Mary Baker Eddy Library & Mapparium

The Mary Baker Eddy Library for the Betterment of Humanity is an odd amalgam, housing the offices of the internationally regarded newspaper the Christian Science Monitor, as well as one of Boston’s hidden treasures, the intriguing Mapparium. The Mapparium is a room-size, stained-glass globe that visitors walk through on a glass bridge. It was created in 1935, which is reflected in the globe’s geopolitical boundaries. The acoustics, which surprised even the designer, allow everyone in the room to hear even the tiniest whisper. Second-floor galleries deal with the ‘search for the meaning of life, ’ both on a personal and global level. The heart of the library’s collections, Eddy’s papers and transcripts, are on the top floors and accessible by permission.