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 worth a visit.

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 Overlook Hotel!

My visit to the Christian Science Center was a truly enriching experience. Walking through Mary Baker Eddy's journey provided a profound insight into the history and teachings associated with the Christian Science movement. The exhibits were informative, allowing me to appreciate the founder's remarkable journey and the principles that shaped the center. The serene atmosphere of the center, coupled with the beautiful architecture, created a conducive environment for reflection. Exploring the grounds and learning more about Mary Baker Eddy's legacy enhanced my understanding of the Christian Science Center's significance. Overall, I had a great time immersing myself in the history and teachings of Mary Baker Eddy during my visit to the Christian Science Center. It's a place that not only offers a spiritual retreat but also serves as a captivating educational experience.

Came here just for the Mapparium exhibit. Online and at the site, it says that photography for your own personal use is permitted (non-flash). However, once inside, we were scolded and told absolutely no photography of any kind is allowed. This is false advertising. The map itself is completely outdated and reeks of colonialism (which is upsetting), and as some visitors have mentioned, some of their exhibits are a little tone deaf and one sided. Not worth coming and spending $6 to stand in a room for 15 mins and listen to a audio recording of an outdated map. Better off going to a natural history museum. Disappointing!

Wow! What a jaw dropping place dripping with gorgeous stained glass that curates a world map from 1933. I really enjoyed my time here and the building is also lovely. The architecture of both the building and the mapparium is stunning. We were enlightened that many of the structures in the building were concocted from materials from around the world. I highly recommend coming here for the mapparium show. It is concise and breathtakingly beautiful.

I think a lot of people know the library for one thing- the Mapparium! It's truly awesome! You basically stand in the middle of a globe and see the world as it is in 1935 which is fascinating. What I liked about this is that you're not preached at, told what to think- it allows you to look and come to your own conclusions! Elsewhere, the library is a stunning building well worth having a look at. There are other small exhibitions within the main foyer area including an interesting video on Mary Baker Eddy (the founder) herself and a great touchscreen table allowing you to browse through sections from old copies of the newspaper too.

Good way to spend an hour in Boston. The cost is small, around $6 per adult for a short but informative tour and of course the mapparium. You can't take photos inside the mapparium but you can of everything else. A very cool and inexpensive experience that has to be done at least once.

This was a recommendation from a friend to visit and I am highly questioning this friends opinion after this visit. First they try to convert you to the Christian Science lifestyle with fake stories of how broken feet get repaired in 3 days as a medical miracle but from a divine standpoint it took too long…. Second you are not allowed to take pictures of the main attraction, but they encourage you to take pictures in the women’s restroom because of how well it is designed compared to other women’s restrooms in Boston. Third, to actually leave the building is nearly impossible because the workers corner you and try to talk to you as long as possible to probably try and convince you that they are normal. Finally, the whole depiction is wrong. For some reason they have this as a spherical image whereas we all know that the Earth is really flat…

Don't be discouraged by the fact that it is owned by the Christian Science. The Mapparium (How Do You See the World?) is a very unique experience. It is a very uniting experience.

This is a beautiful site to see my 9 year old daughter suggested it and I thought it would be just a cheesy thing to go see, but I feel like it’s one of those things you have to at least see once. The message behind it was very inspiring and tugged at the feels for sure. $6 as people are saying is a bit much for what you see but in my thoughts you only see something like this once and to me it was for sure worth it. You can’t take pictures which is disappointing for family memories but it’s understandable for getting people in to see it.

I was disappointed in my recent visit - almost all of the time within the Mapparium is spent listening to a recording. Visitors have to spend their time listening to the recording and then are allowed only a minute or two before the group is hustled out for the next group. The Mapparium used to allow more time for talking without forced listening. I won’t take my visitors there anymore.

Stopped in to see the Mapparium but we didn't realize it was a light show. The guide who led the show was extremely knowledgeable and passionate, and every staff member or volunteer we spoke to was so nice. The show is not long, only about fifteen minutes. While the map may not be accurate to present day, it is a really cool snapshot of the world at that time in history in the 1930s. It was beyond beautiful and definitely worth the time and money! The only negative is that photography is not allowed, but the staff was not rude at all about it and politely explained why they need people to come in to see the exhibit instead of seeing it for free online.

The Mapparium is such a unique experience and absolutely worth a visit for anyone who hasn't seen it. It's great for both adults and children. It's a nice short activity that can easily fit within a lovely day downtown. It's one of the places I always recommend to locals and out-of-towners who haven't yet seen it.

Wow. Had some time. This was quick. We got meter parking directly across the street. Our kids enjoyed the display and the weird acoustics. I found a storyboard and contributed one.

Nice globe. Not worth a special trip or for an out of town visitor unless you love maps. Beautiful architecture. Quick, so you could still do other things. The bathroom is pretty.

Fantastic place to visit, and the Mapparium is well worth seeing. It's beautiful and the way sound travels in there is extraordinary

Came here for Mapparium, and the experience was great. It was easy to park, and the entrance was free as it was soft opening. The architecture was also beaufitul and staffs were friendly.

We took this quick tour of the Mapparium. If you have time to fit it in your schedule, I highly recommend. It doesn't take long and is $6 per person. Unfortunately you can't take photos inside. It's pretty cool though once inside. It's really just like standing inside the middle of a globe. Pretty cool!

As a lover of maps, this was a really unique little stop. It costs $6 per adult for about a 10 min video & audio tour. The Mapparium itself was stunning, and unlikely anything Ive experienced visually and sensorily. The architecture is beautiful inside, and there are neat details like a chandelier that also tracks the month and day. As others have addressed, the Mapparium exhibit and other exhibits do a great job of sharing objectively about Church of Christ Scientist. There was no persuasion or attempted religious agenda being pushed whatsoever.

I went here for a college presentation assignment and very much enjoyed my experience. When I walked in I was greeted with kindness and immediately connected with Brad. He showed me around the main lobby and dropped some fun facts to fill my time until the Mapparium exhibit started. The Mapparium itself is unlike anything I have experienced in my life. Amazing visuals and acoustics. I wish it were longer because I could easily stay for an hour. The 'Seeds of Hope' section made me teary eyed and I loved reading every prompt. The overall museum was very interactive and offered plenty of information in a beautifully visual manner. It did not feel overwhelmingly preach-y in any way and focused more so on education rather than spreading a narrative. I would definitely recommend for not just those who identify as religious, but for everyone who is interested in perspective and a new experience. P.S. Sending my love to Brad!

This is a must see in Boston. The Mapparium is a accoustic and visual experience. The stained glass is incredibly detailed. The effect of being in a sphere is acoustically eerie and fascinating. If you stand in the center you hear your self speak but not in a echo. YOU MUST SEE THIS TO APPRECIATE IT.

We saw the Mapparium, which was really cool! We also enjoyed some of the other exhibits around the building. The Mapparium tour was $6 for adults. They have tours pretty often I think - every 20 mins during the day, if I remember right.

Gorgeous architecture inside and out. The Mapparium is a hidden gem of a tourist attraction definitely worth he $6 you'll pay for it. Only thing I'd say is that the historical facts room you go into after the Mapparium could definitely use a data update. A lot of the facts there are a bit on the tone-deaf or ironic side these days.

The mapparium was great - must experience if you are in the area. Gives you a real perspective how big the world is. It was interesting to read about the CSM in lobby displays. Employees were friendly and offered insights - nice touch!

The building and the exhibit are beautiful, and the staff is so kind and informative. This is an extremely inexpensive place to visit that will leave you feeling good about yourself and the world around you.

Total waste if you have young school age children. There should be an explanation of what the various regions are known for and in my opinion needs to address the young population. It would still be educational for the older ones I'm sure. We traveled into the city to have this experience, and I was so disappointed as were others, but I can't speak for them. It is a fascinating globe that could be so much more enthralling.

I went to walk around and see the Mapparium. Everyone I interacted with was incredibly kind, intelligent, and excited for us to be there and to get to tell us all about the building’s history and architecture. The employees were so funny and they truly made the tour! I loved the mapparium and the other interactive exhibits, and I cannot wait to go again.

They should allow pictures, but still worth popping in to see this unique attraction, despite the “Christian science” cult nonsense.

Well worth the small fee to tour the Mapparium. It's an incredibly detailed stained glass globe showing the countries of world as they were in the 1930s.

Unique place in Boston. Still my favorite besides Mike’s Pastry 💚

$6 per person. Tours are every 20 min and last about 20 min. The Mapparium itself is really awesome.. and the echoing of voices is really creepy! But having to walk through and read about their religion may not be for everyone. Also, can’t take any pictures :/

<YAWN> Boring The Mary Baker Eddy Library is an interesting piece of history. The mapparium seems to be what they're known for, but apart from that, there wasn't much to see. 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. Even the Mona Lisa allows non-flash photography. It was really boring and long. I don't really see the reason to return or to explore everything. The architecture of the building is nice but other than that - YAWN!

Amazing and unique representation of the world globe made in glass. You can walk though it and see the political map frozen in 1935. However the guide was underwhelming, she didn’t know much or even the basics such as what representation of the map was used on the globe.

A must-do! The Mapparium was just amazing.