American Writers Museum Explained

American Writers Museum
Coordinates:41.8856°N -87.6248°W
Established:2010 (space opened in 2017)[1]
Location:Chicago, Illinois, United States
Type:Culture
President:Carey Cranston
Founder:Malcolm E. O'Hagan[2]

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] The museum was designed by Amaze Design of Boston.[9]

The American museum was inspired by the Dublin Writers Museum.[10]

Permanent Exhibits

Nation of Writers Gallery

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

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.[11] Taken together, this rich literary heritage reflects America in all of its complexity: its energy, hope, conflict, disillusionment, and creativity.[12]

Surprise Bookshelf

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

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.[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.

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. Visitors can also write a story on vintage typewriters, taking or leaving their work for others to continue.

Chicago Gallery

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

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] Featured panelists at the Festival included Joy Harjo, Viet Thanh Nguyen, Jacqueline Woodson, Peter Sagal, Marc Lamont Hill, Elie Mystal, and Natalie Moore.

Further reading

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: American Writers Museum Settles in Chicago. Kirch, Claire . Oct 27, 2015. PublishersWeekly.com. 26 December 2015.
  2. http://americanwritersmuseum.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/awm-lease-announcement.pdf American Writers Museum Announces Prime Michigan Avenue Space
  3. Web site: Writers museum in Chicago sets opening date. Steve. Johnson. chicagotribune.com. 17 February 2017.
  4. Web site: New American Writers Museum is slated to open in 2017 on Michigan Avenue. Johnson, Steve. 27 October 2015. Chicago Tribune. 13 December 2015.
  5. News: Liebenson. Daonad. Fundraising begins for the American Writers Museum. 8 April 2015. Chicago Tribune. 21 June 2013.
  6. News: Russell. Anna. American Writers Museum: A Bookish Proposal. 8 April 2015. Wall Street Journal. 13 June 2013.
  7. News: Wallis. David. Start-up Success Isn't Enough to Found a Museum. 8 April 2015. New York Times. 19 March 2014.
  8. Web site: Beverly's Cranston named AWM president. beverlyreview.net. 11 December 2016.
  9. Web site: American Writers Museum Set to Open on Chicago's Michigan Avenue - . Andrew. Zaleski. Architectural Digest. 11 December 2016.
  10. News: Parker. Loanne. Which Museums Show Real Promise?. 8 April 2015. Washington Post. 28 March 2014.
  11. Web site: 2017-05-26 . Chicago's American Writers Museum Celebrates Diverse Voices . 2022-10-31 . Condé Nast Traveler . en-US.
  12. Web site: A Nation of Writers . 2022-10-31 . American Writers Museum Exhibits . en-US.
  13. News: Schuessler . Jennifer . 2017-05-08 . An Everyman Museum to Celebrate American Writers . en-US . The New York Times . 2022-11-17 . 0362-4331.
  14. Web site: travelsmartwoman . 2021-07-11 . American Writers Museum Celebrates Words–of All Kinds! TravelSmart Woman . 2022-11-17 . en-US.
  15. Web site: Saul Zaentz Charitable Foundation Mind of a Writer Gallery . 2022-11-17 . American Writers Museum Exhibits . en-US.
  16. Web site: Wintrust Chicago Gallery . 2022-11-17 . American Writers Museum Exhibits . en-US.
  17. Web site: American Writer's Museum Visitor Experience. October 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20160623162633/http://www.americanwritersmuseum.org/design-plan/. 2016-06-23. dead.
  18. Web site: Liederman . Mack . 2022-04-28 . Authors, Poets And Playwrights Headline Inaugural American Writers Festival . 2022-10-28 . Block Club Chicago . en.
  19. Web site: Eanet . Lindsay . Catch free talks from literary luminaries at the American Writers Festival this weekend . 2022-10-28 . Time Out Chicago . en-US.
  20. Web site: 2022-05-12 . Chicago museums team up for American Writers Festival . 2022-10-28 . ABC7 Chicago . en.
  21. Web site: There’s a new lit fest in town: American Writers Festival will host authors from Joy Harjo to John Scalzi, all events free . 2022-10-28 . Chicago Tribune.

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