Rochester Athenaeum and Young Men's Association collection

The Rochester Athenaeum was established in 1829 with the "purpose of cultivating and promoting literature, science and the arts." To this end, the organization established a library and sponsored various guest speakers and performers. However, by 1838 the city's Young Men's Association had become the dominant social force in Rochester. Started by Henry O'Reilly, the association was formed in response to the city's economic depression and first murder, committed in 1837. Members promised to help each other maintain a high standard of moral conduct by supporting each other and attending sponsored events such as educational lectures. With the Rochester Athenaeum's numbers continually declining, the two organizations agreed to a merger in 1838, forming the Rochester Athenaeum and Young Men's Association (RAYMA).

Continuing in the footsteps of its predecessors, RAYMA offered members access to a books, reviews, newspapers, and scientific specimens. The organization also sponsored notable guest speakers, such as Elihu Burritt (activist), Chester Dewey (botanist), Edward Mott Moore (surgeon), and Erasmus Peshine Smith (lawyer). In addition to these, members could attend lectures twice a week during the winter season on various educational topics.

To ensure that the organization remained current, a rule was set restricting active membership to individuals under the age of 35. This was to ensure that those who could vote on issues affecting RAYMA were in the organization's target audience and full of fresh ideas. Although RAYMA continued to prosper for some time, O'Reilly's departure from Rochester was a strong blow to the organization. By 1847, RAYMA merged with the Mechanics Literary Association (established 1836) to create the Rochester Athenaeum and Mechanics Association. After several more mergers and name changes the organization became the Rochester Institute of Technology in 1944.