Providence Athenaeum

Providence Athenaeum Review

Established in 1753 and housed in a Greek Revival structure of 1838, this is among the oldest lending libraries in the world. Here Edgar Allan Poe, visiting Providence to lecture at Brown, met and courted Sarah Helen Whitman, who was said to be the inspiration for his poem "Annabel Lee." The library holds Rhode Island art and artifacts, an original set of Birds of America prints by John J. Audubon, and one of the world's best collections of travel literature. Changing exhibits showcase parts of the collection.