The Athenaeum in La Jolla

Tucked in from Wall Street is one of La Jolla's cultural treasures. Architect William Lumpkins designed the delightfully charming Athenaeum in 1957 at the request of the Library Association to house a nucleus of rare books and manuscripts in music and art.

Today's Athenaeum boasts one of the finest collections on the west coast of art and music books, classical and popular recordings, compact discs, musical scores, foreign and domestic periodicals, opera libretti, photographs, old song sheets and video tapes. Both members and visitors enjoy browsing through the complete works of Bach in German, researching with the latest specialized dictionaries or listening to their favorite sonata.

In addition to constantly improving its carefully cataloged collection, the Athenaeum provides the community with a variety of enriching programs, including art exhibits, demonstrations, concerts, lectures, book sales, gallery tours and outstanding children's events.

The Athenaeum is a charming refuge that refreshes the soul and stimulates the creative imagination. It endeavors to leave La Jolla a legacy that will nurture and encourage the artistic spirit.