The American Writers Museum - An Interactive Museum in Chicago, IL

Dive into a world of discovery! The American Writers Museum’s permanent exhibits take visitors on a journey through the American story, from the perspective of the writers. They introduce you to great writing in all genres, illustrating how writing influences our history and culture, and spotlighting the beauty and visceral impact of great writing.

The American Writers Museum is open 10 AM – 5 PM Thursday – Monday*

*The AWM will be open Tuesday, December 27 & Wednesday, December 28, 10am – 5pm.

find your words

Click a photo to see what our visitors are saying!

Upcoming Programs

See our full calendar here

01Dec

Edgar Allan Poe Tours

American Writers Museum

22Jan

Tough Guy: The Life of Norman Mailer

Virtual Author Talks

No event found!

Share your story with us when you visit!

#americanwritersmuseum

Black Writers Matter. Black Voices Matter.

Black Lives Matter.

Watch a reading of Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave on YouTube

View on YouTube

AWM Staff Picks: December 2022

December 6, 2022

Reading Recommendations from the staff of the American Writers Museum. We can’t recommend these books [...]

Top 5 Reasons to Visit the American Writers Museum in December

December 5, 2022

We have plenty of events and exhibits that are some of the top things to [...]

AWM Wrapped 2022

December 2, 2022

The songs American Writers Museum staff had on repeat this year. At the American Writers [...]

American Voices: Mark Twain

November 30, 2022

The authors featured in our exhibit American Voices represent the evolution and flourishing of American [...]

Gifts for Writers and Readers

Gifts for Writers and Readers

November 22, 2022

Find the perfect gift for the literature lovers in your life. Give the gift of [...]

Join a thriving community of aspiring writers and avid readers by becoming a member of the American Writers Museum today!

5 Reasons to Become an AWM Member

November 17, 2022

Do you love reading? Do you love writing? Do you enjoy sharing your love of [...]

American Voices: Kurt Vonnegut

November 11, 2022

The authors featured in our exhibit American Voices represent the evolution and flourishing of American [...]

AWM Staff Picks: November 2022

November 9, 2022

Reading Recommendations from the staff of the American Writers Museum. We can’t recommend these books [...]

A National Museum Celebrating American Writers