Portsmouth Athenaeum | Portsmouth Athenaeum

Message from Our Interim Director

by Portsmouth Athenaeum | Aug 7, 2026 | Announcements

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...

August 2026: Beach Reads

by Portsmouth Athenaeum | Aug 4, 2026 | Announcements, Library

By Research Librarian Jessica Zaricki It’s summertime and our thoughts have turned to the beach and, of course, light, distracting summer reads. Please enjoy this selection from our circulating collection featuring mystery, romance, and New Hampshire’s local beaches...

July 2026: The Red Light District

by Portsmouth Athenaeum | Jul 1, 2026 | Announcements, Library

By Research Librarian Jessica Zaricki This summer and fall the Portsmouth Athenæum presents The Red Light District: Vice in Portsmouth, NH at the Turn of the 20th Century, an exhibit in the Randall Gallery which offers a glimpse at a seedier part of our city’s...

Exhibit Shines the Red Light on City’s Past

by Portsmouth Athenaeum | Jun 25, 2026 | Announcements, Exhibits

By Sherry Wood “The Red Light District: Vice in Portsmouth, NH, at the Turn of the 20th Century,” opens July 10 in the Randall Gallery. It will bring a fresh perspective to Portsmouth’s houses of ill repute, which flourished after the...

Portsmouth Athenæum Chamber Music 2026

by Portsmouth Athenaeum | Jun 24, 2026 | Announcements, Performance

The Portsmouth Athenæum presents this annual series of chamber music concerts held in historic venues around Portsmouth. This year, the public is invited to attend the following four chamber concerts: NEW ENGLAND BAROQUE SUNDAY, AUGUST 30, 3 p.m. St. John’s...