We have plenty of events and exhibits that are some of the top things to do in Chicago this month. Celebrate American writing with us!
We hope you’re enjoying these winter months, staying warm with a good book or two. At the AWM this month, there’s something for everyone, from special tours to movie nights to author talks, and more. Plan your visit today!
Check out what we have lined up in February and subscribe to our e-newsletter below to stay up-to-date on all that’s happening. Also, AWM members get free admission to the AWM and most programs, so if you’re not already a member, become a member today!
1. Paddington in Peru Free Museum Day (February 8, 10:00 am – 5:00 pm CT)
Enjoy free admission to the American Writers Museum and all exhibits, sponsored by the upcoming Sony Pictures film Paddington in Peru. Family crafts and activities to be offered throughout the day. Advanced registration is recommended but not required. Free admission grants you access to all exhibits. Prior registration is not required. Learn more here!
Interested in sponsoring a free day? Click here to explore how you or your company can help everyone enjoy the American Writers Museum. Free Day sponsors enjoy many benefits, including name recognition throughout the museum and on marketing materials, a private meeting area for your use, discounts on future museum rentals, and more!
2. Film Screening: Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (February 9, 3:00 pm CT)
Prepare to be whisked away to the worlds of games! Stories are the heart and soul of any good game, and the Level Up Film Series honors that tradition as seen in filmmaking. Inspired by our special exhibit Level Up: Writers & Gamers, these films celebrate the art of storytelling in games and illustrative the immersive nature of playing them.
Next up, the Angelina Jolie classic Lara Croft: Tomb Raider. A video-game goddess battles villainous forces while racing to recover an ancient magical artifact that has the power to control time and space. Tickets are just $5 for adults and free for children, and grant you access to all our exhibits. Regular admission price for adults is $16. So, get your tickets here!
3. Get Lit: Murder Most Heartbroken (February 11, 5:30 pm CT)
Who doesn’t LOVE a murder mystery? This Valentine’s Day, join us for Get Lit: Murder Most Heartbroken, an exciting murder mystery event where heartbreak takes a deadly turn. Whether you’re single, coupled, or somewhere in between, you’ll step into a world of literary intrigue, unraveling a tale of love gone wrong. Work solo or team up with fellow sleuths to decipher clues, navigate surprising twists, and piece together the truth behind the crime of passion. Plus, test your strength at the Shatter Your Sorrows Station, where you’ll decorate a plate with vibrant expressions of your emotions before ceremoniously shattering it in our love-themed pop-up rage room. Enjoy beer, wine, and the night’s specialty cocktail, The Breakup Letter, a delicious tequila based drink! Non-alcoholic options are also available. Get your tickets here!
Get Lit events take place the second Tuesday of every month from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm. Each month has a different theme, so check out upcoming Get Lit events here and be sure to check back regularly as we announce more Get Lit events throughout the year.
4. February Free Museum Day (February 16, 10:00 am – 5:00 pm CT)
Enjoy free admission to the American Writers Museum! Free days include access to all of our exhibits, including our current special exhibit Level Up: Writers and Gamers. Plus, this month experience And Still We Rise, our new tour celebrating Black History Month at 1:00 pm, 2:00 pm, and 3:00 pm. And at 11:00 am, grab the little ones and join us for a special Little Squirrels Storytime featuring stories from Black writers featured in the AWM. No prior registration is required. Just visit the AWM on Sunday, February 16 and you can explore all that we have to offer at no cost to you!
Free admission to the American Writers Museum is available on the third Sunday of each month. Learn more and plan your visit here.
5. Emmett’s Photo – A Live Reading (February 27, 6:00 pm CT)
Join us for a live reading of the stage play Emmett’s Photo written by playwright Nikki Carpenter. Carpenter and her cast will perform the show live at the American Writers Museum, followed by a discussion of the play and its themes. Emmett’s Photo is a gripping and evocative reimagining of the critical moments leading up to John H. Johnson’s historic decision to publish a photo of Emmett Till, the slain teen whose death galvanized the Civil Rights Movement. Set in 1955, within the bustling office of the Negro Digest Publishing Company, this play delves into the intense and emotional deliberations that unfolded behind closed doors.
John H. Johnson, a trailblazing Black publisher with four successful publications, faces an extraordinary challenge when Mamie Till Bradley, Emmett’s mother, pleads with him to publish a heart-wrenching and gruesome photo of her murdered son in JET magazine. What starts as a routine day in the office swiftly transforms into a pivotal moment that could alter the course of history. Learn more about the cast and get your tickets here!
6. And Still We Rise: A Tour Celebrating Black History Month (Daily, 3:00 pm CT)
You may write me down in history
With your bitter, twisted lies,
You may trod me in the very dirt
But still, like dust, I’ll rise.
—Maya Angelou, “Still I Rise”
In celebration of Black History Month, join us for the “And Still We Rise” tour celebrating the resilience and achievement of Black writers throughout American history. This 15-minute tour introduces you to all areas of the American Writers Museum. After the tour, you can explore the museum at your own pace. The tour is offered daily at 3:00 pm when the AWM is open. We are open Thursdays to Mondays from 10:00 am – 5:00 pm. We are closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays. The tour is included with museum admission and no advanced registration is required.
BONUS: Eve L. Ewing: Original Sins (February 10, 6:00 pm CT)
We are also honored to host the launch of Eve L. Ewing’s latest book Original Sins: The (Mis)education of Black and Native Children and the Construction of American Racism, a historical tour-de-force that approaches the confounding question of why our schools aren’t working from a new and revelatory angle: what if American public schools are doing exactly what they were built to do? She argues that instead of being the great equalizer, America’s classrooms were designed to do the opposite: to maintain our inequalities. It’s a task at which they excel.
Although this program is now sold out, we plan to record the conversation and release it at some time following the event. You will be able to view the program in its entirety on our YouTube channel here. Or, listen to a condensed version of it on the AWM Podcast Network here. Be sure to subscribe so that you are notified when new program videos and podcast episodes are released!