The Providence Athenæum in Providence, Rhode Island, has been on my library wish list for a long time. The Athenæum is not a public library; it is a subscription library, meaning members pay an annual fee to check out materials and access other resources and services. However, non-members are welcome to visit the library.

Founded in 1836, the Providence Athenæum opened on July 11, 1838. This historic photo is from the Athenæum’s website. The structure at street level is The Richmond Fountain, one of the country’s first public fresh water drinking fountains and the first in Providence. Anna Eddy Richmond paid for its installation in 1873. It is off for the winter.

I visited on January 21, 2025, a brutally cold day, so I did not take many exterior photos. Inside was a different story! It was hard to narrow down all my photos into a reasonable blog post, but here are some favorites.

Standing on the portico at the entrance, looking up at the facade. The Athenæum has an excellent website that shares the history of the building, exhibits, and more.

A view of the street from the entrance. The Providence Superior Court and the Rhode Island Supreme Court are to the left. Brown University sprawls out behind the Athenæum.

This sign hangs in the foyer.

It reads:

Welcome to the Providence Athenæum

The Athenæum* was founded in 1836 through the union of two earlier institutions including one of the oldest libraries in North America, the Providence Library Company of 1753.

Greek Revival architect William Strickland designed the Athenæum’s home on Benefit Street, and its doors first opened to the public on July 11, 1838.

All are welcome.

*pronounced ath-un-NEE-uhm or ath-un-nay-um

The view into the library from the foyer. The admission sign asks visitors to pay what they can. Around the corner to the left is a gift shop with books, journals, postcards, bookmarks, pencils, and more.

This view is from the second floor, looking down at the main hall. The edge of the circulation desk is visible to the far left. Across from the card catalog is a display of new books.

Made of metal instead of wood to help abate fire, the book stacks were cutting-edge when installed in the early 19th century. The skylights let in plenty of light. Windows on both sides of the building let in more natural light, giving the library a cheerful glow even on a somewhat overcast day.

On the second floor. The previous photo was taken over the railing pictured above. Locate the black fan in both images to get a sense of the layout.

The desks on the second floor are for member use only. Desks of various styles are tucked away throughout the library.

While the desk in the previous photo faced a window, this desk looks over the main hall. You can see guests on the other side looking back at me. By late morning, all of the desks were occupied.

It was a challenge to take photos that would show the “nook-ish-ness” of some sections.

Chesty Puller’s biography drew me to this shelf, but then I spotted Proust. I recently read Swann’s Way.

While there are some darker sections here and there, this building has so much natural light. It is a cheerful place.

More skylights add to the warmth of the space. These umbrellas intrigued me. They fill the space nicely and might give the librarian below a sense of coziness. The children’s section is near this area, on the first floor.

“Do Not Open. Staff Only Please.” It was tempting, but I did not open the cabinet.

An old warrior. I love beat-up old book carts. Imagine all the books this cart has held over the years.

Back on the main floor. You’ve probably noticed that the Providence Athenæum has a lot of statues, primarily busts of famous men. But see the profile of the statue at the end of the bookcase on the left?

It is an impressive statue of Athena, Goddess of Wisdom. She greets visitors as they walk through the front door.

On the first floor—a classic old school desk.

Another first-floor alcove. A perfect place to read some Shakespeare.

The new book display and card catalog in front of the circulation desk. To the left is the back door.

Another well-used library tool. Unlike the book cart, this tool is no longer a go-to resource.

Old card catalogs are fun and fascinating to browse through. I enjoy seeing the variety of handwriting within.

The library stopped adding to its card catalog on January 1, 1998, when online catalogs took over.

The legendary American writer Edgar Allan Poe was a visitor. That’s his bust over the door. He came to Providence in 1848 to court Sarah Helen Whitman. The two became engaged, but the relationship did not pan out as Poe had hoped.

This grand staircase surround is multi-functional: the entrance-facing side is a bookshelf and display, and the two other sides offer slanted work or display places.

A view looking up the staircase. The lower level has work tables, comfortable reading chairs, and a rare book room.

That’s me with my Book Cougars cohost Emily. It was a workday for us. Our reading theme for 2025 is Ghost Stories. We planned our quarterly readalongs and made a reading schedule for The Penguin Book of Ghost Stories from Elizabeth Gaskell to Ambrose Bierce that we’ll be discussing throughout the year.

The bathroom is also on the lower level. I don’t usually take photos in library bathrooms, but couldn’t resist. [Sidebar: I did take pictures of the late 19th-century bathroom of the Blackstone Memorial Library in Branford, CT. Sadly, the bathroom did not survive a recent library expansion.]

Cather on the shelf!

While looking at the Cather holdings, the cat on the spine of this book caught my eye.

The book is a journal where visitors can log their sighting of Strickland, the Athenæum’s stuffed cat.

A few visitors have found Stickland, and someone else, like me, found the book.

A last view of the cozy interior, looking in through the back door.

If you’re ever in Providence, visiting the Athenæum is a must!

The Providence Athenæum
251 Benefit Street
Providence, Rhode Island
providenceathenaeum.org

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Some other membership libraries I’ve visited:
The Institute Library in New Haven, CT (guest post on Emerald City Book Review)
The New York Society Library in Manhattan, NY
The Redwood Library & Athenaeum in Newport, RI