Athenaeum of Philadelphia facts for kids
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The Athenaeum of Philadelphia in 2024
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| Location | 219 S. 6th St. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
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| Architect | John Notman |
| Public transit access |   SEPTA bus: 9, 21, 42 |
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| Built | 1845 |
| Architectural style | Italianate |
| NRHP reference No. | 72001144 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | February 1, 1972 |
| Designated NHL | December 8, 1976 |
The Athenaeum of Philadelphia is a special library and museum. It was started in 1814. You can find it at 219 S. 6th Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Its main goal is to collect items about American history and useful arts. It also aims to share helpful knowledge with everyone.
The Athenaeum has many collections. These focus on architecture and interior design history. This includes items from 1800 to 1945. It holds over 180,000 architectural drawings. There are also more than 350,000 photographs. It has papers from about 1,000 American architects.
Since 1950, the Athenaeum has given out an award. It's called the Athenaeum Literary Award. This award is for books of fiction and non-fiction.
A Historic Building
The building was designed in 1845. The architect was John Notman. He designed it in the Italianate style. This style was popular in Italy.
It was one of the first buildings in Philadelphia to use brownstone. Brownstone is a type of reddish-brown sandstone. It was chosen because it was cheaper than marble. Notman's design was inspired by an English architect named Charles Barry.
In 1976, the building became a National Historic Landmark. It was recognized for being one of the first buildings with a "palazzo-style" front. A palazzo is a grand Italian building. It was also honored for its importance as an educational place.
Today, it is a museum. It displays American art and decorations. These items are from the early 1800s. Next to the Athenaeum is the house of Richardson Dilworth. He was the mayor of Philadelphia from 1956 to 1962.
Sharing with Penn Libraries
In 2019, the Athenaeum made a deal. It partnered with the libraries of the University of Pennsylvania. This agreement lets people from both places borrow books.
It also made the Athenaeum's collection searchable online. This collection focuses on architecture and building design. It also covers decorative arts.
The Athenaeum Literary Award
The Athenaeum Literary Award is a special prize. The Athenaeum of Philadelphia has given it since 1950. It honors authors who live in Philadelphia or nearby. They must live within 30 miles of City Hall.
The award is for general fiction or non-fiction books. It does not include technical or children's books. Charles Wharton Stork started the award in 1950. He was a board member of the Athenaeum for many years.
Many authors have received this award over the years. Some notable winners include:
- 1954: Davis Grubb for The Night of the Hunter
- 1957: Catherine Drinker Bowen for The Lion and the Throne
- 1967: Edmund N. Bacon for Design of Cities
- 1969: Chaim Potok for The Promise
- 1986: David Eisenhower for Eisenhower: At War, 1943-1945
- 2018: Madeline Miller for Circe
See Also
