| (Washington, D.C.) The American Writers Museum Foundation today released plans for its First Edition, the initial design-build phase of what will be the country's first museum devoted to the influence of American writers on U.S. history, identity, culture, and daily lives. | An advisory council of the nation's leading museum planners, exhibit designers, literary scholars, and publishers has guided the efforts to establish this new national museum.
The American Writers Museum, to be located in Chicago, is envisioned as a vibrant, high-tech, interactive center dedicated to the exploration of America's rich literary history. It is not intended to be a museum of memorabilia and artifacts, but rather of ideas.
Completion will unfold in three phases, with the First Edition slated to open in 2015 in an existing building in Chicago. By late 2020, the foundation hopes to unveil the entire 60,000-square-foot center in its own stand-alone space. |  The just-published, 64-page First Edition details the initial design-build phase of the American Writers Museum including literary themes, floor plans, exhibits, and more. See digital version here. |
 Museum visitors will enter through the Hall of Writers which will include a touchscreen literary map for finding real and fictional places and tracing literary journeys. | "The U.S. has several small institutions dedicated to individual American writers like Faulkner, Dickinson, and Hemingway, but no single museum anchors our rich literary legacy, visualizes our writers' stories, and honors the role of writing in our nation's history and culture," says Malcolm O'Hagan, museum founder and Foundation chairman.
"Besides entertaining us, writers have recorded our history, explained us to ourselves, and shaped our understanding of who we are as a nation. We want to honor their pivotal role and help place writing at the center of our national conversation."
Future collaboration with various individual author museums is planned, says O'Hagan. |
The First Edition will include a large central hall celebrating more than 300 years of American literature. Themed galleries will focus on American favorites, as well as works that shaped America, defined our heritage, and shattered social barriers. A Children's Room and a Word Play studio will encourage contemplation and creativity, allowing visitors of all ages to explore new ways to engage with writing. Other planned exhibits include a digital "Literary Map," with an interactive display where visitors will be able to explore famous literary locations or journeys, such as wandering around Hawthorne's The House of the Seven Gables, or retracing the cross-country road trip in Kerouac's On the Road. Social areas and a performance space are also planned for readings, lectures, theater, and film.
A digital edition of the First Edition design and business plan for the museum, which includes floor plans, exhibition descriptions, and visual renderings, may be viewed at www.americanwritersmuseum.org, where viewer feedback is also encouraged. | Grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), The Chicago Community Trust, and the Stead Family Foundation were critical in the development of plans for the museum. Respected museum exhibit design firm Amaze Design in Boston has led the team, with input from museum leadership and advisory councils, and participants of brainstorming sessions with academics and museum designers.
The Foundation now seeks $10 million in funding for completion of the First Edition. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, all donations to the Foundation are fully tax deductible. Major donors are sought, but individuals may be listed on the website as Chapter Patrons for contributions of $100 or more. Visit http://www.americanwritersmuseum.org/get-involved/ to make a donation. |  Rendering of one exhibit area that will focus on American writing by genre. Another exhibit called Shaping America will feature writing contributions by founding fathers, politicians and statesmen. A gallery called We Will Be Heard will be dedicated to authors who broke down barriers and brought awareness about social injustice through their writing. | The American Writers Museum has been enthusiastically endorsed by Chicago city officials and civic leaders as well as the nation's literary community.
"The American Writers Museum is a grand, highly worthy idea," says David McCullough, renowned historian and author. "The importance of our novelists, poets, dramatists, and writers from every part of the country, every kind of background, has been part of the American story for more than 300 years. Think of what we owe them and how much we continue to learn from them! I think it's high time." |
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Media Contact:
Helen Sullivan
703.606.7622
Hi res jpgs of renderings are available upon request
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