Founded in 1807, the historic Boston Athenaeum wedding venue is a five floor gallery of books and art. The Boston Athenaeum offers a range of spaces for your wedding celebration, with room for up to 180 guests. Despite its historic significance, this Boston wedding venue also offers modern services and updated audio-visual technology. Unique and classically elegant, this space will elevate your wedding into a distinguished experience. Rows of bookshelves, marble staircases, grand arched ceilings, and brass lighting fixtures provide the perfect backdrop for a more intimate celebration with your closest friends and family.
The Building’s History
The Boston Athenaeum is one of the oldest independent libraries in the United States with thousands of rare books, manuscripts, and original works of art. We think this makes it the perfect wedding venue for bibliophile couples or art history fanatics! The word Athenaeum is another word for library and honors the goddess of wisdom, Athena. Throughout the library you’ll encounter various statues depicting her. Historically, the space regularly hosted art exhibitions and served as the epicenter of intellectual life in Boston. Continue the tradition by hosting your very own historically significant event here!
Renting the Boston Athenaeum
Historic venues often have a slightly higher price point due to the cost of upkeep. But due to the detailed architectural elements, this means you won’t have to invest as much into the decor. The building alone offers incredible ambiance. Prices to rent the Boston Athenaeum range from $10,000-$35,000 depending on how much space you will need for your wedding celebration. Your rental also includes:
- a five hour window for the event
- additional three hour setup/breakdown time
- use of audio-visual equipment
- access to event producers
If you choose to have a Boston Athenaeum wedding, you’ll need to use their catering services. The Catered Affair offers customized menus for your personal tastes. They also include waitstaff and bar services as part of the catering package.
Historic Boston Wedding Venues
At Fuld & Co. we absolutely love to plan weddings at unique venues such as the Boston Athenaeum. A timeless romance set in a building imbued with the history of inspiring minds is the reason we love our job. If you’re at the beginning of your wedding planning journey and looking for some guidance, reach out to us to see if we’d be a good fit for your vision. We’ll take your inspiration and dreams and turn them into an unforgettable event!
