http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/20...-chicago/?_r=0
American Writers Museum Finds a Nice Address in Chicago
By Jennifer Schuessler
October 27, 2015 1:31 pm October 27, 2015 1:31 pm
The American Writers Museum, set to open in Chicago in early 2017, announced on Tuesday that it would be leasing a location on North Michigan Avenue, the city’s premier shopping strip, a short walk from attractions like Millennium Park and the Art Institute of Chicago.
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The 11,000-square-foot space will feature permanent and temporary exhibits, some with a strong interactive component, like a “Visitors’ Favorites” section where visitors can nominate favorite quotes, books and authors. In addition to a broad overview of the development of American literature and displays dedicated to classic authors, there will be sections dedicated to children’s literature and to westerns, mysteries and other genre fiction, as well as an exhibition about Chicago writers.
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http://www.theguardian.com/books/201...hicago-in-2017
The first and only national museum celebrating American writers has announced it will open in the “most American of American cities” after signing a 10-year lease in the centre of Chicago.
The American Writers Museum will officially start calling the midwestern city home in early 2017. The opening will follow five years of planning, fundraising and searching for a space that could host interactive exhibits, educational programs and themed galleries celebrating America’s most influential writers.
Situated on Michigan Avenue, the museum will neighbour institutions including the Chicago Cultural Center and the Arts Institute of Chicago. The latter was recently named the top museum in the world by TripAdvisor.
“An institution that celebrates the written word is certainly one I want to celebrate,” Toni Periwinkle, president of the Cook County Board, said on Tuesday morning. “It’s especially significant that this institution is located in Chicago, the home over decades for so many great writers.”
At an official announcement ceremony held at the Chicago Cultural Center, an array of public officials, donors and museum leadership spoke about Chicago’s most important literary figures, including author Richard Wright and poets Gwendolyn Brooks and Carl Sandburg.
“I am absolutely thrilled to be here today for this milestone occasion,” said Michelle Boone, commissioner of cultural affairs and special events. “
The American Writers Museum will be a wonderful addition to the city’s cultural landscape that will bring many, many visitors to Chicago.”
The museum expects over 120,000 people to visit annually, putting it on par with other museums of similar size in the city including the National Museum of Mexican Art (131,000 in 2014) and the Illinois Holocaust museum (100,000 in 2014).
The museum will focus on using new media and technology in exhibitions, not only to differentiate it from a library, but also to engage in contemporary forms of writing from social media to digital journalism.
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The Poetry Foundation is one of the affiliates and is, said its media director Elizabeth Burke-Dain
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