The Athenaeum

Opened in 1870 on a prominent site in The Octagon, Dunedin, the Atheneum is one of the oldest surviving main-centre private libraries still used for its original purpose in New Zealand. The Athenaeum and Mechanics Institute provided the early European settlers with ready access to books, periodicals and live readings. The Athenaeum is still in existence today, with its library still operating from the central city site it moved to in 1870. While its membership has naturally declined since the advent of the public library, there has been a revival of interest in the Athenaeum and what it provides over the last few years. The building in which it is situated in the Octagon in the centre of Dunedin was recently purchased by a heritage building restoration enthusiast who has woven his magic over a number of the city’s old buildings and his intention is to provide a fully fledged arts hub in the building with the Athenaeum library as its centrepiece.