Let's be open and honest upfront about this review. The library serves one purpose and it is to see the mapparium. I'm not sure what else you can see in the library and I don't know of any other reason you would go there except to see the mapparium. Many people argue that it's too expensive or a waste of money for a 15 minute tour of a large glass globe; however, I disagree. The mapparium really is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Not only are the countries on the globe from the early 1900s allowing you to see how much this world has evolved in toughly 85 years but sight and the acoustics of the mapparium are also stunning. Even our eight and six-year-olds thought it was a really cool 15 minute tour. It really puts in perspective your station on earth. I would absolutely recommend spending the money and checking out this cool piece of history. read more

The Mapparium is so cool! It was so cool to see all of the old countries and to see history stuck in one moment of time. Loved the whispering effect of being in a sphere, and all in all a really cool 20 minutes of your life. Used the Boston Go Card to go, and would recommend. read more

This review is for the Mapparium only. One of Will C.'s co-workers highly recommended that we stop by the Mapparium, which is located inside of the Mary Baker Eddy Library. Admission is $6 per person and the tour lasted about 15-20 minutes. The Mapparium is very impressive, but visitors are urged not to take photos as the map is trademarked. The map reflects what the world looked like circa 1935. It's fun to take a look at how much the world has changed since then. Once the tour is over, the tour guide lets you stay inside for a few more minutes to play around with the acoustics of the room. Although the experience was short, it definitely left a lasting impression on me. Highly recommend! read more

The Christian Science Monitor is a premier publication, and 70 or so years ago, they wanted to create a suitable headquarters for their operation. Thankfully for us, their vision included a 3 story tall glass sphere, painted with a political map of the world, that visitors could enter and admire. As stunning as the Mapparium must have been when it was created, it is possibly more amazing now for a few reasons: 1) It is a map of the world as it was in the mid 1930s. Colonial Africa and Middle East, a well as the Soviet Union are there for us to see. 2) A light show was added around the turn of the century (I like using that term) to showcase how the world has changed, and how it has stayed the same. 3) Because of the geometry of a concave globe, you can see so much of the world at a time, and realize how close Eastern Asia is to Alaska - shorter than some of the crossings of the Great Lakes! 4) Stupendous acoustic propeties abound. Standing under the north pole you hear your own voice echo back at yourself as if you possess the voice of a Deity. And people at the edges can whisper to each other across the bridge as it functions as a giant whisper gallery. Six Dollars very well spent for a unique and engaging exhibit. read more

One of my college friends at that prestigious Boston law school (you know the one) highly recommended the Mapparium in this library. It wasn't until after we arrived that we found out that it was part of the Christian Science Museum. Mary Baker Eddy is considered the founder of the Christian Science movement and the Christian Science Monitor. The Mapparium is a three-story, stained glass globe inside the library, designed by architect Chester Lindsay Churchill. You can only enter via the guided tour (every 20 minutes), complete with a cheesy LED lights presentation. You can also play the whispering game where if you whisper from one side of the platform, someone can hear you clearly on the other side. Similarly, if you whisper in the middle of the platform, you can hear yourself at all sides. Semi entertaining. Definitely want to have an a cappella rehearsal/concert here. The most fascinating part was just seeing how much a map from 1935 has changed. Sadly, no photos are allowed inside the Mapparium! The rest of the museum, mainly the second floor, is dedicated to the life and accomplishments of Mary Baker Eddy. Although it was interesting at times and it is certainly a unique museum in Boston, it's definitely a one time visit only. Exhibit and Shop hours: Tuesday-Sunday 10AM-6PM Ticket prices: $6 for adults, $4 for students read more

This might sound ignorant, but my friends and I entered the Mary Baker Eddy Library with no idea who Mary Baker Eddy was, just wanting to see the Mapparium. We paid $4 each (after showing student ID - it's $6 regular) to get access to the upstairs area and a ticket to see the Mapparium. We went upstairs and quickly learned that Mary Baker Eddy was the founder of Christian Science. To be honest, I had no clue what Christian Science was about until I read about it on Wikipedia later that night. Had I known that the Library was affiliated with a religious movement, I probably would not have visited it, so I'm actually glad that I was clueless when walking in. Though the upstairs area wasn't very interesting (lots of reading of small text, letters written by Mary Baker Eddy, etc.), we stuck around for our turn to see the Mapparium (there is a scheduled guided tour that lasts just a few minutes). The tour guide was informative and gave background information about the Mapparium...then we entered it - WOW! It is described as being three stories tall, and though it didn't seem that big while standing on the bridge, it was still very impressive. Sadly, photographs are not allowed while in the Mapparium, but truth be told, photos probably wouldn't do it justice anyway. The thing that really amazed me about the Mapparium was the acoustics in the room. As the tour guide explained, if you stand on one end of the bridge and whisper, a person on the other side of the bridge can hear you loud and clear. Also, if you stand in the middle of the bridge and speak, there's a surround sound effect. Very, very cool. Just be careful not to hold any private conversations while in the Mapparium, because everyone will hear what you're saying. I whispered to a friend that I'd take photos while the guide wasn't looking...and the whisper sounded like it was coming out of a loudspeaker. Whoops. Being inside the Mapparium once was enough for me, so I would not visit the Mary Baker Eddy Library again, but for anyone who hasn't seen it before, I'd definitely recommend taking the tour. It's well worth the $4-$6. read more

Being new to Boston, I made sure to get here within my first months. It still shocks me how many long time Bostonians have never been here (or never even heard about it!). If you're into Christian Science, then you'll probably enjoy all of the other features. However, most of us are there for the Mapparium and to see the cool building. I suggest taking your time to wander around and really see the building. It really is beautiful. The CS quotes being projected to move across the floor and water features make me want to giggle, but in an appreciated way. After you wait in the room of floating quotes and finally get into the Mapparium, it is AWESOME. You do have to sit through the "Sound and Lights Show" but there are some cool parts to it. If you've ever been to Australia it's really fun to stand in the middle of the globe and realize the distance. As an obsessive traveler, it's a perspective that I know I can't get anywhere else. (Side note for your inner child: I would definitely recommend trying to be the last ones out so you can stand on opposite sides and whisper to one another.) read more

I have been taking high school students to the Mapparium for the past 4 years. It is such an inspiring place that I always found myself w tears in my eyes after the 20 minute show. Besides the high school students, I have taken people from different ages, social economic and cultural groups. ( no, I make no commission! LOL!). Everyone loves it and thank me for introducing to such amazing place. AFFORDABLE, INSPIRING, CULTURAL, BREATHTAKING!!! read more

Okay, so I wasn't all that impressed with the museum aspect of it. And I found the staff a bit, um, uptight? BUT the MAPPARIUM made up for everything. Top 3 favorite things: 1) The mapparium is a big, colorful, amazing cool, replica of the world circa 1940ish. Imagine taking that cool globe every history teacher had in junior high and stepping inside of it. Now add lights and amazing acoustics. Yeah, it's that cool. 2) Um, if you stand in the middle you can hear yourself in surround sound. Enough said. 3) You really have no idea how big the continents are in relation to each other until Africa, to your right, is about twice the size of North America. And you realize that you're standing directly over the South Pole. And that the USSR (again, it's outdated) is bigger than the entire ceiling in your apartment. read more

To be honest, I didn't know this place existed until about three months ago, and I'm a Boston native. However, after reading the reviews and getting over my touristphobia I headed out to the Christian Science Center to see what all the hype was about. The Mapparium is definitely a must see experience. The 3D globe, awesome acoustics, and really eye-opening. But, to be honest its something I'll only do once. As cool as it was to walk through the globe and see the 15 minutes presentation while standing on the bridge, it's all a little too guided and you aren't supposed to take pictures or anything so there's no real variance in the experience once you do it once. The rest of the Mary Baker Eddy Library was interesting. The upstairs exhibits were really detailed and I appreciated the spaced out video presentations of her life. Definitely a must see for history-nerds like me. read more

We went to the library for the maparium tour. At $6/person to access an admittedly gorgeous and unique area, the staff first explained the no flash photography rule. Upon finally entering we were informed of a strict "no recording of any kind" policy and subjected to a very elementary around-the-world lite-n-bright presentation. While the artwork is phenomenal, don't waste your time. Even the Mona Lisa allows nonflash photography. read more

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Thank you for a wonderful evening at The Mary Baker Eddy Library, Hall of Ideas! Lisa and I so enjoyed Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author John Hughes of The Christian Science Monitor. We were able to talk with John and get an autographed copy of his latest book "Paper Boy to Pulitzer". A very special evening -- Thank you, Seaward & Lisa Grant read more

This review is solely based on Mapparium and we were able to get free admission with our First Night buttons on the last day of 2014. Nothing short of awe and shocking whispers of coolness to be able to stand inside the sphere depicting the entire globe with precise, scaled accuracy. The state of the world at its construction in 1935 is quite different than it is now today and the comparison that one inevitably does in one's head along with the recounting of historical events which led to the world as we live today only incites more profound interests, and definitely serves as a reminder of how far we've come in the intervening years. The tour is about 15 minutes long and then some time is given to marvel in the acoustic intricacies of standing in a sphere made of glass. Upstairs also contains histories of Mary Baker Eddy and her journey in founding Christian Science. Unique experience. Though the regular admission prices of $6 does seem a bit steep. read more

This is one of the cheaper attractions in Boston--$6 for adults, and $4 for students with ID--and if you pair it with a visit to the Christian Science Reflecting Pool/Plaza right next door (which is, of course, free), I'd say it's definitely worth it. I stopped by on a gnarly, rainy weekday since I was in the area and have been meaning to check it out anyway, and ended up getting a private tour of the Mapparium since there were no other visitors at that time. The Mapparium is approaching 90 years old, so at this point it's more of a beautiful historical relic than an accurate representation of the world. I wish I hadn't been limited to the time with a tour guide, since I could spend hours looking at the map and picking out the differences between the world as represented on the Mapparium and the modern world. The price of admission also gets you into the small museum upstairs, which details the life of Mary Baker Eddy and the founding of Christian Science. It's worth checking out even if you're iffy about Christian Science, or religion in general, since MBE was a pretty revolutionary female figure in a time when most women were expected to be quiet homemakers. read more

It was my last day in Boston and I was planning on forgoing the Mapparium...I'm so glad I didn't. The museum itself isn't very large, so you can be in and out in half and hour. I believe tours are every half-hour or hour, and are definitely worth it. Don't forget your camera as you'll definitely want to take some photos inside the museum. I'm definitely a fan. read more

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The Mapparium: a 3 story globe of the world! It was built in 1935, frozen in time and is made of stained glass panels, now back-lit with many LEDs. Pay your $6.00 entrance fee, and you can enter the globe and enjoy the Mapparium, the short show, and last but not least, the really cool sound effects. Check out the Mapparium ASAP. It's totally unique and really, really cool. read more

The Mapparium used to be one of my favorite things to do in Boston. But they changed it from an experience to a program. Programming here is a huge negative. It used to be 50 cents, and it is now 6 dollars. They tried and failed to make it "interactive", adding the usual flat-screen presentation and "special effects" lighting. The best part of the Mapparium sans tour guide, was discovering it for yourself, experiencing the acoustics, and being in a most unusual space. It was art, now it is explained to death. I still give a mediocre rating, but based on the hopeful fact that they could change it back to its original integrity. read more

The Mapparium room was very interesting indeed! I just wish there was more to the experience for the $6 I paid.

Got a Groupon for this place. The globe room itself is pretty cool - definitely worth the $5 groupon. It's prettty neat how voices are projected and you can hear other people whispering. I was surprised by how many people were willing to say naughty things knowing others could hear them. And the library was interesting. I didn't leave a Christian Scientist, but I left knowing how they're crazy. Yay no more ignorance! read more

I'm not here to hate on anybody's religious beliefs so I'm going to leave MBE out of this. The Mapparium is worth every bit of your $6 to look at the world in full color in a 365 degree view as it was in 1935. Simply amazing. It really stinks that you can't take photos. The architecture in the building is gorgeous. The globe is one of a kind. Don't do the "church" tour. read more

Great place to go on vacation with the family. There's books, and a 3 story glass globe you can go in! I know what I liked the best. I recommend exploring for a while afterwards as well. But shhhh this is a library. read more

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Old and rustic, the service here wasn't very polite but was very helpful. The seats were not very comfortable but it is a nice place to sit down briefly and wait to go to the Mapparium. Inside temp was warm not air conditioned well. read more

The Mary Baker Eddy Library - Museums Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

I came here for the Mapparium. The library itself is a whole different thing that I did not find much interest in. The Mapparium was something built within the library and requires a paid tour of 20 minutes to observe. It's very interesting to be standing inside the globe and see the world 360 degrees. Also cool sound effects inside the mapparium. It is pretty awesome except that it's so short and you do not get to take photos inside (bc it's copyrighted? I don't really understand, and was too scared to sneak a photo anyway). Overall, worth the visit! read more

Let's face it: most people come here to see a unique exhibit within the mother ship Christian Science Library called the Mapparium. It is an impressive, three-story spherical globe, depicting the world circa 1935. There is a bridge crossing the exact center, which makes for some very interesting and fun acoustics. Along with the live tour guide, there is a cheesy narration sequence containing some platitudes about "our changing world", synchronized to countries that light up! It's a very short tour (less than 20 minutes). The other public parts of the library are exhibits about CS; a history of Mary Baker Eddy (founder of CS) and of the "Christian Science Monitor." Both were really well done. The design of the space is also excellent, and there are comfy chairs in quiet corners, in case you just want to come in and relax quietly. They were pretty light on the actual details of the faith; even the interactive website provided few answers. My friend left, wishing they were a little bit clearer on what it entails. Well worth $6 and under an hour of your time to explore. read more

Look, you're going to go here because you are into Christian Science (a very intellectual, curious-minded philosophy based on Christianity) or the Maparium. I love maps, I love old maps, and the Maparium is just unlike anything I've seen. It's only $6 and they could frankly charge unsuspecting tourists more but the institution seems like it's run by good people and they must feel like they're making enough money. My wife was antsy so I didn't go to the history part but if the idea of walking inside a three-story glass globe based on 1935's political boundaries for countries interests you at all, you owe it to yourself to check it out. Just be aware that you have to have a guide walk you in so you may have to wait a few minutes. Also, if you need to download that movie to your iPad for the plane ride home, the wi-fi I got in the waiting area before the Maparium was something like 60mbs. Wow. read more

Definitely a must see- even if you're not a Christian. You aren't bombarded by Christianity in this 'Christian Science' center. The lobby and 'hall of ideas' is great! Projectors flash words all over the floor and walls to form different quotes. Projected words also float around the fountain. The architecture is beautiful. Of course, the main attraction is the Mapparium. Gorgeous and fascinating are UNDERSTATEMENTS! The museum of Mary's life is interesting. There are some videos and some exhibits that show some of her personal belongings. Worth $6 for adults $4 for students. read more

The maparium was amazing! I wanted to go see it when planning a trip to Boston and I'm so glad we went! There are no photos allowed inside, but the experience is worth it. read more

We came here to check out he Mapparium, a globe constructed entirely of glass that you get to walk into via a walkway. While the tour itself was nothing to write home about, the experience of walking into a glass globe with a map of the world as it was in 1935 is pretty cool. The colors and lighting of the glass as well as the acoustics as experienced within the globe were certainly unique and interesting! read more

I work in this area, but it's been over 20 years since I went to the Mapparium. If you haven't been in awhile, you MUST go. It is almost overwhelming to see the world with this glass globe perspective. They have new LED lights inside of it, and the 15 minute presentation is really really cool. Unfortunately photography of any sort is not allowed, but it is still worth it. read more

This review is a review of the Mapparium. I cannot express how 'worth it' a visit to the Mapparium is. Our family of four - including an ennui afflicted teen and easily bored tween - thought this one of the greatest things we had even seen. Aside from the inherent coolness of being inside a glass globe, as a history buff a lot of my enjoyment came from seeing the world as it was in 1935. Of noting how some of the states (e.g. the Baltic countries) had disappeared only to return and of finding others (e.g. Tuva) that I had never heard of before. The other half of the coolness factor was the auditory properties of a glass sphere. I have been many places with 'whispering galleries' and the Mapparium has it's own as well. But I've never experienced anything like standing in the middle of the globe and hearing the whispers, voices, and sounds of movement from everyone around echoing inside of my head. For anyone who has seen the X-men movies it is clear that their vision of Cerebro was influenced by an experience in the Mapparium. read more

The Mary Baker Eddy Library is absolutely BEAUTIFUL. The location is kinda funny, because it's easily overlooked. It's right in the smack dab of Berklee, and the area use to be a little dingy, but the building is beautiful. It's $6 to get into the tour of the mapparium, and it's well worth it. There is a tour of the very tiny mapparium, but it's GORGEOUS and unique! The sound acoustics is soooo awesome. I don't want to give away the surprise of it so you should go and see it! You can probably get in and out within 30 minutes. Nice short touristy stop! read more

What is a Mapparium? A ridiculously awesome map of the world that you stand inside! It's definitely not something I expected to do that day when I said I would go on a tour of the Mary Baker Eddy Library. I was pretty much expecting to be bored throughout the day, but the Mapparium was definitely a huge plus! Not knowing anything about Mary Baker Eddy, or Christian Science in general, I wasn't that interested in the rest. However, they did a good job presenting the information. The tour is cheap and not bad to check out. If you're in the area and have never seen it, it's worth checking out once. It is a very unique site. read more

I love old architecture and history. And this place has both the modern and the historical touch to it. I visited on the Columbus day, they had free entry to the mapparium and also an tour by the Architect himself. It was a fun informative session. The mapparium room is gorgeous. The colors come out just right to lighten up your mood. It's commendable how they thought of building something so unique and beautiful. You should definitely visit this place at least once. And the entry fee charged is way less than the experience. read more

I guess many people come here to look at the archives themselves or the church, but the real draw here is not what sits on the shelves. The Mapparium located inside, a 3 story enclosed glass model of the Earth, is the real star of the show. They lead a tour through it every 20 minutes and show a short presentation as you cross the walkway, For six bucks, it's certainly affordable enough and cool enough to take a look at . The building itself is also gorgeous with marble tile and intricate designs and columns, with a very cool water feature in the front. read more

We crawled over to the library to see the Mapparium, it sounded so impressive we decided it was a site not to be missed. As we paid the lady our 6 bucks and proceeded into the Hall of Ideas, some wonderful child did their normal routine and pulled the fire alarm, so outside we went until they could get the all clear. No worries we thought, inside we were ushered into the beautiful globe of stainglass and wonder and our guidetour began. The guide was nice enough but hurried through everything as the fire alarm delay had caused her to run out of time, and there was a tour right after us. I would have loved to have spent more time in the globe trying out the acoustics everyone speaks of, but unfortunately we were ushered out as quickly as we were ushered in, it appeared we paid 6 dollars to wait outside while they cleared the alarm. If you are in the area and have a student ID, I would suggest seeing it, as for paying 6 bucks, it looks better online stick with that, and I certainly wouldn't plan a day around trying to see the thing, the architecture outside and the landscape are free and MUCH more attractive. read more

While visiting Boston I stopped in here to see the Mapparium. There was a "tour" in 15 minutes. The women at the counter is sweet and informative. I think it was about $6, very cheap in my opinion. It's educational, good for families/children. The tour is only like 20 minutes. You are inside of this globe and the guide talks about the construction of it, as well as some history on Mary Baker. I wish you were allowed to take photos inside, but they don't allow it. The globe has some interesting sound tricks that can be entertaining. read more

The Mapparium is the one and only reason to come here. Also to marvel at the gorgeous architecture, but that's free. Admission is $6 but $4 (even though the web says $3) if you have a student ID (I love being 5 years out of college and still using this thing). The Mapparium is a three story spherical glass globe with a bridge through it to walk on. There is a 15 minute presentation, which is lackluster. The coolest things are the fact that all modifications to the globe halted in 1935, leaving the map an excellent piece of art frozen in time (Communist Soviet Union!) and the acoustics. The two notable acoustic features are that if you stand dead center, under the Northern Star on top of the globe, your voice will be amplified like a speaker. And if two people stand at each end of the bridge and whisper to each other, no one but them can hear them. (Which was awesome when my boyfriend whispered he loved me and a dude was standing next to me and laughed because he could hear us being nerds). The Hall of Ideas is cool, with streaming digital projections of cool quotes and a neat fountain. The Quest Gallery is a total snoozer. Unless you want to follow the history of the Christian Science Monitor or try to decipher the chicken scratched notes Mary Baker Eddy made about specific Bible passages (no and no for me). Oh, and on the weekends the Mapparium is only open until 4PM - a restriction that's bitten me in the ass twice now. read more

Some friends and I visited the Mapparium globe in this awesome building. I've just been informed it's nicknamed The Mapp. Adorbz. I don't think I've ever walked through something that fantastically neat in my whole life. And we weren't even on drugs! Who'da thunk it?! Seriously though. It was one of the most beautiful and intriguing things I've ever seen. It was an older version of the globe too, so it was really neat to see what changes countries have gone through [like changes of name]. The colors were epic. So incredibly bright and beautiful. One of the coolest parts of this room was the sound. Everything echoed. And if you stood on one end of the catwalk and whispered something, the person standing on the other end could hear it as if you just said it out loud to them. Fantastic. I could have spent hours and hours in there. Definitely something to check out, and great for kids! And adults! read more

Very nice. It's short- you're only allowed in there for 20 minutes, but you don't need more. Plus, it's inexpensive. Don't let the fact that it's a part of the Christian Science campus keep you away- it's almost like one has nothing to do with the other. We hit a few stops when we went. First we want to the Bodega shoe store which is a few blocks away. If you haven't seen it, it's worth googling it and stopping by. Then, after the Mapparium, we walked to the Oakleaf Cakes Bake shop a few blocks down the road and had coffee and an awesome whoopee pie. read more

Hidden gem ! Beautiful architecture and compelling story. Don't miss the Mapparium ! Great history and really one of a kind experience. Inexpensive : $6 for adults ( teachers and a friend are free using your MTA card ). The tour guides are incredibly knowledgeable and clearly care about the subject. read more