diff --git a/include/cantera/base/AnyMap.h b/include/cantera/base/AnyMap.h
index 5e954733e..59dc7eb8f 100644
--- a/include/cantera/base/AnyMap.h
+++ b/include/cantera/base/AnyMap.h
@@ -7,13 +7,16 @@
 #include "cantera/base/global.h"
 #include "cantera/base/ctexceptions.h"
 
-#include <boost/any.hpp>
-#include <boost/algorithm/string.hpp>
-
 #include <string>
 #include <vector>
+#include <memory>
 #include <unordered_map>
 
+namespace boost
+{
+class any;
+}
+
 namespace Cantera
 {
 
@@ -32,6 +35,13 @@ class AnyMap;
 class AnyValue
 {
 public:
+    AnyValue();
+    ~AnyValue();
+    AnyValue(AnyValue const& other);
+    AnyValue(AnyValue&& other);
+    AnyValue& operator=(AnyValue const& other);
+    AnyValue& operator=(AnyValue&& other);
+
     AnyValue& operator[](const std::string& key);
 
     bool hasKey(const std::string& key) const;
@@ -88,7 +98,7 @@ private:
     std::string demangle(const std::type_info& type) const;
 
     std::string m_key;
-    boost::any m_value;
+    std::unique_ptr<boost::any> m_value;
     static std::map<std::string, std::string> s_typenames;
 };
 
diff --git a/include/cantera/base/AnyMap.inl.h b/include/cantera/base/AnyMap.inl.h
index cba011009..7b59b4b12 100644
--- a/include/cantera/base/AnyMap.inl.h
+++ b/include/cantera/base/AnyMap.inl.h
@@ -16,15 +16,15 @@ namespace Cantera
 template<class T>
 const T &AnyValue::as() const {
     try {
-        return boost::any_cast<const T&>(m_value);
+        return boost::any_cast<const T&>(*m_value);
     } catch (boost::bad_any_cast&) {
-        if (m_value.type() == typeid(void)) {
+        if (m_value->type() == typeid(void)) {
             // Values that have not been set are of type 'void'
             throw CanteraError("AnyValue::as", "Key '{}' not found", m_key);
         } else {
             throw CanteraError("AnyValue::as",
                                "Key '{}' contains a '{}',\nnot a '{}'.",
-                               m_key, demangle(m_value.type()), demangle(typeid(T)));
+                               m_key, demangle(m_value->type()), demangle(typeid(T)));
         }
     }
 }
@@ -32,27 +32,27 @@ const T &AnyValue::as() const {
 template<class T>
 T &AnyValue::as() {
     try {
-        return boost::any_cast<T&>(m_value);
+        return boost::any_cast<T&>(*m_value);
     } catch (boost::bad_any_cast&) {
-        if (m_value.type() == typeid(void)) {
+        if (m_value->type() == typeid(void)) {
             // Values that have not been set are of type 'void'
             throw CanteraError("AnyValue::as", "Key '{}' not found", m_key);
         } else {
             throw CanteraError("AnyValue::as",
                                "Key '{}' contains a '{}',\nnot a '{}'.",
-                               m_key, demangle(m_value.type()), demangle(typeid(T)));
+                               m_key, demangle(m_value->type()), demangle(typeid(T)));
         }
     }
 }
 
 template<class T>
 bool AnyValue::is() const {
-    return m_value.type() == typeid(T);
+    return m_value->type() == typeid(T);
 }
 
 template<class T>
 AnyValue &AnyValue::operator=(const std::vector<T> &value) {
-    m_value = value;
+    *m_value = value;
     return *this;
 }
 
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ std::vector<T> &AnyValue::asVector() {
 
 template<class T>
 AnyValue& AnyValue::operator=(const std::unordered_map<std::string, T> items) {
-    m_value = AnyMap();
+    *m_value = AnyMap();
     AnyMap& dest = as<AnyMap>();
     for (const auto& item : items) {
         dest[item.first] = item.second;
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ AnyValue& AnyValue::operator=(const std::unordered_map<std::string, T> items) {
 
 template<class T>
 AnyValue& AnyValue::operator=(const std::map<std::string, T> items) {
-    m_value = AnyMap();
+    *m_value = AnyMap();
     AnyMap& dest = as<AnyMap>();
     for (const auto& item : items) {
         dest[item.first] = item.second;
@@ -91,14 +91,14 @@ inline AnyMap& AnyValue::as<AnyMap>() {
     try {
         // This is where nested AnyMaps are created when the syntax
         // m[key1][key2] is used.
-        if (m_value.type() == typeid(void)) {
-            m_value = AnyMap();
+        if (m_value->type() == typeid(void)) {
+            *m_value = AnyMap();
         }
-        return boost::any_cast<AnyMap&>(m_value);
+        return boost::any_cast<AnyMap&>(*m_value);
     } catch (boost::bad_any_cast&) {
         throw CanteraError("AnyValue::as",
             "value of key '{}' is a '{}',\nnot an 'AnyMap'.",
-            m_key, demangle(m_value.type()));
+            m_key, demangle(m_value->type()));
     }
 }
 
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ std::map<std::string, T> AnyValue::asMap()
     std::map<std::string, T> dest;
     for (const auto& item : as<AnyMap>().m_data) {
         try {
-            dest[item.first] = boost::any_cast<T>(item.second.m_value);
+            dest[item.first] = boost::any_cast<T>(*item.second.m_value);
         } catch (boost::bad_any_cast&) {
             throw CanteraError("AnyValue::asMap",
                 "Value of key '{}' is not a '{}'",
diff --git a/src/base/AnyMap.cpp b/src/base/AnyMap.cpp
index 2e118c793..2917e00a9 100644
--- a/src/base/AnyMap.cpp
+++ b/src/base/AnyMap.cpp
@@ -17,6 +17,37 @@ std::map<std::string, std::string> AnyValue::s_typenames = {
 
 // Methods of class AnyValue
 
+AnyValue::AnyValue()
+  : m_key()
+  , m_value(new boost::any{})
+{}
+
+AnyValue::~AnyValue() = default;
+
+AnyValue::AnyValue(AnyValue const& other): m_key(other.m_key),
+                                           m_value(new boost::any{*other.m_value}) {
+}
+
+AnyValue::AnyValue(AnyValue&& other): m_key(std::move(other.m_key)),
+                                      m_value(std::move(other.m_value)) {
+}
+
+AnyValue& AnyValue::operator=(AnyValue const& other) {
+    if (this == &other)
+        return *this;
+    m_key = other.m_key;
+    m_value.reset(new boost::any{*other.m_value});
+    return *this;
+}
+
+AnyValue& AnyValue::operator=(AnyValue&& other) {
+    if (this == &other)
+        return *this;
+    m_key = std::move(other.m_key);
+    m_value = std::move(other.m_value);
+    return *this;
+}
+
 AnyValue& AnyValue::operator[](const std::string& key)
 {
     return as<AnyMap>()[key];
@@ -29,16 +60,16 @@ bool AnyValue::hasKey(const std::string& key) const {
 void AnyValue::setKey(const std::string &key) { m_key = key; }
 
 const std::type_info &AnyValue::type() {
-    return m_value.type();
+    return m_value->type();
 }
 
 AnyValue &AnyValue::operator=(const std::string &value) {
-    m_value = value;
+    *m_value = value;
     return *this;
 }
 
 AnyValue &AnyValue::operator=(const char *value) {
-    m_value = std::string(value);
+    *m_value = std::string(value);
     return *this;
 }
 
@@ -47,7 +78,7 @@ const std::string &AnyValue::asString() const {
 }
 
 AnyValue &AnyValue::operator=(double value) {
-    m_value = value;
+    *m_value = value;
     return *this;
 }
 
@@ -56,7 +87,7 @@ double AnyValue::asDouble() const {
 }
 
 AnyValue &AnyValue::operator=(bool value) {
-    m_value = value;
+    *m_value = value;
     return *this;
 }
 
@@ -65,12 +96,12 @@ bool AnyValue::asBool() const {
 }
 
 AnyValue &AnyValue::operator=(long int value) {
-    m_value = value;
+    *m_value = value;
     return *this;
 }
 
 AnyValue &AnyValue::operator=(int value) {
-    m_value = static_cast<long int>(value);
+    *m_value = static_cast<long int>(value);
     return *this;
 }
 
@@ -78,12 +109,12 @@ long int AnyValue::asInt() const {
     return as<long int>();
 }
 AnyValue& AnyValue::operator=(const AnyMap& value) {
-    m_value = value;
+    *m_value = value;
     return *this;
 }
 
 AnyValue& AnyValue::operator=(AnyMap&& value) {
-    m_value = std::move(value);
+    *m_value = std::move(value);
     return *this;
 }