People from all over the world—as many as two hundred thousand a year —visit and tour the Christian Science Center. How they are received by The Mother Church and its guides is a story in itself.
A large number of the visitors see the Mapparium—the room-size, walkthrough globe of the world in the Christian Science Publishing House. A little more than a third of the two hundred thousand visitors a year tour The Mother Church. Longer tours of the Publishing House and of the Sunday School building —including an architectural tour—are also provided for those who want them. Groups speaking languages other than English are welcome. Tour scripts in twelve languages for The Mother Church and the Mapparium are available.
Tour companies bring their groups to the Center for several reasons. The Mapparium, built in the mid1930s, is now considered a unique work of art. Also, the Center is well known for its architecture—The Mother Church as well as the newer buildings. Tour leaders have come to trust that the guides will provide informative, professional, and attentive tours. Tour leaders report that the visitors often consider the Christian Science Center to have been the high point of their trip. Most of these visitors are not Christian Scientists.
