Athenaeum

Next time you are wiling away a day in La Jolla, be sure to stop into the Athenaeum. This music and arts library has been around for over 100 years. It is one of the few remaining private libraries in the nation. If you did not know, all libraries used to be private; you had to pay a fee to join in order to check out books. In some parts of the world libraries still work this way, for example in Paris. In the United States the vast majority of libraries have been publicized, except for 17 of them, and most of these are specialty libraries.

The Athenaeum’s specialties are art and music. There is a huge selection of music CD, sheet music, and books on art and music to check out to members. But the library itself is open to the public, and anyone is welcome to browse the selections for a minutes or an afternoon. I highly recommend spending some time in the space. There is a gallery that hosts several art exhibits each year, specializing in artists from Southern California and Baja Mexico.

The library includes three heritage buildings that have recently been renovated to connect the space inside, without altering the appearance of the protected buildings on the outside. The gallery was expanded, the art school was made handicapped accessible, and behind the scenes the offices were improved and they built a climate-controlled vault for their art collection.

Their collection of art also has a specialty: Artist Books. This relatively new art form really only came into critics sight in the 1970s. But San Diego is a hub of activity for book artists, and the Athenaeum is one reason. They have a permanent collection of artist books, and they have an exhibit of artist books that is simultaneously on display with the larger art gallery.

Throughout the library there are little nooks and each corner seems to hold a surprise discovery. Whether you wander into the art gallery, happen upon the artist books, or discover the children’s art books collection, the athenaeum is a delightful place to explore. In the heart of La Jolla, on the corner of Wall St and Girard St, it is a historical delight that is not to be missed.

Athenaeum
1008 Wall Street (@ Girard)
La Jolla, CA 92037-4418
858 454 5872