You can join or renew online, by phone at (312) 374-8790, or at the museum front desk during your next visit.

Your membership is valid for one full year and expires on the day of purchase in the next calendar year.

If you are renewing, your new membership will begin at the end of your current membership term, regardless of when you renew.

Yes! Teachers, librarians, school admin and support staff, and full-time college students are eligible for discounted Individual memberships. Click here to become a member.

Yes! We’re thrilled to offer discounted Individual memberships to working writers and publishers. To apply, complete this form and submit a resume, published work, or proof of membership in a writing group. Our team will review your application and send you a link to join if you are accepted. Writer memberships are $38 per year.

Our Out-Of-Town level allows discounted membership for members living outside the state of Illinois. 

We periodically offer discounts on memberships throughout the year. Keep an eye on our social media and email newsletters for ongoing promotions. 

Members receive many benefits including free, year-round admission to the museum, guests with every visit, discounts in the AWM gift shop, and free admission to author programs and special events. To see a full list of membership benefits broken down by level, click here.

Yes. Tickets purchased at the museum can be applied toward the purchase of a new membership. This offer is valid in-person only through the end of your visit and may not be redeemed after museum closing. 

General admission and senior tickets may be applied to all levels of membership. A student ticket may be applied to a Student membership. A teacher ticket may be applied to an Educator membership. Two tickets of any kind may be applied to Household and Literary Circle memberships.

Yes. AWM memberships make fantastic gifts for birthdays, graduations, and other special occasions. To purchase an AWM membership as a gift, please complete the form on this page and indicate that it is a gift. You’ll have an option to delay the sending of our member welcome email. Please note that membership will begin from the date of purchase, so we suggest buying the membership a close to the day you will give it as possible.

No. Reservations are not required at the American Writers Museum.

When you arrive to the museum show your membership card to one of our front desk staff members. If you don’t have your card, simply give your name at the desk and our staff will let you in free of charge.

The number of guests you can bring per visit depends on your membership level.

Individual, Student, Educator, Out-Of-Town, and Writer members may bring up to two (2) guests per visit.

Household members may bring up to four (4) guests per visit.

Literary Circle members may bring up to six (6) guests per visit.

Access Membership does not include guest privileges. Access Members may not bring guests during their visit.

Children under 12 are always free at the museum and do not impact visitor numbers.

No. Membership benefits are nontransferable, and all guests must be accompanied by a named cardholder to take advantage of member benefits. Members who transfer their cards to others are subject to having their membership benefits revoked.

Yes! With a few exceptions, members get free admission to in-person and virtual author programs. Members should use the code provided in the monthly member newsletter to unlock discounted tickets. 

Yes. Members receive complimentary general admission tickets to all Get Lit events using the code provided in the member newsletter. 

Get Lit General Admission does not include drink tickets. Members may purchase two (2) discounted drink tickets by upgrading to a VIP Member Admission ticket. VIP Member Admission tickets are available for advance purchase only and will not be sold at the event.

Your digital membership card will arrive from our partners at PassPlay in 3-5 days after your membership begins. If you don’t receive your digital card, please contact our team by phone at (312) 374-8790 or via email.

Physical membership cards can be purchased in the online AWM gift shop. Choose from cards featuring Emily Dickinson, Ida B. Wells, Edgar Allan Poe, or Mark Twain.

All proceeds from the purchase of physical membership cards go to support the AWM’s Write In Youth Education Program, which serves middle and high school students from under-resourced schools.

Your membership entitles you to 15% off in the AWM Gift Shop, both in-person and online. Members receive 15% off adult group experiences, including specialty group tours when booked in advance.

Additionally, members receive free, reciprocal admission to 14 Author Homes across the country.

Get even more from your AWM membership with the Literary Circle. In addition to benefits at the AWM, members of our Literary Circle get FREE, reciprocal access to over 1,500 museums across North America with the NARM and ROAM. Click here to view a list of participating museums.

Literary Circle grants you access to more than 1500 museums across North and Central America. View a full list, with any special notes, on the NARM website and ROAM website.

In order to visit museums in the NARM and ROAM reciprocal programs, you’ll need to have a physical or digital membership card with NARM/ROAM logos. Be prepared to present photo ID that matches the name on your membership card. 

If you’re buying your tickets in advance, note that each museum operates its own ticketing system. Some ticketing systems will allow for a NARM qualified visitor to indicate if they receive NARM benefits when purchasing tickets online and require proof of membership when you visit.  Other systems require the full-price purchase online and will refund the ticket price when you visit and show your NARM credentials.

We recommend calling the institution you plan to visit prior to ordering tickets for more details on how to receive your NARM reciprocal benefits through their ticketing system.

To upgrade your membership, please call our member hotline number at (312) 374-8790 and a member of our team will assist you.

We’re sorry to hear your experienced issues visiting a reciprocal museum. Please send us an email to let us know the name of the institution. Please note, the AWM is unable to provide refunds for tickets purchased at NARM/ ROAM museums.

If you’re planning to visit a museum soon, you can call them directly in advance to confirm your eligibility and ask about any local blackout rules .

You will receive renewal notifications from us via email two months, one month, and on the day your membership expires. These emails will include a link to renew or upgrade your membership.

No. You will not lose any time on your membership by renewing early. Your current membership will be extended based on the length of membership purchased.

Thank you for your renewal. Due to processing time or computer error, some renewal notices may still be sent via email. If you have any questions, please give us a call at (312) 374-8790 or send us an email.

Auto-renew is an easy way to make sure your membership never expires! We’ll send an email reminder a few days before your membership is set to expire and your payment will be processed on the day your membership renews. 

If you would like to set-up or cancel auto-renewal, please give us a call at (312) 374-8790. We are unable to collect payment information over email.

No. You can upgrade to a higher level of membership at anytime. Please reach out to our membership team by calling (312) 374-8790 or send us an email to discss your upgrade with a member of our membership team.

A membership at the American Writers Museum functions as a tax-deductible donation to the Museum and is not eligible for a refund for any reason.

Memberships are not refundable or transferable. All categories, benefits, and prices are subject to change. Membership benefits may not be refunded, resold, exchanged, or transferred. Membership benefits may not be used for commercial purposes. Any unauthorized use may result in the revocation of membership.

No. We do not currently offer member parking. To see nearby options, visit our Parking & Directions page.

To request a membership as a donation, please complete this form. 

Please submit your request at least 4 weeks before the donation is needed. We are only able to accept donation requests via this form, not via email, phone, or physical mail. Please limit your requests to one per year.  Due to the high volume of requests we receive, the American Writers Museum is unable to accommodate all requests.