Learn to speak French, take a cooking class, research French history, or celebrate Bastille Day at the French Cultural Center.

Part of a network of nearly 1,500 Alliances Françaises in 138 countries, it was established in 1945 to celebrate French and American friendship, the elegant brownstone on Marlborough Street contains a language school, cultural center and the second largest French library in the country.

The collection includes 28,000 multimedia documents, stacks of books on everything form contemporary fiction, social sciences, art and history. There's more than 900 DVD's for adults and children, and 1,500 CD's of music, literature and language lessons. In addition,there's a wide selection of French newspapers and magazines, and a children's library.

French classes for both adults and children are available at all levels, and taught by native speakers. Through donors and membership support, the center also offers a free after-school program at several Boston Public Schools, teaching French to children who may not otherwise have the opportunity to learn otherwise.

Cultural programs include everything from art exhibits, to book and Scrabble clubs, to meet and greets and wine tastings. A membership includes invitations to cultural events, discounts and more. The library is free and open to the public.