Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Haleakalā National Park’s summit region, shrouded in the pre-dawn fog.
Beware the Legends Behind These National Park Souvenirs
For Aguilar-Carrasco, nature is a powerful reminder of the interconnectedness of all life.
How Can National Parks Be Made Accessible to All? AO Wants to Know.
Podcast: Finding ‘The Great Gatsby’ in Louisville
Here’s which treats you can safely lug home without risking a fine.
Dear Atlas: What International Food Can I Legally Bring Into the U.S.?

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United States Rhode Island Providence Providence Athenaeum

Providence Athenaeum

A 19th century library favored by Edgar Allan Poe and H.P. Lovecraft, known by locals as "the Ath."

Providence, Rhode Island

Added By
Molly McBride Jacobson
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
The main reading room of the Athenaeum.   Kenneth C. Zirkel/CC BY-SA 3.0
Plants, busts, books, and an old fashioned desk in the stacks.   angela n./CC BY 2.0
The neoclassical exterior of the Providence Athenaeum.   Will Hart/CC BY 2.0
Portrait of George Washington in the reading room.   angela n./CC BY 2.0
The 1873 fountain in front of the Athenaeum.   Will Hart/CC BY 2.0
The downstairs reading room.   KevArchie/CC BY-SA 2.0
A view from the art room window.   Courtesy of Nat Rea for the Providence Athenaeum
The card catalogue (still usable).   Courtesy of Nat Rea for the Providence Athenaeum
The view from one of the alcoves.   Courtesy of the Providence Athenaeum
An 1830s Egyptian-styled cabinet in the rare book room.   Courtesy of the Providence Athenaeum
Sign for the library’s hours.   CorpseLady84 / Atlas Obscura User
The goddess Athena   ionajay / Atlas Obscura User
The goddess Athena   ionajay / Atlas Obscura User
  ionajay / Atlas Obscura User
  morgtckr / Atlas Obscura User
  ionajay / Atlas Obscura User
Providence Athenaeum   blimpcaptain / Atlas Obscura User
The Providence Athenaeum.   Kenneth C. Zirkel/CC BY-SA 3.0
A modern bust of H. P. Lovecraft.   Kenneth C. Zirkel/CC BY-SA 3.0
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

The Providence Library Company was founded in 1753 by a group of Providentians who wanted to read but could not afford to have books shipped from Europe on their own. Before the city had a public lending library, this organization gave members access to the world through shared books for a small fee. The company eventually set up shop in the Athenaeum (named for Athena, Greek goddess of wisdom) in 1836. It’s been an institution ever since.

Don’t be daunted by the neoclassical columns and name. The Athenaeum, or “the Ath” as some of its regulars know it, is for everyone. On any given day, anyone can drop in and browse the stacks, which include gems like the 1855 edition of Leaves of Grass (containing notes in Walt Whitman’s own handwriting), an 1830s book on astronomy, and a Regency-era book of boys’ entertainments.

Artwork dons the walls of the building. A full length portrait of George Washington looks over the reading room, while another wall is graced with a bookplate from The Raven painted by Édouard Manet. The library has its fair share of literary history, even aside from its tomes. Poet Sarah Helen Whitman broke off her courtship with Edgar Allan Poe in the Athenaeum, and H. P. Lovecraft visited many a time and even wrote to friends about the charming little library in Providence.

The Athenaeum still functions as a library but it’s also much more than that. There are musical events, parties, old-fashioned salons and speaking events, all hosted in the beautiful Victorian library stacks. The busts of Cicero and Athena even wear costumes. It serves as an important cultural space in Providence, and its public programs have earned the institution a reputation as “a 19th-century library with the soul of a 21st-century rave party.”

Related Tags

Books Libraries Repositories Of Knowledge H. P. Lovecraft Edgar Allan Poe

Know Before You Go

There's a sizable children's library as well, and pets are welcome too. The library is regularly closed on Sundays.

Community Contributors

Added By

Molly McBride Jacobson

Edited By

CorpseLady84, ionajay, blimpcaptain, morgtckr

  • CorpseLady84
  • ionajay
  • blimpcaptain
  • morgtckr

Published

December 7, 2016

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • http://www.npr.org/2012/02/25/146814120/athenas-library-the-quirky-pillar-of-providence
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Providence_Athenaeum
  • https://web.archive.org/web/20151102034847/http://www.providenceathenaeum.org/facts/facts.html
Providence Athenaeum
251 Benefit Street
Providence, Rhode Island
United States
41.825799, -71.406298
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Gun Totem

Providence, Rhode Island

miles away

John Hay Library

Providence, Rhode Island

miles away

Edna Lawrence Nature Lab

Providence, Rhode Island

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Providence

Providence

Rhode Island

Places 21
Stories 1

Nearby Places

Gun Totem

Providence, Rhode Island

miles away

John Hay Library

Providence, Rhode Island

miles away

Edna Lawrence Nature Lab

Providence, Rhode Island

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Providence

Providence

Rhode Island

Places 21
Stories 1

Related Stories and Lists

12 Important Places in Edgar Allan Poe's Life (and Death)

List

By Atlas Obscura

10 Big Things in America's Smallest State

List

By Sabrina Imbler

10 Places That Rejected Poe in Life But Celebrate Him in Death

edgar allan poe

By Molly McBride Jacobson

Related Places

  • Jane Austen’s name is emblazoned at the top of the telephone box.

    Steventon, England

    Jane Austen's Telephone Box

    The world's smallest Austen museum is inside an unassuming phone booth.

  • Herndon Fortnightly Club

    Herndon, Virginia

    Herndon Fortnightly Club

    In 1889, a small group of women began meeting to discuss literature, art, and other topics. Their every-other-week salon grew into a lending library that still exists today.

  • Suzzallo Library Reading Room

    Seattle, Washington

    Suzzallo Library Reading Room

    With its vaulted ceiling and gilded details, this University of Washington library would feel right at home inside an old palace.

  • Inside the Biblioteca Palafoxiana.

    Puebla, Mexico

    Biblioteca Palafoxiana

    The first public library in the Americas has more than 45,000 books dating back to the 15th century.

  • The photography library

    Yerevan, Armenia

    Mirzoyan Library

    One man’s collection of photography books has transformed into a charming exhibition space.

  • The Matenadaran and statue of Mesrop Mashtots.

    Yerevan, Armenia

    The Matenadaran

    This medieval manuscript collection has some of the most obscure and ancient texts in the world.

  • Sculptures on a pillar in the Baroque library at Metten Abbey.

    Metten, Germany

    Baroque Library of Metten Abbey

    This 8th-century Bavarian monastery is home to an exquisite Baroque-era library.

  • Medieval bestiary manuscript showing a werewolf.

    London, England

    British Library Treasures Gallery

    The library houses an incredible collection of some of the world's most impressive books and manuscripts.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.