Friday, January 16, 2026
1–6 PM

Open Print Studio at the Athenaeum Art Center invites local printmakers and artists to utilize the equipment and space in the printmaking studio. Prior knowledge in printmaking and equipment familiarity is required as open studio time is not for learning a new printmaking process or one on one lessons. The Athenaeum Art Center offers printmaking courses throughout the year for those wanting to learn a new craft or wanting to enhance their art practice. Open Studio is free for everyone. 

Saturday, January 17, 2026
11 AM

New Member Tours are given by the librarian on the third Saturday of every month at 11 a.m. Members and nonmembers alike are welcome to attend. The librarian will give a tour of the library's space, collections, and a brief history. This is a free event. Reservations are not necessary.

Saturday, January 17, 2026
11 AM–4 PM

Members' Open Print Studio is private time for those who hold a current membership with the Athenaeum Music & Arts Library. This members-only opportunity provides members a private open studio session without the busy nature of regular open studio. Light demonstrations are available and certain members' open studio dates will include workshops. 

Tuesday, January 20, 2026
7:30 PM

*AT SCRIPPS RESEARCH AUDITORIUM*

The series opens on Tuesday, January 20, at Scripps Research Auditorium, with a local debutby the Hamilton de Holanda Trio. De Holanda, one of Brazil’s most celebrated musicians, is a global ambassador for Brazilian music. Picking up the mandolin at the age of five, he revolutionized the 10-string version of the instrument, blending Brazilian traditions with jazz and other global influences. JazzTimes wrote, “Mandolin virtuoso and composer de Holanda proves the limitless capabilities of the Brazilian bandolim as a solo instrument.” DownBeat called him an “absolute maestro of rhythm and improvisation.”

Tuesday, January 20, 2026—Hamilton de Holanda Trio
Wednesday, January 28, 2026—Paul Cornish Trio
Saturday, February 14, 2026—Anat Cohen Quartetinho*
Wednesday, March 18, 2026—Tord Gustavsen Trio
Monday, March 23, 2026—Immanuel Wilkins Quartet
7:30 PM
*6 & 8:30 PM

*AT THE ATHENAEUM MUSIC & ARTS LIBRARY*

Start the new year with jazz! The Athenaeum is pleased to announce this five-concert series featuring return visits and local debuts by internationally acclaimed and rising-star artists, including performances in the library’s Joan & Irwin Jacobs Music Room (at 1008 Wall Street in La Jolla) and at Scripps Research Auditorium (10620 John Jay Hopkins Drive). Seating is limited, so order soon!

Wednesday, January 21, 2026
3 & 3:30 PM

Bring your children or grandchildren to the Athenaeum's free Children's Storytime at 3 and 3:30 p.m. on Wednesdays. Great for children ages 1 through 9. This is a free event. Reservations are not necessary.

Friday, January 23, 2026
1–6 PM

Open Print Studio at the Athenaeum Art Center invites local printmakers and artists to utilize the equipment and space in the printmaking studio. Prior knowledge in printmaking and equipment familiarity is required as open studio time is not for learning a new printmaking process or one on one lessons. The Athenaeum Art Center offers printmaking courses throughout the year for those wanting to learn a new craft or wanting to enhance their art practice. Open Studio is free for everyone. 

January 24–April 25, 2026
Opening Reception: Friday, January 23, 5:30–7:30 PM
Artist Talk: Friday, January 23, 5:30–6:15 PM

People sometimes have the same name. As an imperfect example of this phenomenon, this upcoming exhibition will pair two Baders: Daren and Darren. The two have never met in person but have been in contact—on and off—since 2013. Both have intimate relationships to San Diego and art making. This exhibition will bring about their first in-person meeting and a co-curated confluence of contrasting approaches to crafting art.

Saturday, January 24, 2026
11 AM–4 PM

Members' Open Print Studio is private time for those who hold a current membership with the Athenaeum Music & Arts Library. This members-only opportunity provides members a private open studio session without the busy nature of regular open studio. Light demonstrations are available and certain members' open studio dates will include workshops. 

Monday, January 26, 2026
12 PM

Dr. Michael Coonrod is a retired piano faculty member from the Interlochen Center for the Arts where he tutored classical piano students for 46 years. During that time, he earned his Doctor of Musical Arts in Performance from the Peabody Conservatory of Music in Baltimore, MD. Pianist Danny Holt performs around the globe in concert halls (Carnegie Hall, Walt Disney Concert Hall, Hollywood Bowl), clubs (Joe’s Pub, The Blue Whale, Copenhagen Jazzhouse) art galleries (MASS MoCA, Hammer Museum), churches, living rooms, and wherever else he can find a piano and someone to listen.

Wednesday, January 28, 2026
3 & 3:30 PM

Bring your children or grandchildren to the Athenaeum's free Children's Storytime at 3 and 3:30 p.m. on Wednesdays. Great for children ages 1 through 9. This is a free event. Reservations are not necessary.

Wednesday, January 28, 2026
7:30 PM

*AT THE ATHENAEUM MUSIC & ARTS LIBRARY*

The winter series continues Wednesday, January 28, at the Athenaeum with another local debut by the Paul Cornish Trio, featuring Cornish on piano, Jermaine Paul on bass, and Jonathan Pinson on drums. The Los Angeles–based Cornish has been traveling the world for the past three years as the pianist in saxophone-giant Joshua Redman’s quartet. In 2025 he issued his debut recording as a leader on the prestigious Blue Note Records label, You’re Exaggerating!, following in the footsteps of eminent Blue Note pianists from Meade Lux Lewis and Albert Ammons through Bud Powell, Thelonious Monk, Horace Silver, Herbie Hancock, McCoy Tyner, Geri Allen, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, and Renee Rosnes, to Jason Moran, Robert Glasper,  James Francies, and Gerald Clayton.

Friday, January 30, 2026
1–6 PM

Open Print Studio at the Athenaeum Art Center invites local printmakers and artists to utilize the equipment and space in the printmaking studio. Prior knowledge in printmaking and equipment familiarity is required as open studio time is not for learning a new printmaking process or one on one lessons. The Athenaeum Art Center offers printmaking courses throughout the year for those wanting to learn a new craft or wanting to enhance their art practice. Open Studio is free for everyone. 

Saturday, January 31, 2026
11 AM–4 PM

Members' Open Print Studio is private time for those who hold a current membership with the Athenaeum Music & Arts Library. This members-only opportunity provides members a private open studio session without the busy nature of regular open studio. Light demonstrations are available and certain members' open studio dates will include workshops. 

Monday, February 2, 2026
12 PM

Peter Sprague started playing guitar when he was 12 and attended a year of study at Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan. Over the past decade, jazz pianist and Origin Records recording artist Danny Green has earned recognition as a bandleader and as a composer with a gift for spinning supple, absorbing narratives. Green’s growing portfolio of vibrant sounds—an enchanting mix of jazz, classical, and Brazilian rhythms—has captured the attention of critics around the world, including DownBeat Magazine, Jazziz, San Diego Union Tribune, the Boston Globe, and Public Radio International. It’s no small wonder that Green has earned two San Diego Music awards for Best Jazz Album and an additional award for Best Jazz Artist. Bassist Mackenzie Leighton is a bass player specializing in jazz and theater.

Wednesday, February 4, 2026
10:30 AM

The Athenaeum Music & Arts Library is thrilled to announce its newest offering for young families: Creative Storytime with Ms. Katia. This new program, held on the first Wednesday of each month at 10:30 AM, is designed to introduce children to the magic of storytelling while fostering an early love for music, art, and literature.

Wednesday, February 4, 2026
3 & 3:30 PM

Bring your children or grandchildren to the Athenaeum's free Children's Storytime at 3 and 3:30 p.m. on Wednesdays. Great for children ages 1 through 9. This is a free event. Reservations are not necessary.

Friday, February 6, 2026
1–6 PM

Open Print Studio at the Athenaeum Art Center invites local printmakers and artists to utilize the equipment and space in the printmaking studio. Prior knowledge in printmaking and equipment familiarity is required as open studio time is not for learning a new printmaking process or one on one lessons. The Athenaeum Art Center offers printmaking courses throughout the year for those wanting to learn a new craft or wanting to enhance their art practice. Open Studio is free for everyone. 

Saturday, February 7, 2026
3:30–7:30 PM

Members' Open Print Studio is private time for those who hold a current membership with the Athenaeum Music & Arts Library. This members-only opportunity provides members a private open studio session without the busy nature of regular open studio. Light demonstrations are available and certain members' open studio dates will include workshops. 

Monday, February 9, 2026
12 PM

Lesi Mei has been involved in many fields—such as bioengineering and kinesiology—but piano and classical music have molded her into the person she is. In front of the keys, her background and personality manifest in dazzling virtuosity and stunning musicality. Trevor Haumschilt-Rocha is emerging on international stages and is heralded for his "reverberant, expressive baritone with outstanding diction" (Opera News) and "confident, robust Italian singing" (Times Union).

Wednesday, February 11, 2026
3 & 3:30 PM

Bring your children or grandchildren to the Athenaeum's free Children's Storytime at 3 and 3:30 p.m. on Wednesdays. Great for children ages 1 through 9. This is a free event. Reservations are not necessary.

Friday, February 13, 2026
1–6 PM

Open Print Studio at the Athenaeum Art Center invites local printmakers and artists to utilize the equipment and space in the printmaking studio. Prior knowledge in printmaking and equipment familiarity is required as open studio time is not for learning a new printmaking process or one on one lessons. The Athenaeum Art Center offers printmaking courses throughout the year for those wanting to learn a new craft or wanting to enhance their art practice. Open Studio is free for everyone. 

Saturday, February 14, 2026
3:30–7:30 PM

Members' Open Print Studio is private time for those who hold a current membership with the Athenaeum Music & Arts Library. This members-only opportunity provides members a private open studio session without the busy nature of regular open studio. Light demonstrations are available and certain members' open studio dates will include workshops. 

Saturday, February 14, 2026
6 PM & 8:30 PM (two shows)

*AT THE ATHENAEUM MUSIC & ARTS LIBRARY*

Saturday, February 14, brings a special Valentine’s Day appearance by a favorite Athenaeum performer, Anat Cohen, with Quartetinho. The band plays two separate 75-minute performances, one at 6 p.m. and the other at 8:30 p.m. The word quartetinho is Portuguese for “little quartet,” although the players make a big, color-rich sound, each an ace on multiple instruments: Anat on various clarinets, Tal Mashiach on bass and guitar, Vitor Gonçalves on piano and accordion, and James Shipp on vibraphone and percussion. Their concerts showcase compositions by each member of the band and by the great masters such as Antonio Carlos Jobim, Egberto Gismonti, Thelonious Monk, Augustín Barrios Mangoré, and more. The result is boundlessly melodic and lyrical.

Wednesday, February 18, 2026
3 & 3:30 PM

Bring your children or grandchildren to the Athenaeum's free Children's Storytime at 3 and 3:30 p.m. on Wednesdays. Great for children ages 1 through 9. This is a free event. Reservations are not necessary.

Friday, February 20, 2026
1–6 PM

Open Print Studio at the Athenaeum Art Center invites local printmakers and artists to utilize the equipment and space in the printmaking studio. Prior knowledge in printmaking and equipment familiarity is required as open studio time is not for learning a new printmaking process or one on one lessons. The Athenaeum Art Center offers printmaking courses throughout the year for those wanting to learn a new craft or wanting to enhance their art practice. Open Studio is free for everyone. 

Saturday, February 21, 2026
11 AM

New Member Tours are given by the librarian on the third Saturday of every month at 11 a.m. Members and nonmembers alike are welcome to attend. The librarian will give a tour of the library's space, collections, and a brief history. This is a free event. Reservations are not necessary.

Saturday, February 21, 2026
3:30–7:30 PM

Members' Open Print Studio is private time for those who hold a current membership with the Athenaeum Music & Arts Library. This members-only opportunity provides members a private open studio session without the busy nature of regular open studio. Light demonstrations are available and certain members' open studio dates will include workshops. 

Monday, February 23, 2026
12 PM

A musical prodigy born and raised in Italy, Chiara Capobianco began performing with orchestras touring all over Europe starting at age 15. Chiara studied classical piano, flute, and ballet before falling in love with the harp. Having lived abroad and performed across the globe, this international award-winning harpist is pleased to now call San Diego her home. Her eclectic musical talents along with her charming personality shine with local and global audiences alike.

Monday, February 23, 2026
7:30 PM

This special “lineage” program combines world-class performers and pedagogues in their debut performance as a trio, featuring romantic lyricism alongside playful folk melodies, culminating in Dvorak’s always riveting “Dumky” piano trio.

Wednesday, February 25, 2026
3 & 3:30 PM

Bring your children or grandchildren to the Athenaeum's free Children's Storytime at 3 and 3:30 p.m. on Wednesdays. Great for children ages 1 through 9. This is a free event. Reservations are not necessary.

Friday, February 27, 2026
1–6 PM

Open Print Studio at the Athenaeum Art Center invites local printmakers and artists to utilize the equipment and space in the printmaking studio. Prior knowledge in printmaking and equipment familiarity is required as open studio time is not for learning a new printmaking process or one on one lessons. The Athenaeum Art Center offers printmaking courses throughout the year for those wanting to learn a new craft or wanting to enhance their art practice. Open Studio is free for everyone. 

Saturday, February 28, 2026
3:30–7:30 PM

Members' Open Print Studio is private time for those who hold a current membership with the Athenaeum Music & Arts Library. This members-only opportunity provides members a private open studio session without the busy nature of regular open studio. Light demonstrations are available and certain members' open studio dates will include workshops. 

Monday, March 2, 2026
12 PM

Born and raised in a musical family, Giorgia Renosto is an Italian vocalist who entered the artistic world at the young age of 14. Highly exposed to classical music and opera by her grandfather, a clarinet player, she enriched her musical background with jazz by starting her formal training in Torino, Italy. Her ability to focus on various types of vocal styles inside the extremely diverse world of Vocal Jazz allowed her to capture elements of vocal technique from different sources of inspiration and at 17, she was selected as one of the winners of the “Giovani Proposte” of the Italian contest “Sanremo Giovani.”

Tuesday, March 3, 2026
7:30 PM

Images of the Buddha are among the most widely distributed religious representations. While the Buddha himself was South Asian, the origins of the image of the Buddha remain something of a paradox. The earliest descriptions of him were extraordinary, but Indian Buddhists curiously decided not to represent the Buddha as a human figure for some centuries, only denoting him by symbols. Around the beginning of the Common Era, two traditions of the Buddha image suddenly emerged, essentially fully developed from the schools of Mathurā in North India and of Gandhāra, bordering Central Asia. What had happened to make this dramatic change palatable to the Buddhist communities in India and Central Asia? We will look at images of the Buddha configured by Alexander the Great’s incursions, by image-driven forms of prevailing religion in India, temples to Central Asian kings, and North Indian spirit cults. Working through these influences—and more—the Buddhists managed to convey the Buddha’s sense of spirituality and interiority, spreading a legacy across Asia.

Wednesday, March 4, 2026
10:30 AM

The Athenaeum Music & Arts Library is thrilled to announce its newest offering for young families: Creative Storytime with Ms. Katia. This new program, held on the first Wednesday of each month at 10:30 AM, is designed to introduce children to the magic of storytelling while fostering an early love for music, art, and literature.

Wednesday, March 4, 2026
3 & 3:30 PM

Bring your children or grandchildren to the Athenaeum's free Children's Storytime at 3 and 3:30 p.m. on Wednesdays. Great for children ages 1 through 9. This is a free event. Reservations are not necessary.

Monday, March 9, 2026
12 PM

Originally from Nanning, China, Junwen began his piano studies at the age of nine and made his solo debut at thirteen. As a featured soloist, Junwen has collaborated with orchestras including the Central Texas Philharmonic, Penn State Philharmonic, and Ithaca College Symphony Orchestra, under the baton of esteemed conductors such as Jeffery Meyer, Michael Hall, Gerardo Edelstein, and Stefan Sanders. His interpretation of Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 3 with the Ithaca College Symphony Orchestra was broadcast on WSKG radio. Additionally, he was invited to present a solo performance on WRTI Classical Radio in Philadelphia, further establishing his reputation as a promising concert pianist and showcasing his growing presence in the classical music scene.

Wednesday, March 11, 2026
3 & 3:30 PM

Bring your children or grandchildren to the Athenaeum's free Children's Storytime at 3 and 3:30 p.m. on Wednesdays. Great for children ages 1 through 9. This is a free event. Reservations are not necessary.

Monday, March 16, 2026
12 PM

Cracow Duo: Kalinowski & Szlezer concert tour is part of the Polish Music on Stage / U.S. edition project which is realized by the National Institute of Music, co-funded by the Polish Ministry of Culture and National Heritage as part of the ‘Inspire Culture Programme’. Presented in partnership with the Polish Cultural Institute New York.

Monday, March 16, 2026
7:30 PM

We eagerly welcome pianist Conor Hanick to the Athenaeum for the first time for an adventurous solo recital featuring Charles Ives’s monumental first sonata and two Schubert Impromptus paired with a new revision of Samuel Carl Adams’s Three Impromptus (a West Coast premiere) inspired by Schubert. 

Wednesday, March 18, 2026
3 & 3:30 PM

Bring your children or grandchildren to the Athenaeum's free Children's Storytime at 3 and 3:30 p.m. on Wednesdays. Great for children ages 1 through 9. This is a free event. Reservations are not necessary.

Wednesday, March 18, 2026
7:30 PM

*AT THE ATHENAEUM MUSIC & ARTS LIBRARY*

Next up in the series, on Wednesday, March 18, is the return of another Athenaeum favorite, Norway’s Tord Gustavsen Trio, featuring Gustavsen on piano, Steinar Raknes on bass, and Jarle Vespestad on drums. Since the release of his first recording in 2003, on the landmark ECM Records label, Gustavsen created a new sound that commanded worldwide attention, an extraordinary achievement given the rich history of piano jazz. With only a few carefully chosen notes, he draws listeners into a musical world where melody is cherished as much as the freedom to explore textures and soundscapes. His bands unite beauty and emotional intensity in a unique, immediately identifiable Nordic jazz sound that has established Gustavsen as Scandinavia's leading jazz artist.

Saturday, March 21, 2026
11 AM

New Member Tours are given by the librarian on the third Saturday of every month at 11 a.m. Members and nonmembers alike are welcome to attend. The librarian will give a tour of the library's space, collections, and a brief history. This is a free event. Reservations are not necessary.

Monday, March 23, 2026
12 PM

Raised in the Golden Triangle, on the border of Texas and Louisiana, Billy Lee and the Swamp Critters presents Gulf Coast Music—a gumbo of Cajun/Zydeco, Mardi Gras, and Texas Swing. They get folks up and dancing to bring in good times.

Monday, March 23, 2026
7:30 PM

*AT THE ATHENAEUM MUSIC & ARTS LIBRARY*

The winter series concludes Monday, March 23, with a local debut by the Immanuel Wilkins Quartet, featuring Wilkins on alto sax, Micah Thomas on piano, Ryoma Takenaga on bass, and Savannah Harris on drums. Wilkins burst onto the music scene in 2020 with the release of his Blue Note recording debut, Omega. October 2024 saw the release of Wilkins’ third album on Blue Note, Blues Blood. Accolades, awards, and critical acclaim have followed with each of Wilkins’ album releases. In 2020, Omega was named the best new jazz release by The New York Times and the best debut jazz album by National Public Radio (NPR). Two years later, Wilkins’ sophomore album on Blue Note, The 7th Hand, topped many year-end lists, including NPR, The New York Times, The Financial Times, and JazzTimes.

Wednesday, March 25, 2026
3 & 3:30 PM

Bring your children or grandchildren to the Athenaeum's free Children's Storytime at 3 and 3:30 p.m. on Wednesdays. Great for children ages 1 through 9. This is a free event. Reservations are not necessary.

Thursday, March 26, 2026
7:30 PM

San Diego New Music and the Athenaeum Music & Arts Library present an evening of contemporary music featuring Principal Flute of the San Diego Symphony, Rose Lombardo. The program includes works by Iannes Xenakis, Claude Debussy, Anastassis Philippakopoulos, Edgard Varèse, Matthias Pintscher, Jürg Frey, and Bunita Marcus, with more performers to be announced.

Monday, March 30, 2026
12 PM

Julia Umarova received bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the Saint Petersburg State Conservatory, and she is currently pursuing a Master's in Music Performance at San Diego State University. Her musical journey has included notable achievements, such as winning the Grand Prix at the Glazunov International Competition in Paris. With her foundational studies at the Saint Petersburg Conservatory, Umarova has performed solo concerts in several countries, including Russia, Finland, Austria, Malta, Portugal, China, France, USA. She brings a diverse international experience to her music, increasing her passion for performance and music education. Umarova’s extensive teaching experience at the Harbin Conservatory of Music in China, in addition to her continuing professional and artistic development, makes her enthusiastic to share her holistic skill set and dedication to music education with her students.

Wednesday, April 1, 2026
10:30 AM

The Athenaeum Music & Arts Library is thrilled to announce its newest offering for young families: Creative Storytime with Ms. Katia. This new program, held on the first Wednesday of each month at 10:30 AM, is designed to introduce children to the magic of storytelling while fostering an early love for music, art, and literature.

Wednesday, April 1, 2026
3 & 3:30 PM

Bring your children or grandchildren to the Athenaeum's free Children's Storytime at 3 and 3:30 p.m. on Wednesdays. Great for children ages 1 through 9. This is a free event. Reservations are not necessary.

Thursday, April 2, 2026
7:30 PM

Due to its 1925 Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes, Paris is often credited as the birthplace of Art Deco. Known as the City of Lights, its sophisticated urban lifestyle and historical association with cutting edge art and architecture made Paris an international magnet. In the aftermath of World War I, creative designers and intellectuals flocked to Paris. Receptive to new and imported materials and exotic designs, they incorporated motifs from Africa, Asia, Mesoamerica—and especially Egypt—in meticulously crafted luxury items. This first lecture in the series explores Art Deco’s popularity during the waning days of colonialism and rise of modernism.

Thursdays, April 2, 9, 16 & 23, 2026
7:30 PM

Art Deco, a structured, geometric, and elegant aesthetic, is strongly identified with urbanism, electricity, and modernity. An extension of early 20th century Art Nouveau, it gained full expression in the 1920s before morphing into 1930s Streamlined Moderne.  Deco’s refined stylized forms appealed to architects, decorators, and manufacturers, who used new exotic and synthetic materials to produce luxury products, often with limited output. Nonetheless, Art Deco embodies a vibrant era marked by a thirst for novelty, speed, exoticism, and freedom. It touched every field of creation, from architecture and transportation, to furniture, fashion, jewelry, and graphic arts. Join Architectural Historian Diane Kane for a 100th Anniversary overview of the style, highlighting Art Deco’s Jazz Age expression in America. Discover how, from its origins in Paris, uniquely local identities in New York, Los Angeles, and Miami under the influence of high finance, radio, film, flappers—and cocktails!

Fridays, April 3, 10, 17 & 24, 2026
7:30 PM

The Athenaeum Music & Arts Library is pleased to present the 2026 spring season of the Acoustic Evenings concert series, beginning April 3. The Acoustic Evenings series at the Athenaeum showcases some of the finest acoustic musicians in San Diego. Multiple acts fill each program, and attentive audiences delight in the intimacy of the unplugged storytelling format. San Diego Music Hall of Fame founder Jefferson Jay organizes and hosts the series. The project advances the Athenaeum’s commitment to support diverse San Diego talent. Acoustic Evenings is an unforgettable and personal experience for San Diego music lovers. The series, continuing through April 24, is set in the Athenaeum’s Joan & Irwin Jacobs Music Room.

Fridays, April 3, 2026
7:30 PM

This series begins on Friday, April 3, with Wax, Lisa Sanders and Brown Sugar, and Jimmy and Enrique. Wax is a rapper, singer, songwriter, and comedian with a gold record and millions of YouTube views. Lisa Sanders and Brown Sugar are a San Diego–based duo known for their soulful country–bluesy Americana sound. Guitarist Jimmy Patton and percussionist Enrique Platas bring world rhythms, including flamenco, salsa, and Brazilian, into their virtuosic performances.

Wednesday, April 8, 2026
3 & 3:30 PM

Bring your children or grandchildren to the Athenaeum's free Children's Storytime at 3 and 3:30 p.m. on Wednesdays. Great for children ages 1 through 9. This is a free event. Reservations are not necessary.

Thursday, April 9, 2026
7:30 PM

A burgeoning hub of international trade, New York invented the defining icon of Art Deco architecture—the ziggurat-formed skyscraper. This result of a 1916 zoning requirement enabled light to penetrate at street level in the forest of the ever taller buildings demanded by high finance. Housing offices, apartments, restaurants, boutiques, and nightclubs, resplendent with Art Deco art, furniture, and fashion, and highlighted in glowing neon, these buildings epitomized the bustling energy of Gatsby Era America. This race to the top produced an outstanding collection of distinctive skyscrapers, culminating in the Empire State Building of 1935.

Fridays, April 10, 2026
7:30 PM

The series continues Friday, April 10, with Evans & Raney, Joel Rafael, and Gayle Skidmore. Evans & Raney make their Acoustic Evenings debut with powerful guitar and harmonica performances; Joel Rafael draws on more than 50 years of folk songwriting experience; and Gayle Skidmore brings multi-instrumental mastery and award-winning songwriting to the stage.

Tuesday, April 14, 2026
7:30 PM

The Diderot String Quartet will make their Athenaeum debut with a journey to 18th century Vienna, featuring masterpieces by Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven. One of the premiere ensembles performing on gut strings and historical instruments, this dynamic group (Adriane Post, violin; Johanna Novom, violin; Kyle Miller, viola; Paul Dwyer, cello) breathes new life into old works.

Wednesday, April 15, 2026
3 & 3:30 PM

Bring your children or grandchildren to the Athenaeum's free Children's Storytime at 3 and 3:30 p.m. on Wednesdays. Great for children ages 1 through 9. This is a free event. Reservations are not necessary.

Thursday, April 16, 2026
7:30 PM

When everyone is an immigrant and anything is possible, fantasy and reality collide, overlap, and blur. Home to the incipient film, oil, and aircraft industries, Los Angeles, with its sunny weather and varied topography, attracted an international crowd of risk-taking entrepreneurs and bohemians. Flat plains were quickly gobbled up by film studios, outdoor back lots, and film support industries, all tied together by a sprawling road network traversed by automobiles. Art Deco movie palaces and glamorous lifestyles associated with—and glorified by—the film industry spread Art Deco fashion, interiors, and design across the country.

Fridays, April 17, 2026
7:30 PM

The series continues April 17 with The Croome Brothers, Jefferson Jay with Monette Marino, and Les Afriks. An acoustic trio, The Croome Brothers blend roots sounds with rich harmonies. Jefferson Jay, founder of Acoustic Evenings, performs with world-class percussionist Monette Marino. Les Afriks deliver African and reggae-influenced music celebrating cultural heritage and community.

Saturday, April 18, 2026
11 AM

New Member Tours are given by the librarian on the third Saturday of every month at 11 a.m. Members and nonmembers alike are welcome to attend. The librarian will give a tour of the library's space, collections, and a brief history. This is a free event. Reservations are not necessary.

Wednesday, April 22, 2026
3 & 3:30 PM

Bring your children or grandchildren to the Athenaeum's free Children's Storytime at 3 and 3:30 p.m. on Wednesdays. Great for children ages 1 through 9. This is a free event. Reservations are not necessary.

Thursday, April 23, 2026
7:30 PM

With over 800 buildings in the Streamline Moderne style, Miami Beach hosts the highest concentration of Art Deco buildings in the world. Sadly, the style’s origins and uniformity came about as a response to the Great Miami Hurricane of 1926 that left 25,000 people homeless. Comprising seasonal hotels, commercial strips, and small apartments, the quickly rebuilt area epitomized the optimistic futurism extolled at the 1933 Chicago and 1939 New York World Fairs. Originally developed for middle-class seasonal tourists, this internationally famous tropical playground materialized into a cohesive urban resort that was neither centrally planned nor haphazardly built. Its prevailing non-traditional architecture charted a path toward mid-century modern, locally known as MiMo (or Miami Modern).

Fridays, April 24, 2026
7:30 PM

The series concludes on Friday, April 24, with Fred Benedetti, Sue Palmer and Liz Ajuzie, and Tim Flannery. Fred Benedetti is a classical and jazz guitarist who has performed internationally but is also a favorite local musician. Sue Palmer and Liz Ajuzie deliver boogie-woogie piano and powerhouse vocals. Tim Flannery blends storytelling, bluegrass, country, and rock into heartfelt performances.

Wednesday, April 29, 2026
3 & 3:30 PM

Bring your children or grandchildren to the Athenaeum's free Children's Storytime at 3 and 3:30 p.m. on Wednesdays. Great for children ages 1 through 9. This is a free event. Reservations are not necessary.

Monday, May 4, 2026
7:30 PM

Specializing in the rich and varied “sound-world” of the late 17th century, the Artifex Consort (Malachai Komanoff Bandy, Rebecca Landell, and Eva Lymenstull, bass viols; John Lenti, theorbo; Ian Pritchard, keyboards) closes our season with works showcasing the viola da gamba as an ensemble instrument outside of the English consort tradition, during the height of its later flourishing in parts of England and Germany. The program features virtuosic music for two bass viols by Christopher Simpson and Johannes Schenck, alongside lush and ingenious—though little-known—works for three bass viols by Benjamin Hely and Johann Michael Nicolai.

Wednesday, May 6, 2026
10:30 AM

The Athenaeum Music & Arts Library is thrilled to announce its newest offering for young families: Creative Storytime with Ms. Katia. This new program, held on the first Wednesday of each month at 10:30 AM, is designed to introduce children to the magic of storytelling while fostering an early love for music, art, and literature.

Wednesday, May 6, 2026
3 & 3:30 PM

Bring your children or grandchildren to the Athenaeum's free Children's Storytime at 3 and 3:30 p.m. on Wednesdays. Great for children ages 1 through 9. This is a free event. Reservations are not necessary.

Saturday, May 9, 2026
VIP Hour: 5:30–6:30 PM
Main Event: 6:30–10 PM

Walk into the Athenaeum’s Talk of the Town, Annual Benefit Celebration.

Wednesday, May 13, 2026
3 & 3:30 PM

Bring your children or grandchildren to the Athenaeum's free Children's Storytime at 3 and 3:30 p.m. on Wednesdays. Great for children ages 1 through 9. This is a free event. Reservations are not necessary.

Saturday, May 16, 2026
11 AM

New Member Tours are given by the librarian on the third Saturday of every month at 11 a.m. Members and nonmembers alike are welcome to attend. The librarian will give a tour of the library's space, collections, and a brief history. This is a free event. Reservations are not necessary.

Wednesday, May 20, 2026
3 & 3:30 PM

Bring your children or grandchildren to the Athenaeum's free Children's Storytime at 3 and 3:30 p.m. on Wednesdays. Great for children ages 1 through 9. This is a free event. Reservations are not necessary.

Wednesday, May 27, 2026
3 & 3:30 PM

Bring your children or grandchildren to the Athenaeum's free Children's Storytime at 3 and 3:30 p.m. on Wednesdays. Great for children ages 1 through 9. This is a free event. Reservations are not necessary.