Membership Information

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Membership Benefits

All members of the Boston Athenæum enjoy unlimited access to our twelve-floor building of open stacks and reading rooms, the privilege of borrowing books, the use of reference and book mailing services, and access to special collections. Members receive invitations to Athenæum events, which include lectures and book signings, art exhibitions, concerts, and children's programs. More importantly, members benefit from the knowledge that they are a part of one of the oldest and most distinguished cultural organizations in Boston, and join the ranks of past members such as John Quincy Adams, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Amy Lowell, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Daniel Webster, and Lydia Maria Child.

Why Become a Member?

Excerpt from an interview with Erna Lawrence, Athenæum member since 2002.

What do you tell people when you are encouraging them to join the Library?

We just tell people how much we enjoy our time here. We belong to a lot of organizations in Boston, but this is by far our favorite. We can walk here, and it’s like our second home. And we think our friends and colleagues would really enjoy their experience here, too. You can’t beat the place.  A friend of mine – a woman who was spending a lot of time at the Athenæum writing a book – told me a great story a while back. This woman said that when she dies and reaches the pearly gates of heaven, she’s going to look around, take in the scenery, and say, “well, it’s ok, but it can’t hold a candle to the Athenæum’s fifth floor reading room.” I thought that was a perfect commentary on how inspiring this place can be.  And I think everyone should come and reap all the benefits that the Athenæum has to offer.

Membership Categories and Prices 

The following fees are paid annually:

$290 Individual Membership
$320 Family Membership —for a couple or household
$200 Young Patron Individual Membership—for an individual age 35 or under
$225 Young Patron Family Membership—for a couple or household, where at least one member of the couple is age 35 or under

Family Memberships (both Young Patron and regular levels) also provide the additional benefit of including everyone living in your household. We can create library cards for children of all ages, and even caregivers who might accompany your children to the Library. 

Processing time for new memberships is approximately one week. We are always happy to mail an application and informational packet to you or someone you know who might be interested in joining. Applications can also be completely filled out and submitted online or print out an application and mail it to us. 

Membership applications should be mailed to:

   Department of Development
   The Boston Athenæum
   10 ½ Beacon Street
   Boston, Massachusetts 02108

Gift Memberships

A one-year Athenæum membership is a unique gift and one that is appropriate for all walks of life: from the graduate student looking for a quiet place to study with building-wide Wi-Fi and electronic resources, to the recent retiree who now has more time to devote to evening lectures and events, to the new parent excited about story times in the children's library. To purchase a gift membership call, 617-720-7629, email membership@bostonathenaeum.org, or print out an application and mail to the address above.

Unfortunately gift memberships cannot be purchased through our online system at this time.

Institutional Memberships

In addition to the categories listed above, the Athenæum also offers Institutional Memberships: $500 Annually.

Institutional Memberships were estab­lished in 2008 for organizations – both non-profit and for-profit.

Institutional Members enjoy the same benefits as all other Athenæum members.

The annual fee of $500 includes three Individual Memberships to be given to employees or affiliates of the institution. A limited number of additional memberships (under the umbrella of the Institutional Membership) can be purchased by the organization for an annual fee of $100 per additional individual. 

For more information and an application please contact Megan A. Manton, Membership and Annual Fund Officer, at 617-720-7607.

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We try to help our members feel more connected through Facebook and Twitter. Please follow us for daily updates and news on upcoming events, our collections, and other announcements from the Athenæum.