Athenaeum

Raw space venue

The venue will provide just the space. You’ll bring in your own caterer and vendors.

Full wedding (ceremony and reception) pricing

Starting at $2,100 for off-peak dates, and $3,180 for peak dates

Guest capacity

Up to 80 seated guests

About this venue

The Athenaeum is a beautifully preserved antebellum building, now serving as an art gallery. One of only two remaining examples of Neoclassical Greek Revival architecture in Alexandria, its exterior features an impressive portico supported by soaring Doric columns. Oversized windows bring natural light to the main gallery rooms, which boast 24-foot ceilings, wonderful woodwork, and exposed granite walls lined with rotating art exhibits. Your ceremony can be held in the sweet, private courtyard. This quaint, romantic space has a “secret garden” feel, sheltered from the street by high, vine-covered red brick walls. Please note wheelchair access is available only on the main floor. A/V equipment is available but limited. The Athenaeum is available for viewing during gallery hours or by appointment. Gallery hours are Thursday-Sunday from 12:00pm-4:00pm. The Athenaeum is closed on holidays. Advance notice for viewing the Athenaeum is appreciated.

Seated guest capacity

  • 1-80

Venue type

  • Historic Estates, Mansions
  • Museums, Galleries

Venue setting

  • Indoor
  • Outdoor
201 Prince St, Alexandria, VA 22314

Our event spaces

The Main Gallery

Hold Your Special Event Here In Our Main Gallery

The Main Gallery features beautiful artwork on its walls which changes every six weeks.

Guest capacity

Up to 80 Seated

Up to 100 Standing

Square footage

1,176

Ideal for

Wedding ceremony, Wedding reception, Rehearsal dinner, Wedding shower, Welcome party, Farewell brunch, Couples luncheon, Baraat, Cocktail hour, Engagement party, After party, Elopement, Other

Included in this room:

Space for your DJ or band and limited A/V equipment should you so choose.

Room cost

Mon-Thur: $275/hr, Fri-Sun: $445/hr, Sat: $545/hr, Fed. Holidays: $600/hr

The Main Gallery

Hold Your Special Event Here In Our Main Gallery

The Main Gallery features beautiful artwork on its walls which changes every six weeks.

Guest capacity

Up to 80 Seated

Up to 100 Standing

Square footage

1,176

Ideal for

Wedding ceremony, Wedding reception, Rehearsal dinner, Wedding shower, Welcome party, Farewell brunch, Couples luncheon, Baraat, Cocktail hour, Engagement party, After party, Elopement, Other

Included in this room:

Space for your DJ or band and limited A/V equipment should you so choose.

Room cost

Mon-Thur: $275/hr, Fri-Sun: $445/hr, Sat: $545/hr, Fed. Holidays: $600/hr

Available services that can be provided by Athenaeum

Services & amenities

  • Event rentals
  • Pet friendly
  • Wifi

Transportation & access

  • Self parking - free
  • Self parking - paid

Rentals

  • Sound / AV

Reviews

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5.0 out of 5

1 review

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  • A beautiful venue in charming Old Town!

    •Verified review•Incentivized review
    •Malia•Apr 8, 2024

    We recently had our wedding at the Athenaeum in Old Town Alexandria, and it was a truly special occasion! The venue was just the right size for the wedding we wanted and the style made us think of the place we got engaged, on the Acropolis in Athens. The venue has a lovely indoor gallery space as well as a courtyard and we hat our ceremony outdoors and the reception indoors. A few things you should keep in mind if you are considering the Athenaeum: the space is on the small side, which we liked, but may not suffice for some weddings; you have to choose one of their recommended caterers or pay an added fee (though we were very happy with the caterers we went with and they knew exactly how the venue worked!); the venue does not include anything beyond the actual space, all vendors and services need to be hired separately. For us, this all worked out well and we felt our guests had a great time! The venue also makes for a beautiful backdrop for photos, just make sure to reserve the parking spaces in front of it. Our only minor issue was that the rental manager was not super responsive, but his coworker was, so it wasn't a problem in the end, I just didn't know who to reach out to at first. All in all, we are so happy we got to have our wedding at the Athenaeum! The art on display on the day was cheerful and modern and everything went according to plan. So excited to see more picture and relive the special day!

Real couples who got married at Athenaeum

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