Minneapolis Athenaeum

Minneapolis Athenaeum The Minneapolis Athenaeum is a nonprofit corporation dedicated to acquiring and preserving books and manuscripts and making them available to the public.

The Athenaeum shares space with Special Collections at 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 peoples of North America. The collection is used by everyone fro

m students working on History Day projects to a decoy carver researching waterfowl illustrations. 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 through September 14, 2015.

04/28/2026
We have a page from an original Gutenberg Bible, which is rather amazing. A copy of one of the only 20 remaining copies ...
04/07/2026

We have a page from an original Gutenberg Bible, which is rather amazing.

A copy of one of the only 20 remaining copies of this Bible would be spectacular: the infamous 1631 Bible with a typo that caused a ruckus!

A new exhibition at Yale Library explores the history of typos across five centuries. Visitors will see corrections that were listed inside copies of works by James Joyce, Upton Sinclair and Nicolaus Copernicus

03/16/2026

Do you ever feel exhausted by a world that never stops refreshing? The endless notifications, the constant scrolling, the pressure to always be reachable?

In Japan, the philosophy of shinrin-yoku, or forest bathing, encourages stepping into nature and away from noise. That same quiet pull toward paper books, vinyl records, film cameras, and slow mornings is not random. Analogue is making a comeback because we are craving something tangible and deeply human again. Read the full article to explore why stepping away from digital might be exactly what we need.

Read more: https://magazine.1000libraries.com/the-big-comeback-of-analog-and-why-it-matters-more-than-ever/

02/21/2026

Last year, the New York Public Library’s English classes were attended 200,000 times — and it still can’t keep up with demand

Many books relative to Native American history in our collections are useful in tracking the movements of tribes and can...
02/20/2026

Many books relative to Native American history in our collections are useful in tracking the movements of tribes and can be invaluable to Native American genealogy.

Genealogy: How Libraries Provide Tools, Training, and Support

For 2026 I look forward to a great expansion of an organization I’ve been involved with the past decade. With Joan Vorde...
12/31/2025

For 2026 I look forward to a great expansion of an organization I’ve been involved with the past decade. With Joan Vorderbruggen at our helm, I think I see a bright future.

Dedicated to acquiring and preserving books and manuscripts and making them available to the public.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....

Welcome Joan Vorderbruggen! Let’s set sail!
10/28/2025

Welcome Joan Vorderbruggen! Let’s set sail!

07/22/2025

As Friends, we build a library that is more than the sum of its books. When our community invests in our library, we invest in the knowledge, equity, and empowerment of all.

07/21/2025

Understanding the crucial role of libraries in national security and democracy

Address

Hennepin County Library – Minneapolis Central, 300 Nicollet Mall
Minneapolis, MN
55401

Telephone

+16123062584

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