That's right. If you have a limited budget and can coordinate your schedule with one of the Art and Architecture tours given at the Boston Public Library's Copley Square library - go! The tour schedule is erratic, currently Monday at 2:30, Tuesday and Thursday at 6 pm, Friday and Saturday at 11 am. There are Sunday tours at 2 pm roughly October through May.

In 1885 Charles Follen McKim modelled this "palace for the people," on an Italian Renaissance pallazo, decorating it with the finest art American artists and sculptors could produce. The exterior was considered plain when first completed, and was compared to a mausoleum, a casket and an oversized cigar box but it was intended to complement rather than compete with other buildings surrounding Copley Square. His choice of materials from around the world - including marble from Italy, the Alps, Africa and 20 other different sources - was selected without worrying about his budget. It's forgotten now, but cost overruns on this project established a local tradition proudly continuing today in Boston's Big Dig.

Restoration work on two of the three major mural sequences in the building started in April 2002 and will continue for 18 months. Don't miss the third floor with John Singer Sargent's "Triumph of Religion," which he viewed as his masterwork, "bringing the Sistine Chapel to America" (a bit inflated opinion of himself, don't you think?). The murals have been difficult to appreciate underneath years of accumulated dirt, dust and grime but it's particularly interesting to compare areas where conservators have worked with unrestored sections.

The library is open most days from 9 am to 9 pm and people are welcome to investigate it on their own - but if at all possible take a tours to insure you don't miss any of the highlights and fully understand what you're seeing.

Guided tours of the art and architecture of the building are given by volunteers, but they tend to be provided only once a day and the schedule varies, so call in advance. Of course, you can take a self-guided tour - more information can be found on the BPL website. My favorite room is Bates Hall. With the light streaming in and the green glass lamp shades, it calls up a turn of the century vision of young students poring over their books.

When you're finished with your tour, head over a block to Newbury Street for a cafe lunch and people watching. Or, walk up a block to Prudential Center for a shopping trip or a bite to eat in the Food Court.