Athenaeum Music & Arts Library

Athenaeum Music & Arts Library Nonprofit music & arts library with exhibitions, concerts, artist talks, lectures, and art classes. It truly is a feast.

The Athenaeum Music & Arts Library, located in the heart of La Jolla, California, in San Diego County, is one of only 16 nonprofit membership libraries in the United States. This rare cultural institution, an important one to the greater San Diego area, offers a depth and accessibility of resources and programs found nowhere else in the region. The library, devoted exclusively to music and art, ha

s an outstanding and ever-expanding collection of books, periodicals, reference material, compact discs, videocassettes, DVDs, sheet music, and librettos, as well as one of the most significant collections of artists' books in Southern California. The library is open to the public five days a week; members can check out materials for a modest annual fee. The Athenaeum also presents an eclectic, year-round schedule of art exhibitions, concerts (classical, jazz, and new music), lectures, studio art classes through its School of the Arts, tours and special events. We invite you to browse through these pages, learn more about us, and participate in our activities. To quote the San Diego Union-Tribune, "There are few libraries in America as unusual as the Athenaeum Music & Arts Library."

Athenaeum Jazz Returns for Our Summer Series!We’re thrilled to announce the Farrell Family Athenaeum Jazz Summer Series,...
06/02/2026

Athenaeum Jazz Returns for Our Summer Series!

We’re thrilled to announce the Farrell Family Athenaeum Jazz Summer Series, featuring three unforgettable concerts in the intimate Joan & Irwin Jacobs Music Room.

First up:

🗓️ Rodriguez Brothers Quintet—Miles 100: A Celebration in Afro-Cuban Jazz: Sunday, June 14, 7:30 PM

Making their local debut, the Grammy Award–nominated Rodriguez Brothers Quintet honors the 100th birthday of Miles Davis with an electrifying tribute that reimagines his iconic music through the lens of Afro-Cuban jazz. Featuring Michael Rodriguez (), trumpet; Robert Rodriguez (), piano; Carlitos Del Puerto (), bass; Jimmy MacBride (.macbride), drums; and Luis Conte (), percussion, the ensemble blends Havana’s rhythmic energy with the spirit of innovation that defined Davis’s legendary career.

The summer series continues with:
🗓️ Sunday, June 21, 7:30 PM: Emilio Solla (), piano, and Antonio Lizana (), vocals and saxophone
🗓️ Friday, August 21, 7:30 PM: Sean Jones (), trumpet; Billy Childs (), piano; and Ben Williams (), bass

🎟️ Tickets & full details at link in bio, ljathenaeum.org/jazz, and 858-454-5872.

📍 Athenaeum Music & Arts Library, Joan & Irwin Jacobs Music Room, 1008 Wall Street, La Jolla, CA 92037

Open Print Studio at the Athenaeum Art Center ✨Open Print Studio invites artists to work independently in our print stud...
05/30/2026

Open Print Studio at the Athenaeum Art Center ✨

Open Print Studio invites artists to work independently in our print studio space. Plan ahead for June—our upcoming sessions are perfect for getting creative in our fully equipped print studio.

Some printmaking familiarity is helpful as Open Print Studio is self-guided, and limited technical support is available for refreshers or help finding supplies. Our facility supports intaglio, screen print, relief, and letterpress. Printmaking classes are also offered throughout the year.

📍 Open Print Studio (Free and open to all)

– Friday, June 5, 1–6 PM
– Friday, June 12, 1–6 PM
– Friday, June 26, 1–6 PM
– No Open Print Studio on June 19—Juneteenth

📍 Members’ Open Print Studio (For Athenaeum members)

– Saturday, June 6, 11 AM–6 PM
– No Members’ Open Print Studio on June 13—Athenaeum School of the Arts art class
– Saturday, June 20, 11 AM–6 PM
– Saturday, June 27, 11 AM–6 PM

Check the link in bio for more details on Open Print Studio, printmaking classes, and Athenaeum memberships.

Celebrate stories, songs, learning, and play on Wednesday at Creative Storytime with Ms. Katia! 📚✨Designed for young fam...
05/29/2026

Celebrate stories, songs, learning, and play on Wednesday at Creative Storytime with Ms. Katia! 📚✨

Designed for young families, this free, interactive storytime invites children to experience the magic of storytelling through music, movement, and imagination with . Each session features engaging stories and songs that spark curiosity and creativity while building an early love of music, art, and literature.

📖 Wednesday, June 3 (First Wednesday of every month)
⏰ 10:30 AM
👧 Ages 2–5
🎟 Free admission, no RSVP needed
📍 Athenaeum Music & Arts Library, 1008 Wall Street, La Jolla, CA 92037

📌 Weekly Children’s Storytime with library staff continues every Wednesday at 3 PM!

05/28/2026

Mini-Concert Highlights from May! 🎶

This month, our free Mini-Concert Series continued to bring incredible music to the Athenaeum, featuring…

(1) Peter Sprague Trio: Peter Sprague (), guitar; Danny Green (), piano; Mack Leighton (), bass
(2) Duo Nova (): Yewon Lee (), piano & Hyun-Jeong Ahn (), piano
(3) Folias Duo (): Carmen Maret (.flute), flute & Andrew Bergeron (.guitar), guitar

(Performers listed in order of concert appearance)

Next up in June:

Mon, June 1: Aviara Trio (): Ines Irawati (), piano; Robert Schumitzky, violin; Erin Breene (), cello
Mon, June 8: John Blacklow, piano & Jonathan Karoly (), cello
Mon, June 15: No mini-concert (Annual Patron Members Celebration)
Mon, June 22: Yana Yan (), flute
Mon, June 29: Nathan & Jessie (), jazz guitar folk duo

🎟️ Free & open to the public! Arrive early—seating is limited.
🚪 Doors open 11:40 AM | Last entry 12:10 PM
🔗 For more info, visit link in bio, ljathenaeum.org/concerts, or call 858-454-5872
📍Athenaeum Music & Arts Library, 1008 Wall Street, La Jolla, CA 92037

Class Highlight ✂️🎨 CREATIVE MIXER: CUT > PASTE — 2-Day Workshop with Graham Moore🗓 May 30 & 31 | ⏰ 10 AM–3 PM📍 Athenaeu...
05/28/2026

Class Highlight ✂️🎨 CREATIVE MIXER: CUT > PASTE — 2-Day Workshop with Graham Moore
🗓 May 30 & 31 | ⏰ 10 AM–3 PM
📍 Athenaeum Music & Arts Library, 1008 Wall St, La Jolla, CA

Explore Pleinair Collage and Notan / Shape Expansion in this hands-on mixed media workshop using magazines, paint, stamps, oil pastels, found imagery, and more to create layered original works.

Day 1 focuses on collage inspired by the architecture and landscape around the Athenaeum Library, while Day 2 explores the Japanese design concept of Notan through shape, contrast, texture, and composition.

Painting, cutting, tearing, gluing, stamping, creating — this workshop is all about experimentation and artistic play.

Register online at ljathenaeum.org/class/spring-17b or call 858-454-5872 to register by phone.

05/28/2026

Sound check for tonight’s sold-out Athenaeum Jazz concert!

🎵 Peter Erskine on drums, Alan Pasqua on piano, and Scott Colley on bass.




Check the link in bio to see upcoming performances 💫

🌸 Thank you to everyone who joined us for our annual Día de las Madres / Mother’s Day Pop-Up Exhibition & Celebration at...
05/27/2026

🌸 Thank you to everyone who joined us for our annual Día de las Madres / Mother’s Day Pop-Up Exhibition & Celebration at the Athenaeum Art Center! 💐

It was a joyful day filled with art, music, printmaking, crafts, community, and celebration honoring mothers and maternal figures across cultures. Guests enjoyed live mariachi music by “Mi México,” silkscreen and letterpress card-making, face painting, live portraits, paper flower making, patch-making workshops, and artwork created by local artists and community members exploring themes of motherhood.

We loved seeing families, neighbors, artists, and friends come together to celebrate creativity and community in such a vibrant and welcoming atmosphere. Thank you to all of the participating artists, performers, instructors, volunteers, and attendees who made this special day possible. 🌺

This event was generously supported by the ResMed Foundation.

🌸 ¡Gracias a todes quienes nos acompañaron en nuestra Exposición y Celebración Anual Pop-Up de Día de las Madres en el Athenaeum Art Center! 💐

Fue un día lleno de alegría, arte, música, impresión, manualidades, comunidad y celebración en honor a las madres y figuras maternas de todas las culturas. Les invitades disfrutaron del mariachi “Mi México,” talleres de serigrafía y tipografía, pintacaritas, retratos en vivo, elaboración de flores de papel, talleres de parches, y obras de artistas locales y miembros de la comunidad que exploraron temas en relación a la maternidad.

Nos llenó el corazón ver a familias, vecines, artistas y amigues reunides para celebrar la creatividad y la comunidad en un ambiente tan cálido y acogedor. Gracias a todes les artistas participantes, performers, instructores, voluntaries y asistentes que hicieron posible este día tan especial. 🌺

Este evento contó con el generoso apoyo de la Fundación ResMed.

The Age of Baroque: Art History Lecture Series continues this week with Rubens in the North ✨Last week opened the series...
05/23/2026

The Age of Baroque: Art History Lecture Series continues this week with Rubens in the North ✨

Last week opened the series with the dramatic world of Rome and the genius of Gian Lorenzo Bernini—where sculpture, architecture, and devotion come together in powerful theatrical form. This week we shift north to a different kind of Baroque energy.

Rubens in the North explores the vibrant, dynamic paintings of Peter Paul Rubens, whose mastery of brush and pigment defined an entire visual language of movement, color, and emotion. Following Rubens’ greatest works, the lecture also turns toward the artistic force and tragic life of Caravaggio—whose dramatic realism reshaped European painting.

About Linda Blair:
Linda Blair has taught art history for many years, including at the UCSD Osher Institute and the Athenaeum. She holds degrees from Mills College and the University of San Diego.

📅 Thursdays, May 28; June 4 & 11, 2026
🕰️ 7:30 PM
📍 Athenaeum Music & Arts Library, 1008 Wall Street, La Jolla, CA 92037

🎟️For more information and tickets, please see ljathenaeum.org/art-history-lectures or call us at 858-454-5872

Photo: Peter Paul Rubens, “Venus and Adonis,” Metropolitan Museum of Art, Object No. 37.162

05/22/2026

Join San Diego ART Matters, Arts+Culture: San Diego, and regional arts and culture leaders for a public press conference calling attention to the proposed elimination of City funding for arts and culture grants in the FY27 budget.

Address

1008 Wall Street
San Diego, CA
92037

Opening Hours

Tuesday 10am - 5:30pm
Wednesday 10am - 8:30pm
Thursday 10am - 5:30pm
Friday 10am - 5:30pm
Saturday 10am - 5:30pm

Telephone

+18584545872

Website

https://linktr.ee/athenaeummusicandarts

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