The Athenaeum of Philadelphia welcomes both the general public and prospective members to our National Historic Landmark building for tours and informational visits. Docent-led and other tours require advanced registration, while prospective and new member visits are open on a drop-in basis during specific times. Please see below to determine the most appropriate type of visit for you or your group.
To register for a docent-led tour, see our current tour schedule here.
Our ground-floor gallery is free and open to the public during regular hours of operation. To see the gallery, visitors should first check in at the front desk. You can learn more about the current exhibition here.
Questions? Contact us.
Member Visits:
Prospective and new members are invited to stop in and learn about membership, see The Athenaeum’s workspaces, and browse our circulating collection. Those interested in Member Visits may drop in any time Tuesday-Friday between 10AM and noon. To schedule a visit at a different time, please contact us with three preferred dates/times and we will do our best to accommodate you.
Prospective and new members are invited to stop in and learn about membership, see The Athenaeum’s workspaces, and browse our circulating collection. Those interested in Member Visits may drop in any time Tuesday-Friday between 10AM and noon. To schedule a visit at a different time, please contact us with three preferred dates/times and we will do our best to accommodate you.
Docent-Led Tours:
Learn about the history of The Athenaeum, see our beautiful Reading Room, and experience our unique collection of 19th-century furniture and objects on a guided small-group tour for up to 8 people. Docent-led tours lasting 30-40 minutes are typically offered a few times each week. Advanced registrations are required.
Learn about the history of The Athenaeum, see our beautiful Reading Room, and experience our unique collection of 19th-century furniture and objects on a guided small-group tour for up to 8 people. Docent-led tours lasting 30-40 minutes are typically offered a few times each week. Advanced registrations are required.
Large Groups:
With special arrangement, The Athenaeum can host groups of up to 20 people for tours of the building and discussion of items from our collections. These visits can be tailored to the group’s interests. We cannot accommodate large groups on a walk-in basis or in our regularly scheduled docent-led tours. Please fill out this form and an Athenaeum staff person will contact you. Cost to be determined.
With special arrangement, The Athenaeum can host groups of up to 20 people for tours of the building and discussion of items from our collections. These visits can be tailored to the group’s interests. We cannot accommodate large groups on a walk-in basis or in our regularly scheduled docent-led tours. Please fill out this form and an Athenaeum staff person will contact you. Cost to be determined.
School Groups:
School groups are encouraged to use The Athenaeum as an educational tool for groups interested in libraries, archives, architecture and more! Appropriate for middle school students and above, visits can take the form of a general tour or a more specific experience tailored to various areas of study. We cannot accommodate school groups on a walk-in basis. Please fill out this form and an Athenaeum staff person will contact you. Cost to be determined.
School groups are encouraged to use The Athenaeum as an educational tool for groups interested in libraries, archives, architecture and more! Appropriate for middle school students and above, visits can take the form of a general tour or a more specific experience tailored to various areas of study. We cannot accommodate school groups on a walk-in basis. Please fill out this form and an Athenaeum staff person will contact you. Cost to be determined.
