The Athenaeum of Philadelphia

The Athenaeum, designated as a National Historic Landmark, is a distinguished special collections library and museum of decorative and fine arts. Founded in 1814, before the establishment of public libraries, the institution serves as a repository of hundreds of thousands of architectural drawings, photographs, manuscripts, and other archival materials. Its historic building, designed by John Notman, in the Italianate Revival style, is recognized as one of the first brownstone buildings in Philadelphia.

Keast & Hood has supported The Athenaeum through multiple preservation, restoration, and structural improvement projects focused on protecting both the historic structure and its invaluable collections. Services have included façade restoration, cornice and window repairs, and monitoring of nearby construction activities that posed potential risks to the building. To help safeguard the structure, vibration monitors were installed, and our engineers provided training to museum staff on monitoring procedures and data collection.

Keast & Hood also assisted with the implementation of recommendations from KieranTimberlake’s 2019 Master Plan Study. Structural improvements included the removal of masonry partition walls to create a new reception lounge on the first floor, support for new mechanical equipment at the third floor, and evaluation of options to increase the load capacity of the second-floor Reading Room balconies to accommodate future public access. Additional studies addressed guardrail modifications and egress improvements to support future planning efforts while preserving the building’s historic character.