The Athenaeum Club: a history

Like BRLSI, The Athenaeum Club was founded two hundred years ago and also like BRLSI, its members had a huge impact on Britain’s scientific, creative and official life. Find out more about the club’s compelling history in our latest bicentenary talk!

When it was founded in 1824, the Athenaeum broke the mould. Unlike in other pre-eminent clubs, its members were chosen on the basis of their achievements rather than on their background. Public rather than private life dominated the agenda. Famous for its library, the club has always been closely linked to the learned societies. With its tradition of hospitality to conflicting views, the Athenaeum has attracted leading scientists, writers, artists and intellectuals throughout its history, including Charles Darwin and Matthew Arnold, Edward Burne-Jones and Yehudi Menuhin, Winston Churchill and Gore Vidal.

Michael Wheeler, author of the definitive book The Athenaeum, devotes attention to the influence of Athenians on the scientific, creative and official life of the nation. From the unwitting recruitment of a Cold War spy to the welcome admittance of women, this lively and original account explores the corridors and characters of the club; its wider political, intellectual and cultural influence; and its recent reinvention.