American Writers Museum, Located in the Heart of Chicago's Cultural Scene, Announces Grand Opening Date

The United States' rich cultural landscape will expand this year with the announcement of the American Writers Museum's (AWM's) Grand Opening on Tuesday, May 16th, 2017, at 180 North Michigan Avenue in the heart of downtown Chicago.

Already creating a groundswell of attention for Chicago from media outlets including Architectural Digest, CSPAN, The Guardian, and The New York Times, the first and only museum of its kind in the nation will engage the public in celebrating American writers, and exploring their influence on our history, identity, culture, and daily lives. In advance of the Grand Opening, the AWM will host a special 'by invitation only' press conference on Tuesday, February 21 at 10 am in the museum space, which will provide an under construction "sneak preview", and an update on the $10 million fundraising campaign that is making the project a reality. Attendees will include AWM leadership, key donors to the effort, and invited guests.

"The influence of the American Writer's Museum will go further than Chicago and the United States. We are so looking forward to the May 16 Grand Opening," stated AWM President, Carey Cranston. "This museum will make America's mark on the literary legacy of the world. We are thrilled to have found the perfect space in the heart of downtown Chicago, just steps from the city's major attractions. The American Writers Museum will become a beloved attraction for Chicago residents and visitors from all over the world. It will provide an exciting and unprecedented opportunity to showcase our great writers and their works in one of the nation's most culturally rich cities."

"I enthusiastically support the efforts to place a national writer's museum in Chicago," said Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel. "Such a museum will complement the rich offerings of the city's theaters, museums, libraries and musical activities and add significantly to Chicago's vitality."

Showcasing the personal stories and literary works of diverse American writers, from Mark Twain to Dr. Seuss, the interactive, high-tech museum is expected to draw up to 120,000 visitors annually. The museum's esteemed curating team and National Advisory Council are working closely with internationally renowned museum and exhibit companies on the museum's development. American Writers Museum is also collaborating with 55 authors' homes and museums around the U.S., now AWM Affiliates, that will support its mission with author-specific knowledge and expertise, and foster an exchange of ideas and experiences.

The museum's themEd Galleries, interactive exhibits, educational programs, and special events will change regularly to continually surprise and engage visitors of all ages. They will come face-to-face with great writers using their zip codes in Writers Hall; accompany roving writers such as Kerouac and Steinbeck on their literary travels; and "visit" writers' homes and fictional sites, such as "Tara," "Cannery Row," and "The House of the Seven Gables" in Nation of Writers. Exhibits such as The Mind of a Writer, A Writer's Room, and Word Play will de-mystify famed writers' lives and methodologies and invite visitor creativity with games and other immersive offerings. Readers Hall will host films, talks, readings, and presentations to school and other groups.

The American Writers Museum has garnered the enthusiastic support of scholars, and from cultural, civic and business leaders, and publications both domestic and international. For more information, including renderings, floor plans, and details about planned exhibits, visit www.americanwritersmuseum.org.

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