Cambridge Public Library
🏢 Minuteman Library Network · Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cambridge Public Library
Cambridge's free public library since 1874, housed in Frederick Rindge's 1888 Richardsonian Romanesque landmark at 449 Broadway joined to a light-filled glass addition that opened in 2009. The Main Library stays open until 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday and anchors a system of six neighborhood branches.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 9am–9pm |
| Tuesday | 9am–9pm |
| Wednesday | 9am–9pm |
| Thursday | 9am–9pm |
| Friday | 9am–5pm |
| Saturday | 9am–5pm |
| Sunday | 1pm–5pm |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 449 Broadway, Cambridge, MA 02138
Phone: (617) 349-4040
Website: cambridgema.gov
Plus Code: 87JC9VFQ+HR (Cambridge, MA)
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👋 Use the Library Online
📖 About Cambridge Public Library
The Cambridge Public Library is the free public library of Cambridge, Massachusetts, tracing its roots to the Cambridge Athenaeum of 1849; the city took it over in 1858, and it became free to all residents in 1874. Its Main Library at 449 Broadway pairs a National Register landmark — the 1888 Richardsonian Romanesque building designed by Van Brunt & Howe and given to the city by philanthropist Frederick H. Rindge — with a dramatic 2009 addition by William Rawn Associates and Ann Beha Architects that more than tripled the building's size and was among the first U.S. structures to use a European double-skin glass curtain wall (LEED Silver, 2010). Owned and operated by the City of Cambridge, the library belongs to the Minuteman Library Network, so a Cambridge card borrows across dozens of member libraries in metro Boston. Beyond the Main Library, the system runs six branches — Boudreau, Central Square, Collins, O'Connell, O'Neill and Valente — serving neighborhoods across the city.
⭐ What makes this library special
- Main Library combines the 1888 Richardsonian Romanesque Rindge building (National Register of Historic Places) with a LEED Silver glass addition opened in 2009
- Open late until 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday for after-work and after-school visits
- Part of the Minuteman Library Network — one Cambridge card borrows across dozens of member libraries in Greater Boston
- A citywide system of six neighborhood branches: Boudreau, Central Square, Collins, O'Connell, O'Neill and Valente
- Cambridge Room local-history collection documenting the city's people, places and past on the Main Library's third floor
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
Cambridge cardholders can stream, download and research free through the Minuteman network and Massachusetts statewide collections:
📚 Services
- Free public computers, printing and Wi-Fi
- Cambridge Room local-history and archives collection
- Homebound delivery for residents unable to visit in person
- Meeting and study rooms for community use
- Museum and cultural-institution passes
- Interlibrary loan and holds across the Minuteman network
- Children's, teen and adult reference services
🎸 Programs
- Children's storytimes and early-literacy programs
- Summer reading for kids and teens
- Author talks and community lectures
- ESOL and citizenship support
- Teen programs and maker activities
📍 Nearby Libraries in Greater Boston
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
All libraries in Cambridge · Browse all Massachusetts libraries →
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Can I borrow free museum passes with my Cambridge Public Library card?
Yes. Cambridge Public Library offers free or discounted passes to Greater Boston attractions including the Museum of Science, Museum of Fine Arts, Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Harvard Museums of Science & Culture, the Institute of Contemporary Art, New England Aquarium, Boston Children's Museum and Zoo New England. Passes are reserved online with a Minuteman Library card up to 30 days in advance, limited to one pass per household per day. Learn more at museum passes at the library.
Does Cambridge Public Library offer ESL or English conversation classes?
Yes. The library hosts free English-language learning programs, including beginner and high-beginner ESOL classes and intermediate English Conversation Practice sessions at various locations, supporting adult learners and newcomers across Cambridge. See our directory of free English classes at the library.
How old is the Cambridge Public Library building on Broadway?
The historic core of the Main Library at 449 Broadway was built in 1888 in the Richardsonian Romanesque style by Van Brunt & Howe and donated to the city by philanthropist Frederick H. Rindge; it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. In 2009 a glass addition by William Rawn Associates and Ann Beha Architects opened alongside it, more than tripling the library's size and earning LEED Silver certification.
Is the Cambridge Public Library open on Sundays?
The Main Library is open Sundays from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. during the fall, winter and spring season; Sunday afternoon service pauses over the summer and resumes in September. On weekdays the Main Library is open 9 a.m.–9 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Branch hours vary by location, so check the branch page before you go.
Does a Cambridge library card work at other libraries?
Yes. Cambridge Public Library is a member of the Minuteman Library Network, so a Cambridge card lets you borrow, place holds and return items at dozens of member libraries across metro Boston, and gives you access to the network's shared OverDrive/Libby and hoopla collections.
Can I research Cambridge local history at the library?
Yes. The Cambridge Room, on the Main Library's third floor, is the library's local-history and special-collections department, holding archives, photographs, maps and manuscripts that document Cambridge's people, neighborhoods and history. It is a reference collection open to the public for on-site research.
🎨 This library lends museum passes. See how library museum passes work and find other libraries that lend passes museum passes by state.
📜 This library has genealogy & local-history resources. See how library family-history research works and find other libraries with genealogy collections genealogy libraries by state.
📚 This library has study rooms. See how library study rooms work — booking, time limits and quiet vs group rooms — and find other libraries with study rooms libraries with study rooms by state.
🖨 This library offers printing, copying & fax. See how library printing, copying, scanning and fax services work — costs and mobile printing — and find other libraries that offer them printing & fax by state.
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✓ Hours & details last verified from official sources in September 2026.
