful and answered all our questions. Regardless of your beliefs, Mary is a rare example of a women founding a religion, and the story of how she did that is interesting. Lastly, I would like to address the people who are worried that 'they are going to try to convert me'. This is nonsense. I have been to churches, temples, and mosques around the world. And anything that is open to tourists is not trying to convert you. But they do expect you to respect their story, so be nice. This library does a great job of telling a good story and sharing a universal message of global human progress. It's an open place that anyone can feel comfortable in. (Note: I am NOT a member of this chuch).

So check his place out. It's...

$6 per adult and kids have free entry and the do not allow strollers Recommend reservation but staff is very cooperative and kind.

Visiting the Mapparium at the Mary Baker Eddy Library in Boston was a truly unique and memorable experience. Unlike any other globe or map display, the Mapparium allows you to actually step inside a three-story stained-glass globe and view the world as it was in 1935. The moment you enter the glass bridge at the center of the sphere, you’re surrounded by a brilliant kaleidoscope of color and history. Seeing the political boundaries of countries from nearly a century ago gives a fascinating perspective on how much the world has changed.

It was updated as i remember 10 year ago. One of the most striking features is the acoustics. Due to the perfect spherical shape, sound travels in unusual ways — whispers can be heard clearly across the bridge, and voices echo in surprising directions. The tour guide explained this phenomenon and encouraged us to try it, which added a fun interactive element...