GIVE TO THE MAX DAY - NOV. 19
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GIVE TO THE MAX DAY - NOV. 19 〰️
Too often, rare archives and rich literary experiences feel out of reach or confined to a screen. Without community support, funding constraints limit the number of free programming and hands-on access events we can host.
As Minnesota’s oldest non-profit, we believe our collections belong to the entire community. When we host free public programs, students, families, and lifelong learners get the chance to connect directly with centuries of human thought, art, and natural discovery.
That’s why we need your support for our very first Give to the Max Day! The theme this year is Minnesota Stitched, which reflects beautifully on how every donor, story, and gift helps weave the fabric of our state. We’re raising $2,500 to fund our programming, sharing our rare archive encounters directly to curious readers.
Collecting, preserving, and sharing knowledge since 1859.
For more than 160 years, the Minneapolis Athenaeum has fostered a love of books, ideas, and lifelong learning. As one of Minnesota's oldest cultural institutions, the Athenaeum serves as a gathering place for readers, writers, scholars, and the intellectually curious, connecting people through literature, history, and meaningful conversation. Today, the Athenaeum is entering a new chapter—honoring its rich legacy while expanding opportunities for community engagement, partnerships, and public programs that inspire curiosity and strengthen civic life.
The Reading Room
The Minneapolis Athenaeum Reading Room is a welcoming space for readers, researchers, and curious visitors. The room is located within Special Collections on the fourth floor of the Minneapolis Central Library.
Open to everyone during regular Special Collections hours, the Reading Room offers access to the Athenaeum's historic collections in a quiet setting dedicated to learning, discovery, and community.
To enter Special Collections, call the number posted at the entrance, and library staff will welcome you inside.
The Vault
The Athenaeum was originally organized by Minneapolis businessmen in 1859 as a private subscription library. It became a partner of the Minneapolis Public Library when it was established in 1885. The partners signed a 99-year contract to share resources, which was extended in 1985. In November 2011, the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners passed a resolution recommitting to the relationship (after the merger of the Minneapolis Public and Hennepin County library systems) with a no-rent lease of space to the Athenaeum in the Minneapolis Central Library.
Highlights of the collection include an original hand-colored edition of Audubon's Birds of America, a collection of 152 editions of Aesop's Fables spanning 300 years, and many important early books with descriptions and photographs of Native American Indigenous Peoples of North America. The collection is used by everyone from students working on History Day projects to a decoy carver researching waterfowl illustrations.
See our collection by visiting Hennepin County Library’s Special Collections department
300 Nicollet Mall
Minneapolis, MN 55401
Call us at 612-543-8200 when you arrive or ask at the fourth-floor information desk.
Hours
Monday 9 - 4:30
Tuesday 9 - 4:30
Wednesday 9 - 4:30
Thursday 9 - 4:30
Phone
612-543-8200