Visit the Gallery

Information for visiting our gallery in person in Copley Square

COVID-19 Guidance
Although it is not required, please consider wearing a face covering while inside BPL buildings. We recommend that patrons practice social distancing where possible. Please reschedule your visit if you have any symptoms of illness, or if you have received a positive COVID-19 test result in the past 10 days.

Our exhibitions gallery is free to the public, and no advance booking is necessary to view exhibitions. Plan to set aside between 30 minutes and 1½ hours for a full experience in the Gallery, though you are always welcome to spend more or less time, and to come back for multiple visits. The Gallery features captions and activities for children and families as well as adults.

Visiting Hours

Gallery Hours

Day Hours
Monday Closed
Tuesday 11 am – 5 pm
Wednesday 1 pm – 7 pm
Thursday 11 am – 5 pm
Friday 11 am – 5 pm
Saturday 11 am – 5 pm
Sunday 1 pm – 5 pm

Special Hours

Day Holiday Hours
December 24, 2024 Christmas Eve Closed
December 25, 2024 Christmas Day Closed
January 1, 2025 New Year's Day
January 20, 2025 Martin Luther King Jr. Day
February 17, 2025 President's Day
April 20, 2025 Easter Sunday
April 21, 2025 Patriot's Day
May 25, 2025 Sunday Closure
May 26, 2025 Memorial Day
June 19, 2025 Juneteenth
July 4, 2025 Independence Day
August 31, 2025 Sunday Closure
September 1, 2025 Labor Day
October 13, 2025 Indigenous People's Day
November 11, 2025 Veteran's Day
November 26, 2025 Day before Thanksgiving
November 27, 2025 Thanksgiving
December 24, 2025 Christmas Eve Special Hours: 11-5pm
December 25, 2025 Christmas
December 31, 2025 New Year's Eve Open from 1-5 pm

Directions

See Hours & Directions for a map to the Map Center and information about transportation and parking.

Our free gallery tours last approximately 30 minutes and do not require advance registration. To join a gallery tour, meet at the gallery front desk at the scheduled time.

Day Gallery tour hours
Wednesday 5:30 pm
Friday 11:30 am
Saturday 11:30 am

Special Exhibition Events

Group and Education Visits

We welcome groups of visitors both from the general public and from educational institutions. For more information about K-12 visits, see our K-12 School Visits page. For university-level visits, see the University Programs page.

For private exhibition tours for a group, please fill out the form on our Group Visits page.

Accessibility and Translation

Our physical spaces are ADA accessible via a lift from the main level of the BPL’s McKim Building. Most, though not all, spaces in the Central Library in Copley Square are accessible. For more information, see the BPL’s Resources and Services for Users with Disabilities.

Occassional tours are offered in languages other than English.