American Writers Museum
The museum is located on the second floor of 180 N. Michigan
Established2010 (space opened in 2017)[1]
LocationChicago, Illinois, United States
Coordinates41°53′08″N 87°37′29″W / 41.885553°N 87.624831°W / 41.885553; -87.624831
TypeCulture
FounderMalcolm E. O'Hagan[2]
PresidentCarey Cranston
Websiteamericanwritersmuseum.org

The American Writers Museum is a museum of American Literature and writing that opened in Chicago in May 2017.[3][4][5][6][7][8][9] The museum was designed by Amaze Design of Boston.[10]

The American museum was inspired by the Dublin Writers Museum.[5]

Permanent Exhibits

This gallery celebrates the breadth and depth of American writing through the following three exhibits.[11]

American Voices

A 60-foot-long timeline featuring 100 authors that represent the evolution and flourishing of American writing. The exhibit shows the evolution of the American literary voice over time.[12] Taken together, this rich literary heritage reflects America in all of its complexity: its energy, hope, conflict, disillusionment, and creativity.[11]

Surprise Bookshelf

This wall features 100 works representing dozens of writing categories.[11] Visitors can open boxes in the wall to reveal a sensory connection to that work, including smells, sounds, writing, and dioramas.[12]

Word Waterfall

An immersive light experience in the Nation of Writers gallery. A wall of seemingly random words are revealed to be literary quotes on perspectives on being American through light projections.[11][13]

Readers Hall

The American Writers Museum primary event and programming space, this large room features information on the walls about libraries and the history of reading in the United States, as well as a space to read the provided books.[14] Visitors can also vote for their favorite books at two kiosks that update leaderboards visible above the voting stations.[14]

The Mind of Writer

A gallery designed to illustrate how writers think and what the writing process is like by showing how writers use language and giving visitors a chance to write themselves.[15] The gallery includes large touch tables that feature insights on 35 works of American writing, wall displays with writing advice, an interactive dialogue generator, and touch screen facts and games.[13] Visitors can also write a story on vintage typewriters, taking or leaving their work for others to continue.[13][15]

A gallery that features the many writers lived in Chicago during their lives. Hanging banners give biographical information about each writer.[16][14] A touch screen map also allows visitors to explore literary locations throughout the city.[16]

  • Writers Hall
  • A Writer's Room
  • Children's Gallery
  • Changing Exhibits Gallery[17]

American Writers Festival

On May 15, 2022, the American Writers Museum hosted the American Writers Festival at the Chicago Cultural Center and the American Writers Museum.[18][19][20] All events at the Festival were free to attend.[21][19] Featured panelists at the Festival included Joy Harjo, Viet Thanh Nguyen, Jacqueline Woodson, Peter Sagal, Marc Lamont Hill, Elie Mystal, and Natalie Moore.[18][19]

Further reading

  • Schuessler, Jennifer (May 8, 2017). "An Everyman Museum to Celebrate American Writers". New York Times.
  • Johnson, Steve (May 9, 2017). "American Writers Museum sneak peek: far-reaching, dramatic". Los Angeles Times. Chicago Tribune.
  • Italie, Hillel (May 17, 2017). "New American Writers Museum lets Prince's lyrics rub elbows with Hemingway's work". Seattle Times. Associated Press.

References

  1. ↑ Kirch, Claire (Oct 27, 2015). "American Writers Museum Settles in Chicago". PublishersWeekly.com. Retrieved 26 December 2015.
  2. ↑ American Writers Museum Announces Prime Michigan Avenue Space press release. October 27, 2015
  3. ↑ Johnson, Steve. "Writers museum in Chicago sets opening date". chicagotribune.com. Retrieved 17 February 2017.
  4. ↑ Johnson, Steve (27 October 2015). "New American Writers Museum is slated to open in 2017 on Michigan Avenue". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 13 December 2015.
  5. 1 2 Parker, Loanne (28 March 2014). "Which Museums Show Real Promise?". Washington Post. Retrieved 8 April 2015.
  6. ↑ Liebenson, Daonad (21 June 2013). "Fundraising begins for the American Writers Museum". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 8 April 2015.
  7. ↑ Russell, Anna (13 June 2013). "American Writers Museum: A Bookish Proposal". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 8 April 2015.
  8. ↑ Wallis, David (19 March 2014). "Start-up Success Isn't Enough to Found a Museum". New York Times. Retrieved 8 April 2015.
  9. ↑ "Beverly's Cranston named AWM president". beverlyreview.net. Retrieved 11 December 2016.
  10. ↑ Zaleski, Andrew. "American Writers Museum Set to Open on Chicago's Michigan Avenue -". Architectural Digest. Retrieved 11 December 2016.
  11. 1 2 3 4 "A Nation of Writers". American Writers Museum Exhibits. Retrieved 2022-10-31.
  12. 1 2 "Chicago's American Writers Museum Celebrates Diverse Voices". Condé Nast Traveler. 2017-05-26. Retrieved 2022-10-31.
  13. 1 2 3 Schuessler, Jennifer (2017-05-08). "An Everyman Museum to Celebrate American Writers". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-11-17.
  14. 1 2 3 travelsmartwoman (2021-07-11). "American Writers Museum Celebrates Words–of All Kinds! | TravelSmart Woman". Retrieved 2022-11-17.
  15. 1 2 "Saul Zaentz Charitable Foundation Mind of a Writer Gallery". American Writers Museum Exhibits. Retrieved 2022-11-17.
  16. 1 2 "Wintrust Chicago Gallery". American Writers Museum Exhibits. Retrieved 2022-11-17.
  17. ↑ "American Writer's Museum Visitor Experience". October 2015. Archived from the original on 2016-06-23.
  18. 1 2 Liederman, Mack (2022-04-28). "Authors, Poets And Playwrights Headline Inaugural American Writers Festival". Block Club Chicago. Retrieved 2022-10-28.
  19. 1 2 3 Eanet, Lindsay. "Catch free talks from literary luminaries at the American Writers Festival this weekend". Time Out Chicago. Retrieved 2022-10-28.
  20. ↑ "Chicago museums team up for American Writers Festival". ABC7 Chicago. 2022-05-12. Retrieved 2022-10-28.
  21. ↑ "There's a new lit fest in town: American Writers Festival will host authors from Joy Harjo to John Scalzi, all events free". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2022-10-28.


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