Halloween at the Athenaeum

This October 30, the Boston Athenaeum transforms into a Halloween haven for literary spirits and curious minds. For those seeking both history and mystery, this spine-chilling soirée will feature ghost stories, tarot cards, tea leaves, and treasures from the spookiest corners of our special collections. Plus: a literary costume contest, candy for every sweet tooth, music, and refreshments available for purchase. Join us, if you dare, for an evening of costumes, curiosities, and things that go “bump” in the night… This event is open to anyone; tickets are required. Visitor tickets are $20. Athenaeum Member tickets are free. Food and drink will be available for purchase at our cashless bar. We accept all major credit cards, Apple Pay, and Google Pay. The Boston Athenaeum welcomes people of all abilities. If you have questions regarding accessibility, please email <a href="mailto:events@bostonathenaeum.org">events@bostonathenaeum.org</a>.

Boston Athenaeum

Neighborhood Madonna: Soprano Candice Hoyes In Recital

Don’t miss this opportunity to learn about Allan Rohan Crite, one of the most influential public artists in American history, through the operatic voice of soprano and archivist&nbsp;Candice Hoyes&nbsp;at the Boston Atheneum. In this original chamber recital entitled “Neighborhood Madonna,” Hoyes celebrates Crite’s trailblazing life as painter, storyteller and exponent of abiding faith and civil rights. Hoyes interweaves Crite’s personal journey traversing Boston communities, throughout her repertoire to render an evocative musical portrait. Renowned pianist&nbsp;Christopher Cooley&nbsp;joins Ms. Hoyes with works by Handel, Florence Price, Dorothy Parker, Langston Hughes, William Grant Still and the artist herself. The program is followed by a public conversation with curator&nbsp;Novella Ford&nbsp;of the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. This event is open to anyone; tickets are required. Visitor tickets are $35. Athenaeum Member tickets are $20. Tickets include Boston Athenaeum First Floor admission and entry to the exhibition "Allan Rohan Crite: Griot of Boston".

Exhibition Opening: Wild Flowers of New Enland

Be the first to experience the Athenaeum's new exhibition, Wild Flowers of New England. “There is no record so true as the good photographic study; as we see the conditions of plant life eternally changing everywhere, the value of these permanent authentic records to future generations cannot be overestimated.” — Edwin Hale Lincoln, 1916 Photographs of daisies, lilies, ferns, milkweed and other plants welcome visitors to Wild Flowers of New England. Centering around the work of Massachusetts-based photographer Edwin Hale Lincoln, this exhibition explores his photographic effort to document and preserve New England’s wildflowers. Over three decades, Lincoln explored the forests around his Berkshire home, studying the lives of native wildflowers, and photographing the plants in his studio. Lincoln created a unique photographic language, blending scientific specificity and artistic expression, producing portraits that celebrate the ephemeral beauty of native plants. Wild Flowers of New England places Lincoln’s work in conversation with botanical printers and photographers of the past and present and contextualizes his practice within larger preservationist movements. Through Lincoln’s lens, visitors will see the timeless allure of New England’s wildflowers and the enduring power of botanical artistry. If you're not able to join us for the opening, the exhibition will be on view until September 5, 2025. This event also celebrates the opening of A Living Archive, on view in our alcove gallery. The exhibition explores the collaborative work of artists May Babcock and Lindsey Beal, blending handmade papermaking with alternative photographic processes. Rooted in place-based research, their work explores the New England landscape, focusing on Pawtucket, Rhode Island, and the Blackstone River Valley. TICKETS &amp; TICKET POLICIES Tickets are required for this event. Member, member guest, and visitor tickets are at no cost. The Boston Athenaeum welcomes people of all abilities. If you have questions regarding accessibility, please email <a href="mailto:events@bostonathenaeum.org">events@bostonathenaeum.org</a>

Rasa String Quartet & Brian Shankar Adler - Redefining Home

Multidisciplinary percussionist Brian Shankar Adler and the Rasa String Quartet present: Redefining Home, a concert that celebrates each artists’ musical roots. Spanning from evocative Indian ragas and mysterious Argentine tangos to spirited Celtic fiddle tunes, this collaboration evokes the feelings of home and comfort inherent in our earliest musical memories, while also exploring the rhythmic connection across a wide array of genres. The program culminates in the world premiere of a new work for string quartet and percussion by Brian Shankar Adler, inspired by this unique collaboration. ABOUT THE PERFORMERS The Boston-based Rasa String Quartet explores the musical space where classical and folk traditions intersect and influence one another. They are winners of the 2022 AEMC Competition in Italy, the 2021 Music Teachers National Association Chamber Music Competition, the 2020 Chamber Music Yellow Springs Competition, and were the 2022-23 ensemble in residence at Phillips Exeter Academy. Notable performances include the 2023 Osaka International Chamber Music Competition, Celebrity Series of Boston, Rockport Music, and the Highlands Cashiers Chamber Music Festival, among others. The quartet can be found collaborating with the preeminent folk musicians of today, performing at venues and festivals around the country, and participating in artistic and educational residencies at various institutions. By exploring the connection between music and storytelling at the heart of folk traditions, Rasa String Quartet delivers fresh, engaging performances that blend classical elegance with folk whimsy, celebrate global traditions, and elevate lesser-known composers. Brian Shankar Adler is an interdisciplinary percussionist and composer. Described as "a polyrhythmic force… New York City gritty yet still somehow capable of evoking the delicacy of a summer breeze…” (JazzTimes), his work transcends the terrain between genre and geographic region, asking: how can we find connection through rhythm? Adler has performed in caves, forests and adjacent glacial ice fields as well as Carnegie Hall, Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center and The Stone. He has been recorded on over fifty albums including his solo works: For a Gallery on the Moon (Chant Records, 2020), Fourth Dimension (Chant Records, 2019), and his recent collaboration: Air Space: Cricket Cipher (Adhyâropa Records, 2024). TICKETS &amp; TICKET POLICIES Tickets are required for this event. Tickets for members and their guests are $20. Visitor tickets are $35 and include first floor admission. Tickets are refundable if canceled up to 48 hours before the event. The Boston Athenaeum welcomes people of all abilities. If you have questions regarding accessibility, please email <a href="mailto:events@bostonathenaeum.org">events@bostonathenaeum.org</a>

Sulinha's Trio at the Boston Athenaeum

Join the award-winning Sulinha's Trio at the Boston Athenaeum for an educational children’s music performance with a Brazilian twist. We'll experience traditional Brazilian instruments and engage with the lively music through dancing and interactive fun! Families with children of ages are welcome, and the show is especially designed for ages 6 and younger. The Boston Athenaeum welcomes people of all abilities. If you have questions regarding accessibility, please reach out to glass@bostonathenaeum.org.

"Wheatley at 250" with Danielle Legros Georges & Artress Bethany White at the Boston Athenaeum

Wheatley at 250: Black Women Poets Re-imagine the Verse of Phillis Wheatley Peters is a new collection celebrating the 250th anniversary of Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral (1773) by gathering the voices of 20 Black female poets to reimagine the work of Phillis Wheatley Peters, both America's first Black poet and the iconic literary ancestor for a new generation. Join contributors Danielle Legros Georges and Artress Bethany White for an evening at the Boston Athenaeum. The Boston Athenaeum welcomes people of all abilities. If you have questions regarding accessibility, reach out to events@bostonathenaeum.org.

Boston Athenaeum exhibition opening: "The Art of Paper: Claire Van Vliet & the Janus Press"

Step into the enchanting world of artist Claire Van Vliet with the Boston Athenaeum. A 1989 MacArthur Fellow, Van Vliet is widely recognized for her innovations in hand papermaking and for her imaginative, sculptural artist’s books. The Art of Paper: Claire Van Vliet &amp; the Janus Press highlights Van Vliet’s captivating quilt books and other woven and interlocking book structures, her vibrant pulp paintings, made by “painting” with variously pigmented paper pulps, and her striking prints. The Boston Athenaeum welcomes people of all abilities. With questions regarding accessibility, reach out to <a href="mailto:events@bostonathenaeum.org">events@bostonathenaeum.org</a>.

Golden Age of Silent Movies at the Boston Athenaeum

Join the Boston Athenaeum for a delightful afternoon of early cartoons, comedy, and thrilling serials featuring legends like Harold Lloyd, Charlie Chaplin, and Buster Keaton, all brought to life with live narration, sound effects, and musical accompaniment by pianist Richard Hughes. Bring your children or your inner child! While all ages are welcome, the show is especially designed for children ages six and up. Tickets are free for children with an accompanying adult. The Boston Athenaeum welcomes people of all abilities. If you have questions regarding accessibility, please reach out to <a href="mailto:glass@bostonathenaeum.org">glass@bostonathenaeum.org</a>.

S22: conversations

Wondering what to do in Boston? Places to eat? Free activities? Good for a group? Date night spot? Girls night out? The best things to do? Ask Joyraft!

Best places to go in Boston? Things to do? Places to eat?

Questions & answers about things to do in Boston

Recs 💬

Community recs 💬

S4: top picks

The most fun, cool and unique things to do in Boston. Can’t miss events, shows and experiences. Concerts, restaurants, bars, free things in Boston and beyond.

The most fun and cool events happening around Boston

Hot and new things to do in Boston

Hot & new

Hot & new 🔥

S11: happening this weekend

What to do in Boston this weekend? From festivals, concerts, performances, free events, screenings and more, Joyraft has the best things to do in Boston.

25+ things to do in Boston/Cambridge/Somerville this weekend

Things to do in Boston this weekend

This wknd

This weekend for you

S21: roundups

Our top picks: outdoor dining, free events, spring festivals, best bars, upcoming concerts, museum parties - the latest in and around Boston.  Slug: joyraft-top-picks-best-things-to-do-boston-ma

Top picks of the best things to do in and around Boston

Joyraft picks: Boston’s best things to do

Roundups ⭐️

Curated by Joyraft ⭐️

S28: calendar experiences

This week in Boston

This week in Boston 📆

This week 📆

S20: c+d experiences

Discover new, unique events and experiences happening in and around Boston. Perfect for date night, good for a group or with a friend. Be the first to know.

The newest events happening in and around Boston

The newest events on Joyraft

Just added

Just added to Joyraft

S16: editor picks

The most unique and can’t miss things coming up in Boston / Cambridge / Somerville and beyond. Festivals, food, drinks, fairs, concerts, art and free activities.

Unique and Can’t Miss Things to Do in Boston

Can’t-miss things to do in Boston 🚨

Can't-miss things to do 🚨

S2 (A): top experiences

The most popular things to do on Joyraft. Concerts, restaurants, bars, events, parties, openings, kid friendly, date ideas, free things in Boston and beyond.

Top 20 things to do in Boston

Top 20: Joyraft’s most popular

Top 20

Top 20 on Joyraft

S3 (A): trending experiences

Discover can’t miss events and things to do in Boston. The most fun, unique and cool events coming to the Boston area this spring and summer.

The hottest events happening in Boston

Trending events on Joyraft

Trending 📈

S17: interest based

Your guide to everything free in and around Boston. From events, to fairs, to festivals, to outdoors. Joyraft has all the free events happening near you.

100+ free things to do in Boston and beyond

Free things to do in Boston

Free things to do

S19: interest based

Kid-friendly events in Boston

S18: interest based

Where to eat and drink in Boston? Joyraft has Boston’s newest bars, restaurants and specials. Drinks and pre fixe dinner menus. Cambridge & Somerville too.

Where

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