Providence Athenæum
Providence Athenæum
4.5
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Sunday
11:00 AM - 5:00 PM
About
The Providence Athenæum (founded 1836) is an independent, member-supported library located on Providence’s historic Benefit Street. One of the oldest cultural institutions in Rhode Island, the Athenæum has welcomed illustrious writers, spirited thinkers, and engaged community members for almost 200 years, including Edgar Allan Poe, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Bronson Alcott, and Charlotte Perkins Gilman. The collections contain more than 175,000 items, including circulating materials, rare and beautiful volumes, and 19th-century artwork. Visitors are welcome to take one of three self-guided tours to learn more about the Athenæum's history, building and collections. Suggested donation: $5.
Duration: < 1 hour
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The area
Address
Neighborhood: College Hill
How to get there
- Providence Station • 9 min walk
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939 within 3 miles
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421 within 6 miles
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
123 reviews
Excellent
89
Very good
27
Average
6
Poor
0
Terrible
1
Ronald02861
Kobe, Japan2 contributions
Aug 2013 • Solo
A further reason to visit the Athenaeum is to see the bronze bust of H. P. Lovecraft there by by Bryan Moore of Arkham Studios. It was unveiled in August 2013,
Written October 22, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kell E
Minneapolis, MN69 contributions
Sep 2019
I highly recommend you pop by- it's by everything in Providence and won't take up too much of your time. When I was there, there were students studying everywhere so we crept about quietly for a few minutes just to soak up the vibe. Excellent library!
Written January 1, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Aussie60’s
Melbourne, Australia67 contributions
Aug 2019 • Couples
We simply loved it. The ambience has to be experienced to understand.
My wife is an avid reader and could have stayed there all day ... the names on the shelves are amazing. For me, I enjoyed sitting and reading the paper. There was no effective aircon, so best to visit on a cooler day.
Delightful! Highly recommended.
My wife is an avid reader and could have stayed there all day ... the names on the shelves are amazing. For me, I enjoyed sitting and reading the paper. There was no effective aircon, so best to visit on a cooler day.
Delightful! Highly recommended.
Written August 27, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
NancyWMorton
Tacoma, WA40 contributions
Jan 2016 • Couples
This was the best! Of course I am a retired librarian, so I may be biased. Great Edgar Allen Poe exhibit. And the card catalogs with hand written cards were fascinating... Cozy seating downstairs. Much better than the John Hay library in the same area...
Written January 28, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Meggan F
Gloucester, MA20 contributions
Jun 2019
This place is a cool secret. It was a super neat library full of history. It’s over 200 years old and such a neat building. I wanted to stay and read all the books! I also geeked out seeing all the old school card catalogs.
Written June 21, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
hoopsnflies
Providence, RI7 contributions
Apr 2019
Not just a place that lends books, the Athenaeum is a living library, Worth a visit to see its beauty or sit in a chair where Edger Allen Poe or H.P. Lovecraft wrote. Fridays often have excellent lectures and there are many events for children.
Written June 4, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
PVD Elevators & Aviation
Providence, RI392 contributions
Aug 2018 • Family
This is a private library on the east side of Providence. Even though it is private, they let people come in and look around. It has been visited by Edgar Allen Poe and others!! A must see if you like books, historical sites, or architecture.
Written April 11, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Chris_vonR
Montreal, Canada386 contributions
Mar 2019 • Couples
Felt welcome to visit this private collection, with fascinating history. This is a peaceful site worth a quick visit.
Written March 9, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Barry N
Coventry, RI3,215 contributions
Sep 2018 • Friends
well they have items on the shelves that are so rare and also some that are just normal. However this great building which is a hidden gem is an Icon in the State of RI that should not be missed. It is not huge,but what there is is amazing. That the great Edger Allan Poe visited is enough to get your blood going. Sit and look for a while and you will learn a lot. How do you miss such a gem when it in your own area.Don't miss this. A treasure within your grasp.
Written January 28, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Barry on the road
Lomita, United States22 contributions
Nov 2018 • Family
This place is amazing. I wish I'd been able to check out their rare book collection and maps, but they weren't open at our visit. The architecture is amazing. You can see it in a few minutes or sit and read a while. Enjoy!
Written November 28, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I lost the gray Minerva tee that I bought from you. Do you have another in women’s XL? Thanks!
Written July 12, 2019
Unfortunately we are sold out! We are evaluating our merchandise, and may not carry tshirts in the future. But we still have tote bags if that's of interest.
Very best,
Robin
Director of Membership & External Relations
Written July 15, 2019
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*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.
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