Boston Sports Temples

Boston fans have been captivated by professional sports ever since major league baseball first took the field at South End Grounds in 1871. While our legendary teams and athletes have long composed the dramatic narratives, these home venues—veritable “temples” of sport—have served as their iconic center stages.

Boston Sports Temples celebrates the rich histories of Boston’s professional stadiums and arenas. Some, like Fenway Park, still welcome fans today. Others were demolished decades ago, leaving only hints of their former glory amid the urban landscape. This exhibition welcomes modern fans through the gates of venues both famous and forgotten: the various home fields—and courts and tracks and ice—of Boston’s most beloved franchises and hosts to a century of public events, concerts, and gatherings.

Featuring historical photographs from the Boston Public Library’s extensive archives, Boston Sports Temples draws from thousands of negatives and prints dating from the early twentieth century through the 1960s. 

The images capture the unique character of Boston’s historic sports venues, memorable moments, and the communities of athletes, fans, and staff who have come together within their walls. Together, these vintage materials provide an invaluable window into the past and a nostalgic look back at our city, our deep sporting traditions, and generations of passionate fandom.