In the mythology of ancient Greece, the titan Prometheus stole fire from the gods and gave it to mankind. This fire represented knowledge, technology and civilization. Through his experiments with electricity and lightning, Benjamin Franklin was said to have "stole fire from the skies, and the scepter from the tyrants." For this he was dubbed the "Modern Prometheus."

In 1727, Franklin, a gregarious man, organized a group of tradesmen and artisans that met every week to provide a structured forum for discussion and debate. Members of the group, which called itself the Junto, were drawn form diverse backgrounds and occupations. All shared a thirst for knowledge and a desire to improve themselves and their community. Franklin called it "a club of mutual improvement" and wrote that the debates were "conducted in the sincere spirit of inquiry after truth, without fondness for dispute, or desire of victory."

In 1991, drawing from the pattern of the Junto, a group of young professionals from diverse fields began a tradition of weekly gatherings on Thursday evenings to discuss and debate ideas, both philosophical and topical. These discussions, always spirited and thought-provoking, would occur against a backdrop of a full-course dinner, cigar smoke and distinctive music. Everyone was encouraged and felt comfortable to give his opinion, and knew that he would have to defend it intellectually.

Expanding on the influence of Franklin and the foundations set by the Thursday night gatherings, the Prometheum was created for the intellectually curious; an open forum for debate, discussion and the free exchange of ideas.