The Boston Athenaeum
10½ Beacon Street
Boston, Massachusetts 02108
Hours:
Monday-Thursday: 9 am – 8 pm
Friday and Saturday: 9 am – 5 pm
The first floor and exhibition galleries are open to the public – all other floors are accessible only to Athenaeum members.
Art & Architecture Tour
Join a Boston Athenaeum docent for a tour focused on the history of the Athenaeum, its iconic building, and its remarkable collections. Whether you are visiting for the first time or a member who frequents the building, the stories are sure to fascinate you as you walk through the historic library.
Tour tickets include admission to the Boston Athenaeum‘s public spaces on the first floor. We invite you to come early or stay after your tour to visit our exhibitions and enjoy our beautiful spaces.
Events: https://community.bostonathenaeum.org/s/events
Programs: https://community.bostonathenaeum.org/s/events
Paintings & Sculpture Online: https://bostonathenaeum.org/explore-learn/special-collections/paintings-sculpture-online/
The Boston Athenaeum – a unique combination of library, museum, and cultural center in a magnificent landmark building.
One of the country’s oldest and most distinguished independent libraries, with a circulating collection of over half a million books, from works published in the 1800s to the latest best sellers. Special collections include active research holdings of 100,000 rare books, maps and manuscripts, and 100,000 works of art, from paintings and sculpture to prints and photographs. Members, visitors, and the community enjoy a year-round schedule of cultural programming – author talks, book clubs, exhibitions, concerts, social gatherings, and opportunities for connection.
United by curiosity about literature, culture, art, ideas, and the world. (above excerpt from bostonatheaeum.org)
Today, the Athenaeum’s five galleried floors of books and reading nooks overlook the peaceful Granary Burying Ground. Its research books and collections have strengths in Boston history, New England state and local history, and in the fine arts.
*The silent fifth floor is perfect place to write and is a favorite of many!”
As Gamaliel Bradford wrote in 1931, “It is safe to say that [no library] anywhere has more an atmosphere of its own, that none is more conducive to intellectual aspiration and spiritual peace.”
The Boston Athenaeum is a member-supported not-for-profit institution that everyone is invited to join.
Website: https://bostonathenaeum.org
Image Credits: bostonathenaeum.org unless otherwise noted