The St. Johnsbury Athenaeum is an edifice in the shire town of St. Johnsbury that is historically, culturally and architecturally significant. Constructed in 1871, the Athenaeum, or sanctuary of Athena, the Greek Goddess of wisdom, was built to serve the purpose of educating the people and instilling a culture of learning in them. Athenaeum is considered a national treasure, not only for its landmark architecture, but also for its collection of books, artworks and other materials dedicated to education. The building used to be a public library; now it serves as a public gallery, as well. The Athenaeum is also a legacy of Horace Fairbanks, inventor of the world?s first platform scale, who gave the initial donations.

Currently, the Athenaeum displays about hundred works of art like American and European masterpieces from the late 18th to mid-19th century. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1996.