The third-floor Shaw Research Library and Randall Gallery are open to the public from 1 to 4 p.m., Tuesday thru Saturday. For elevator access, please call (603) 431-2538.
UPCOMING EVENT
2026 PACM Series: Piano and Violin Duo
HOURS
Shaw Research Library &
Randall Gallery
Tuesday through Saturday
1 to 4 p.m.
Historic Building Tour
Check our events page for upcoming scheduled tours.
2026 Holiday Closures
Thanksgiving – Nov. 26 to Nov. 28
Annual Holiday Gala – Dec. 4
Christmas – Dec. 24 to Dec. 26
New Year’s – Dec. 31 to Jan. 2
EXPLORE THE ARCHIVES
The Athenæum houses an outstanding collection of documents and artifacts relating to local history. It also preserves what is undoubtedly the finest collection in the state of materials relating to the history of New Hampshire’s only major seaport.
October 2026: National Arts & Humanities Month
By Research Librarian Jessica Zaricki October marks the largest annual celebration of the arts and humanities in the United States, giving us a wonderful opportunity to reflect on how much these fields enrich our society. What would the world be without music, art,...
September 2026: National Wilderness Month
By Research Librarian Jessica Zaricki In 2021, President Joseph R. Biden declared September as National Wilderness Month as a recommitment to the Wilderness Act of 1964, which sought to protect millions of acres of undeveloped federal public land from industrial...
Message from Our Interim Director
By Interim Director Catherine Keene Fields My first few weeks at the Portsmouth Athenæum have been a whirlwind. As I learn more and more, I am increasingly excited about the organization and its future. The Athenæum has played an important role in preserving and...