The American Writers Museum: A New Chicago Treasure

By Nike Whitcomb

 

Have you ever wanted to write? 

Do you have a favorite author?  

The American Writers Museum, first conceived in 2009, officially founded in 2010, and brought to reality in 2015, celebrates American writers throughout our nation’s history.

The museum is the brainchild of Malcolm O’Hagan, an engineer who grew up in Ireland, but now lives in the United States, and who has always been fascinated by writing. When he learned that there was no museum in the United States celebrating American writers, he was determined to create such an entity. He pursued his idea by researching other museums, like the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, talking with museum experts  from many disciplines, and, of course, speaking to some of America’s greatest living authors, including David McCullough, as well as experts like David Kipen, Director of Literature for the National Endowment for the Arts from 2005-2010.  And, he visited author home museums throughout the United States to learn how they were telling the stories of the authors they celebrate.

Chicago was ultimately chosen as the home of the American Writers Museum because it was in the center of the country and had a strong affiliation with museums, the arts and culture. In an unusual progression of events, O’Hagan sought and received endorsement of Chicago’s then Mayor Richard Daley, aldermen and other influential social leaders, at the beginning, soon followed by businessmen and women from across the City, as well as the nation.

O’Hagan has been deliberate in crafting the concept for the museum. From the first it was meant to not only tell people about American writers but inspire them to try their own hands at writing. A board of business and cultural leaders in Chicago and elsewhere  was established, and the concept was brought to fruition, with the opening in 2017.

A National Advisory Council was also established early on. Comprised of leaders in the field of literature, business, cultural organizations, these people were instrumental in helping refine the AWM’s mission and focus, helping with awareness-building and fundraising, and determining the museum’s content and scope. Among other decisions, the group helped provide the initial focus for the start-up: First Edition.

Today the American Writers Museum occupies the second floor of 180  N. Michigan Ave., on the southeast corner of Michigan and Lake streets.  It features interactive exhibits in several of the rooms, and also has space for presentations by authors, and places where visitors can both learn about writers they admire and try their own hand writing on a real typewriter. The idea of having a display of real typewriters was deliberate because so many visitors have never seen OR used one. (Marriage proposals are just one of the ways the typewriters have been used.)

This museum did not come into being because someone ‘waved a magic wand.’ Instead the process has been thoughtful and deliberate, with input from authors, readers, museum experts, and  developers of author homes like those of  Edgar Allen Poe, Harriett Beecher Stowe, Mark Twain, Edith Wharton, Noah Webster, and Herman Melville. Early in the process, O’Hagan sought advice from groups like the American Association of Writers and Writing Programs, the National Endowment for the Arts, renowned authors, business and cultural leaders from a wide variety of locations and disciplines, and experts in the field of exhibit design and installation.

The Role of the G-8

In 2012, The scheduling of the G8 summit in Chicago led to an extraordinary opportunity to help further form the American Writers Museum. Although the summit was ultimately held at Camp David, the opportunity to identify favorite authors of international leaders provided the momentum for an interesting exhibition:  “Leaders Readers Writers,” an online exhibit which featured works recommended by American authors for foreign leaders to read, as well as  books they had read. Nearly 40 American writers contributed to the online exhibit. Many people logged on to see what the exhibit – and museum information-  was all about, while the search for space and the funding to equip a museum persisted.

Fast Forward to 2025

American writing is distinctive, diverse, and comes in many forms from across the nation. As the only museum devoted to American writers and their works, AWM connects visitors with their favorite authors and writings from more than five centuries, while inspiring the discovery of new works of every type – poetry, lyrics, speeches, drama, fiction, nonfiction, journalism, and more.

Negaunee Foundation’s Children’s Literature Gallery Offers Unique Kids’ Activities in Chicago

Those looking for kids’ activities in Chicago will be delighted by the Children’s Literature Gallery at American Writers Museum. This beautiful, interactive reading space features a mural by Paul O. Zelinsky and a cozy reading area filled with books for families with young children.

Children who develop a love of literature at an early age often carry a lifetime love of books and learning. We offer multiple kids’ activities in downtown Chicago to engage young children, young scholars, and young adults in the world of literature so they can develop strong reading and writing skills. In addition to our Children’s Literature Gallery, be sure to learn more about our weekly Little Squirrels Storytime  and Field Trips for K-12 students.

A Nation of Writers, John and Cathie Estey

A Nation of Writers celebrates the breadth and depth of writing in the United States with an interactive timeline spanning over 400 years, a surprise bookshelf which allows visitors to engage all 5 senses, an amazing Word Waterfall, and more!

American Voices Gallery

English is our de facto national language, a legacy of colonization. Yet today’s Americans speak more than 350 languages, a reflection of the nation’s immigrant history and the enduring presence of our indigenous people. Given such diversity, is it possible to say that there is a single American literature, a body of work with a distinctive character? In a word, yes.

The 100 authors featured here represent the evolution and flourishing of American writing. Writers of the 1600s and 1700s borrowed forms and themes from Europe, applying them to New World settings and issues. Then, over the course of the 1800s, a new, democratic style emerged, rooted in the way Americans talked and thought. Previously underrepresented voices began to be heard, culminating with an explosion of perspectives in the modern era. Taken together, this rich literary heritage reflects America in all of its complexity: its energy, hope, conflict, disillusionment, and creativity.

Great writing comes across as effortless, but it is not. The writers featured here in the Museum spent years honing their craft – practicing, practicing, practicing. As E.B. White once observed in his classic revision of William Strunk’s Elements of Style, “writing good standard English is no cinch.” Transcendent writing is even harder.

This gallery offers insights into how writers think: the daily discipline and habits necessary to get the work done, the deep understanding of language to make the writing sing. At the root of it all is a love of words. The right word can elevate a line or sentence into art…and if the right word does not yet exist, then inventing a new one might do the trick.

Many Writers, Many Forms

Memorable writing can be long or short, fact or fiction. A clever advertising tagline can linger in our collective consciousness. A stanza-length poem can convey a world of emotion. A multivolume biography can offer a nuanced, faceted portrait of a single individual. A novel can sweep us away to another place and time.

This “surprise bookshelf” wall features 100 works representing dozens of writing categories. How many titles do you recognize? Are any new to you? Open the doors to uncover intriguing insights into these American treasures. Prepare to be surprised!

Word Waterfall: A gift of James and Carol Hansen

Writers have long debated American-ness. What does American mean? What does it mean to be an American? How should we interpret the promise of the Declaration of Independence, which asserts our right to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”? How have we failed or succeeded at ensuring equality for all? What do we love about this country? Is the United States of America truly exceptional?

This immersive light experience offers just a few perspectives on the meaning of America.

Saul Zaentz Charitable Foundation Mind of a Writer Gallery

Its exhibits, both in-person and online, are all meant to engage visitors in a celebration of the significance and power of writing. We have three types of exhibit areas for you to explore:

Wintrust Chicago Gallery

Chicago writers are visionaries, unafraid of trying something new. The city is one of the birthplaces of realism, an approach to writing that elevates the “everyday” into art. Chicago poets, novelists, journalists, and other writers have found inspiration in everyday people, telling their stories and transforming the way they talk into art. Chicago writers are also troublemakers…with a humanist bent. They have shone the light on injustice, questioned authority, and articulated bold new visions for a better world. Chicago writers are agents of change

Community Intersections: Sponsored by S&C Electric Company

The story of literary Chicago is one of overlapping communities – avant-garde intellectuals, journalists, activists, artists, and migrants from places near and far. The city’s many newspapers, magazines, and literary journals have offered experience and exposure for aspiring writers. Programs at local libraries, bookstores, and cafes have connected writers with the reading public. Chicago: a city of writers, a city of readers.

Chicago Authors and Agents of Change: Sponsored by Sipi Metals

Rotating panels will allow visitors to learn about famous Chicago writers and their influence on American life.

Many Writers, Many Forms

Memorable writing can be long or short, fact or fiction. A clever advertising tagline can linger in our collective consciousness. A stanza-length poem can convey a world of emotion. A multivolume biography can offer a nuanced, faceted portrait of a single individual. A novel can sweep us away to another place and time.

This “surprise bookshelf” wall features 100 works representing dozens of writing categories. How many titles do you recognize? Are any new to you? Open the doors to uncover intriguing insights into these American treasures. Prepare to be surprised!

 

Making New Gods

Join the American Writers Museum for the kickoff event for the AWM’s new exhibit and program initiative, American Prophets: Writers, Religion, and Culture, which examines the relationship between American writers and religion. This program is held in partnership with Chicago Public Library. American Prophets opens November 2025.

How does a writer create a religion? Where does the story of a new theology come from? When writing about gods and adversaries, do writers draw from their own traditions, or create wholly original spiritual practices?

Moderated by Michi Trota, four contemporary fiction writers — N.K. Jemisin, Nnedi Okorafor, Nghi Vo and Matthew Kirby — talk about religion in their writing, the importance of considering socio-spiritual systems when world-building, and how these influence the ways their characters move through the worlds they create. The authors will sign books following the program.

Virtual Exhibits

Packed to the brim with information, video content, activities and more, get the informative and interactive American Writers Museum experience online. Plus, virtual exhibits include education resources for teachers, students, and parents to download. Virtual field trips, talks with authors and other online curriculum are also available.

The American Writers Museum is open Thursday through Monday from 10am to 5pm.

Closed Tuesday and Wednesday
(only open for private events and rentals)