McKim Building of the Boston Public Library - Boston, MA - Architecture Prizes on Waymarking.com

In 1880, the Boston Public Library needed a larger building to accommodate its holdings. Architect Charles Follen McKim was chosen to design a new building at the corner of Dartmouth Street and Boylston Street. It opened in 1895 and cost $2,268,000.

The rectangular Renaissance Revival, Beaux-Arts style building features a open air courtyard in the center. The building has four levels. The lower level contains the conference rooms. The first floor has exhibition halls, an orientation room, a map room and a cafe. The second floor has the huge Bates Reading Room, the Abbey room which displays the 15 panel mural by Edwin Austin Abbey "The Quest for the Holy Grail", the Chavannes Room with the paintings of the Muses by Pierre Puvis de Chavannes, the reference room, delivery room, and Boylston, Elliot and Washington Rooms. The third floor has the Sargent Gallery for the "Triumph of Religion" paintings of John Singer Sargent.

The main circulating collection is now housed in the adjacent Johnson Building that opened in 1972.

Sources:

AIA Gold Medal Recipients: (visit link)

Boston Central Library Floor Plan: (visit link)

McKim Building Points of Interest: (visit link)

Wikipedia (Boston Public Library, McKim Building): (visit link)

Architect: Charles Follen McKim Prize received: AIA Gold Medal In what year: 1909 Website about the Architect: [Web Link] Website about the building: [Web Link]

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