The Boston Public Library, founded in 1848, was the first large free municipal library in the United States. Its landmark building in Copley Square, completed in 1895 by architect Charles Follen McKim, was hailed as a “palace for the people” and set the standard for public access to knowledge. . Inside, visitors find treasures such as Sargent and Abbey murals, and the famed Bates Hall reading room with its vaulted arches. Today the library system serves millions, while its flagship remains a pro