Athenæum's Legacy

The Board of Directors and staff of The Athenæum of Philadelphia are grateful to the many individuals, businesses and foundations whose generosity supports our operations, programs and National Historic Landmark library.

The 210th Annual Report 2024 - 2025
Athenaeum Reading Room
The 210th Annual Report 2024 - 2025

Donors

This list reflects cumulative pledges, gifts and grants above membership dues to the annual fund, special sponsorships, bookcase restoration campaign and our endowment received between July 1, 2024 and June 30, 2025. Every effort has been made to produce an accurate and complete list of contributors. If an error or omission has been made, please call the development team at: 215-925-2688.

1814 Society

The 1814 Society represents those who support The Athenæum of Philadelphia with gifts of $1,000 or more each year.

Anonymous
The Bergman Foundation
Jeffrey Cooper and Nancy Klaus*
Mr. William M. Davison, IV
Robert Ewers and Penny Pleasance*
Amy A. Fox and Daniel H. Wheeler
Jolinda Grace**
Linda J. Harris
Leo Holt and Family*
Joan M. Johnson**
Stephen Kieran
Sandra K. Myers
Zoë Pappas
Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission***
The Philadelphia Cultural Fund***
Poor Richard’s Charitable Trust
Mr. and Mrs. Edward E. Scharff

Jim Averill
Richard W. Bartholomew, FAIA, FAAR*
Mrs. Adrienne Yost Hart*
Daniel Kelley
The Lumpkin Family Foundation
Dean and Nancy H. Nance
The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society
Preservation Design Partnership, LLC
Dr. and Mrs. Robert M. Steiner, M.D.

Anonymous (3)
Barbara B. and Theodore R. Aronson
Nora Barry and Michael Adams*
Boston Foundation
Ann and David Brownlee
Cynthia Davis Buffington
Mr. Pierce E. Buller and Dr. Amber Buller
Dr. Jeffrey Cohen*
Mr. Kirk de Gooyer
Scott Donahue*
Barbara Eberlein, ASID 
Joseph Elliott*
Jane Fischer*
Mary Hawkesworth and Philip Alperson*
Dr. Beth Hessel and Seth Goldberg, Esq
Michael Horgan and Bailey Ford
Amey Hutchins and Dylan Steinberg*
Yardly and Scott M. Jenkins
Ms. Marjorie G. Jones*
Dr. Eric Kaplan*
Kieran Timberlake
Matthew and Kara Krissel*
Sueyun Locks
The McCausland Foundation
Dennis C. McGlade, FASLA
Dr. Lynn H. Miller
Ms. Nancy Moses and Mr. Myron Bloom
Mr. William S. Mulherin and Mr. Joseph Baker*
Barbara Oldenhoff
The Philadelphia Contributionship
PNC Bank, N.A.
Robert S. Price
The Quaker City Foundation
Bernard M. Resnick, Esq. and Priscilla J. Mattison
Cintra and Franklyn Rodgers*
Dr. and Ms. Ralph M. Rosen
David B. Rowland
Lynn Wertan Schwartz
Howard J. Sedran and Martha Levine
Justin Spivey*
Mark N. Steinberger and Ann C. Lebowitz*
Lucy and John Strackhouse*
George H. Strimel, Jr. and Janis O’Connor*
Scot and Christine L. Sweeney
Barbara Tollen*
Dell Upton*
Marc Walton and Tova Stifano*
Dr. Karol M. Wasylyshyn 
Mary Watson*
Ms. Joan K. Wells and Mr. Dane T. Wells
Matthew Winship and Amanda Weeks*
Lisa M. Witomski*

Anonymous (2)
Dr. Francesca Ammon*
Cecil Baker, AIA*
Mr. Richard Bready
Mr. Jonathan Broder and Ms. Joy J. Bernstein
Sandy Cadwalader
Captain Thomas E. Carroll and Mrs. Sue Carroll
Mr. P. Justin Detwiler*
Donald Dissinger*
Drs. Anne and Steven Docimo
Elisabeth Doolan*
Constantine and Kathleen G. DoukakisElise F. Drake
Ms. Elizabeth H. Gemmill
Dr. Jan Gordon
William J. Green
Mrs. Wanda S. Gunning
Feather Houstoun
Lonnie Hovey*
Dr. and Mrs. William Jantsch
Kathryn L. Kenney and Christopher D. Kenney, AIA
Mrs. Julia B. Leisenring
Patricia LePera and Arnold Lurie
Jay and Margaret Lippincott
Ludwick Foundation
Octavia Hill Association
David T. Orthwein
Mr. Nathaniel Popkin and Ms. Rona Buchalter*
Dr. Lisa Rosner and Dr. John Theibault
Michael Salama and Lisa Primavera
Paul and Barbara Schraeder
Craig and Dianne L. Semingson
Georgia Shafia
Marion Siegman
Maria M. and Radclyffe F. Thomson*
William Penn Foundation
Jean K. Wolf*

American Philosophical Society Press
Arden Theatre Company
Cecil Baker
Judith Benedict
Cordelia Frances Biddle
PJ Cöe
Counterpoint
Cresheim Press
Curious Elixirs
Lynn Davidman
David Doret
David Ebenbach
Barry Eiswerth
Yuval Etgar
John Henry Hepp, IV
Independence Seaport Museum
Japan America Society
Richard L. Kagan
Thomas Kligerman
Daisy Konowal
Vanesse Lloyd-Sgambati
James LoGiudice
Melissa McGill
Charles Moleski
Susan O’Connor
Robert Parsky
Philadelphia City Archives
Philadelphia Museum of Art
Philadelphia Theatre Company
Roger Prichard & Riverton Historical Society
Princeton University Press
Lois Reibach
Malcolm Reynolds
Gail Rodgers McCormick
David Rowland
Witold Rybczynski & Shirley Hallam
Monique Seyler
Barbara Mecke Sharp
Mayda Sharrow
Julien and Betty Slowinski
Soft Skull
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church
Megan Staffel
Jennifer Suttmeier
Karla Trotman
Tursulowe Press
University of Pennsylvania Press

OUR HISTORIC BUILDING

A distinguished historic building with robust usage demands consistent attention and care. Under the leadership of Building Superintendent Christina Doe and a stellar Building Committee that includes architects, preservationists and engineers, The Athenæum receives a professional level of focus on repairs, restoration and preventative maintenance to keep her happily humming along. Even as the staff and committee paid attention to maintenance issues and the impacts of the Dilworth House building project on our building, we also looked at big-picture, longer term needs.

Most notably, we devised a plan to make much needed repairs to the historic bookshelves in the Reading Room. The shelves are in various states of disrepair, including cracked plaster, broken glass, and latches that won’t stay closed on their own. Our initial goal was to raise $33,000 in order to repair the first three bays. In the spring we fundraised with great success, raising a total of $88,485. This outpouring of support has enabled us to work with local craftsmen and artisans on a restoration project we hope to have completed within the next year. We’ve identified local craftsmen and artisans to help us restore our beloved bookshelves and hope to have repairs finished within the next year.

Photo gallery

I became a member of The Athenæum at my husband, Ken Butera’s urging who held a special fondness for reading the morning papers there in the Members’ Lounge and for us attending classical music events there. Further, in this stunning 19 th century building, one can experience uncommon comfort in a space… in a place that is a rare combination of serenity and stimulation and also of private repose and communal interaction. A long-time Washington Square resident, Ken’s special request was that his Life Celebration take place at The Athenæum. It could not have been more memorable, and whenever I visit here now, I can reflect on the savored times we shared here.