Boston Athenaeum
A member-supported nonprofit in Boston combining library, museum, and cultural center functions, housing extensive book, art, and manuscript collections in its historic Beacon Hill location.
The Boston Athenaeum, founded in 1807, is a member-supported nonprofit organization located in Boston's Beacon Hill neighborhood. It functions as a combination of library, museum, and cultural center, housing a circulating collection of over 500,000 books, 100,000 rare books, maps, and manuscripts, and 100,000 works of art within its 12-story building.
The organization fosters curiosity about literature, culture, art, ideas, and the world. It serves as an essential destination for scholars, artists, and the book-loving community, hosting exhibitions, author talks, book clubs, concerts, and research opportunities.