The Athenæum Society of Nova Scotia was founded in January 2007 by a small group of local residents who recognized the pool of knowledgeable and talented people living in the area and wanted to bring that talent to a larger audience in a friendly and social forum.  The concept is based on that of the Athenæum Club in London, England which was founded in 1824 as a "Club for Literary and Scientific men and followers of the Fine Arts".  Past members of that original club include, Joseph Conrad, Charles Darwin, Charles Dickens, W. Holman Hunt, Thomas Huxley, Rudyard Kipling and John Ruskin.

Based in the picturesque fishing village of Northwest Cove on the South Shore, the Society has proved very popular with the local and broader community, with membership currently standing at over 350 members.  Membership dues are kept to an extremely reasonable $10 per annum; there is no charge for attendance (normally around 50) at our presentations.

How to Find Us

Meetings are usually held at the Ocean Swells Community Centre (2724 Highway 329 in Northwest Cove) starting at 2.30pm on the third Sunday of each month (with the exception of the months of July, August and December).

IMPORTANT NOTICE

While there are some encouraging signs, COVID-19 shows no signs of solution in the near term. A full return to a new normal depends upon a vaccine being discovered, tested, manufactured and then administered widely. In addition, notwithstanding what progress is made, we believe our members and speakers must be confident that they will be safe at Athenaeum presentations in terms of the venue, the virus-free status of other participants and the security procedures that are adopted e.g. social distancing, cleanliness of the kitchen, bathrooms and seating.
Accordingly, the Board has decided we will be unable to hold Athenaeum this year and perhaps not even next. Nevertheless, we are determined to keep the Society alive and well and ready for resumption on a priority basis. To do so, we intend the following:

a. we will monitor the COVID-19 situation closely and work towards a swift return should there
be a significant breakthrough in progress towards a solution and a concomitant relaxation in
social distancing and group gathering size;

b. we will work on a speaker’s program for 2021 and advise members of our progress from time
to time; and,

c. we confirm that those who have paid their 2020 dues will be deemed to have paid for 2021.
With everyone’s support, Athenaeum will return.

 
Notifications of postponement/cancellation due to weather
 
As a service to our members, the Athenæum Society of Nova Scotia will post on its website a notice of postponement or cancellation by 9am on the day of the presentation as well as sending the information direct via email.  When a postponement is feasible, the new date will be posted. If you are in any doubt due to the vagaries of winter weather in Nova Scotia, please check before leaving home. 

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