by Portsmouth Athenaeum | Jun 4, 2026 | Announcements
By Board President Jeffrey W. Keefe With the retirement of longtime Athenæum Keeper and Executive Director Tom Hardiman, we are looking ahead to effect a productive transition to new leadership. Appointing an Interim Director is our first major step toward this goal....
by Portsmouth Athenaeum | Jun 4, 2026 | Announcements
By Keeper and Executive Director Tom Hardiman Many of you have already learned of my decision to take early retirement, effective July 31, after 26 years as your Keeper and Executive Director. We have achieved great things together, including the launch of our...
by Portsmouth Athenaeum | Jun 4, 2026 | Announcements, Library
By Research Librarian Jessica Zaricki On June 28, 1969, the Stonewall Uprising began in New York City as a series of riots and protests that are now considered the catalyst for the modern gay liberation movement. Over the following decades, annual marches...
by Portsmouth Athenaeum | Apr 30, 2026 | Announcements, Library
By Research Librarian Jessica Zaricki Each May, hundreds of organizations and Americans of all backgrounds connect to discover, explore, and celebrate the vibrant and varied American Jewish experience from the earliest days of our nation to the present. Please join us...
by Portsmouth Athenaeum | Apr 2, 2026 | Announcements, Library
By Research Librarian Jessica Zaricki In 1996, the American Academy of Poets launched National Poetry Month to honor the significance of poetry within our culture. For 30 years, this celebration has worked to increase the visibility of poets and to increase poetry’s...
by Portsmouth Athenaeum | Mar 20, 2026 | Announcements, News
By Keeper and Executive Director Tom Hardiman Back in 2019, engineers gave us a warning that our Foye building was at least 100% overloaded with books, newspapers, and archival materials. With heroic help from staff, board, and volunteers, we were able to move 50% of...
by Portsmouth Athenaeum | Mar 11, 2026 | Announcements, Events
Two hundred and fifty years ago on July 4th, 1776, the Declaration of Independence was signed marking the official birth of our Nation. This year’s lecture series encompasses facets of early American History. The great state of New Hampshire plays a significant...
by Portsmouth Athenaeum | Mar 5, 2026 | Announcements, Library
By Research Librarian Jessica Zaricki On March 6, 1873, Norwegian immigrants Karen and Anethe Christensen, were murdered in a brutal ax attack in their home on Smuttynose Island, one of the Isles of Shoals located off the coast of Portsmouth, NH and Kittery, ME....
by Portsmouth Athenaeum | Feb 18, 2026 | Announcements, Exhibits
By Sherry Wood The exhibit “NH Women Trailblazers” is a tribute to all the women who dared to challenge social, economic, and political barriers. “We wanted to highlight courageous New Hampshire women who have improved our lives, and for girls and...
by Portsmouth Athenaeum | Feb 12, 2026 | Announcements, Library
By Research Librarian Jessica Zaricki In the United States, February tends to be a difficult month for wild bird populations. The cold and unforgiving weather contributes to their struggle to find food during the winter which lead to the development of a month in...