Athenaeum of Philadelphia
Encyclopedia
The Athenaeum of Philadelphia, located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
, is a special collections library founded in 1814 to collect materials "connected with the history and antiquities of America, and the useful arts, and generally to disseminate useful knowledge" for public benefit. The Athenaeum's collections include architecture and interior design history, particularly for the period 1800 to 1945. The institution focuses on the history of American architecture and building technology, and houses architectural archives of 180,000 drawings, 350,000+ photographs, and manuscript holdings of about 1,000 American architects. The library is open to the public on weekdays.
The Anthenaeum sponsors the annual Athenaeum Literary Award
.
. It was declared a National Historic Landmark
in 1976. Today, it is operated as a museum furnished with American fine and decorative arts from the first half of the nineteenth century, and is open to the public free of charge.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
, is a special collections library founded in 1814 to collect materials "connected with the history and antiquities of America, and the useful arts, and generally to disseminate useful knowledge" for public benefit. The Athenaeum's collections include architecture and interior design history, particularly for the period 1800 to 1945. The institution focuses on the history of American architecture and building technology, and houses architectural archives of 180,000 drawings, 350,000+ photographs, and manuscript holdings of about 1,000 American architects. The library is open to the public on weekdays.
The Anthenaeum sponsors the annual Athenaeum Literary Award
Athenaeum Literary Award
Athenaeum Literary Award is an American literary award hosted by the Athenaeum of Philadelphia, a special collections library. It is award to authors who are "bona fide residents of Philadelphia or Pennsylvania living within a radius of 30 miles of City Hall". Eligible works are of general fiction...
.
Historic building
The building was designed in 1845 by architect John NotmanJohn Notman
John Notman was a Scottish-born American architect, who settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He is remembered for his churches, and for popularizing the Italianate style and the use of brownstone.-Career:...
. It was declared a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
in 1976. Today, it is operated as a museum furnished with American fine and decorative arts from the first half of the nineteenth century, and is open to the public free of charge.
External links
- Athenaeum of Philadelphia official site
- Listing, photographs, and drawings at the Historic American Buildings SurveyHistoric American Buildings SurveyThe Historic American Buildings Survey , Historic American Engineering Record , and Historic American Landscapes Survey are programs of the National Park Service established for the purpose of documenting historic places. Records consists of measured drawings, archival photographs, and written...