Athenaeum Center for Thought & Culture

About Us

The Athenaeum Center houses Chicago’s oldest, continuously operating off-loop theater complex. We rent out performance-, rehearsal-, event-, and office-space at affordable rates, and serve as a collaborative hub for the Chicago arts community. From a 985-seat proscenium-style theater to small black box studios, we can accommodate your artistic needs. We believe that Art and Beauty have the capacity to build up culture, transform society, and change lives; our goal is to revitalize the great tradition of the arts and bring Beauty to the lives of more people in our community and beyond!