VISITOR EXPERIENCE - American Writers Museum

VISITOR EXPERIENCE

CH RIS ABAN I EDWAR D AB B E Y AB IGAIL ADAMS H EN RY ADAMS JOH N ADAM S LÉO N IE ADAMS JAN E ADDAMS R ENATA ADLER JAM ES AG EE CO N R AD AIK ENDAN IEL AL ARCÓ N EDWAR D ALB EE LOU ISA MAY ALCOT T S H ER MAN ALE XIE H O R ATIO ALG ER J R . N EL SO N ALG R EN ISAB EL ALLEN DE DO ROTHY ALLISO N J U LIAALVAR EZ A . R . AM M O NS RU DO LFO ANAYA S H ERWOO D AN DERSO N MAYA AN G ELOU J O H N AS H B ERY ISA AC ASIMOV J O H N JAM ES AU DU BO N J OS EPH AUS L AN DERPAU L AUSTER MARY AUSTIN JAM ES BALDWIN TO N I C ADE BAM BAR A AM IRI BAR AK A AN DR E A BAR R E T T J O H N BARTH DO NALD BARTH ELM E WILLIAM BARTR AMK ATHARIN E LEE BATESL . FR AN K BAU M AN N B E AT TIE HAR RIET B E ECH E R STOWE SAU L B ELLOW AM B ROS E B IERCE ELIZ AB E TH B IS H O P HARO LD B LOO M J U DYB LU M E LOU IS E BOGAN JAN E BOWLES PAU L BOWLES T. C . BOYLE R AY B R ADB U RY WILLIAM B R ADFO R D AN N E B R ADSTR EE T N O R MAN B RIDWELL J OS EPHB RO DS K Y LOU IS B RO M FIELD G E R ALDIN E B ROOKS GWEN DO LYN B ROO KS CHAR LES B ROCK DEN B ROWN DEE B ROWN MARGAR E T WIS E B ROWN STER LIN G A .B ROWNWILLIAM CU LLEN B RYANTC AP OTEERIC C AR LEPE AR L S . B UCKR ACH EL C ARSO NEDGAR RICE B U R ROU G HSR AYM O N D C ARVERJ O H N C AS E YWILLIAM S . B U R ROUG HSANA C ASTILLOOC TAVIA B UTLERWILL A C ATH ERRO B ERT O LEN B UTLERM ICHAEL CHABO NTRU MANR AYMON D CHAN DLE RJOHNCH EE VER MARY CH ESN UT CHAR LES W. CH ES N UT T K ATE CH O PIN SAN DR A CIS N EROS B E VER LY CLE ARY B ILLY CO LLINS INA COO LB RITH JAM ES FEN IM O R ECOO PER HART CR AN E STEPH EN CR AN E RO B ERT CR EELE Y VÍC TO R H ER NÁN DEZ CRUZ COU NTEE CU LLEN E . E . CU M MINGS M ICHAEL CU N N IN G HAM RICHAR DH EN RY DANA J R . E DWIDG E DANTICAT R EB ECC A HAR DIN G DAVIS HARO LD L . DAVIS SAM U EL R . DEL ANY DO N DELILLO TO M IE DEPAO L A PE TE DE X TER J U NOTDÍA Z PH ILIP K . DICK JAM ES DICKE Y EM ILY DICKINSO N J OAN DIDIO N AN N IE DILL AR D W. S . DI PIERO E . L . DOC TO ROW IVAN DOIG H . D. (HILDA DOOLIT TLE)Our MissionJ O H N DOS PASSOS FR EDERICK DOU G L ASS TH EODOR E DR E ISE R ALLEN DRU RY W. E . B . DU BOIS AN DR E DU B US II PAU L L AU R EN CE DU N BAR STEPH EN DU N NThe mission of the American Writers Museum is toengage the public in celebrating American writers andES PADA J E FFR E Y E UG E NIDES JAM ES T. FAR R ELL WILLIAM FAU LK N ER EDNA FER B ER F. SCOT T FITZG ER ALD RO B ERT FITZG ER ALD LOU IS E FITZH U G H MARTINexploring their influence on our history, our identity,FL AVIN J O H N GOU LD FLE TCH ER HORTON FOOTE J O NATHAN SAFR AN FO ER ESTH ER FO R B ES RICHAR D FO R D B ENJAM IN FR AN K LIN JONATHAN FR ANZE Nour culture, and our daily lives.CHAR LES FR A ZIER IAN FR A ZIER B E T T Y FRIEDAN RO B ERT FROST WILLIAM GADDIS ER N EST J . GAIN ES RUTH STILES GAN N E T T CRISTINA GARCIA WILLIAMRICHAR D EB ER HART J O NATHAN EDWAR DS J EN N IFER EGAN LOR E N E ISE LE Y T. S . ELIOT R ALPH ELLISO N R ALPH WALDO EM ERSO N LOU ISE E R DRICH MARTINGASS TH EO DO R E S EUSS G EIS EL ELLEN G ILCH RIST CHAR LOT TE PER KINS G ILMAN ALLEN G INS B ERG ELLEN G L ASGOW SUSAN G L ASPE LL J U LIA G L ASS LOU IS EG LÜ C KWILIAM GOLDMANA . B . G UTH RIE J R .PAU L G O O D M A NJ ESSIC A HAG EDO R NJA I M Y G O R D O NALE X HALE YU LYS S E S S . G R A N TDO NALD HALLS H I R L E Y A N N G R AUALE X AN DER HAM ILTO NZANE GREYDAS H IELL HAM M E T TJOHN GRISHAMDAV I D G U T E R S O NLOR R AIN E HANSB E R RYPAU L HARDINGM ICHAEL S . HAR PER B R E T HARTE NATHANIE L HAW THOR N E RO B ERT HAYDEN S H IR LE Y HA ZZ AR D L AFC ADIO H E AR N ANTH O NY H ECHT L AR RY H EIN EMAN NJ OS EPH H ELLERLILLIAN H ELLMANER N EST H EM IN GWAYALEKSAN DAR H EM O NPATRICK H E N RYJ O H N H ERS E YJ UAN FELIPE H ER R ER AOSC AR H IJ U ELOSRO B ERT H ILLYER CH ESTE R HIM ES EDWAR D H IRSCH DAN IEL H O FFMAN O LIVER WEN DELL H O LM ES K HALED H OSS EIN I RICHAR D HOWAR D FAN NY H OWE IRVIN GH OWEJ U LIA WAR D H OWEWILLIAM DE AN H OWELL SL AN GSTO N H U G H ESZOR A N E ALE H U RSTONJ O H N IRVINGWAS H IN GTO N IRVIN GS H IR LE Y JACKSO NHAR RIE T JACO BS JOSE PHIN E JACOBSE N H EN RY JAM ES WILLIAM JAM ES R AN DALL JAR R ELL TH O MAS J EFFERSO N G IS H J EN SAR AH O R N E J E WE T T HA J INADAM J O H NSO N CHAR LES J O H NSO N CROCKE T T J O H NSO N DEN IS J O H NSO N JAM ES WELDO N J O H NSO N J OS EPH IN E WINS LOW J O H NSO N E DWAR D P. JON ESJAM ES J O N ES ERIC A J O N G N O RTO N J USTER DO NALD J USTICE MACKIN L AY K ANTO R ALFR E D K A ZIN EZR A JACK KE ATS WILLIAM KEN N EDY JACK K EROUACKEN KESEYF R A N C E S PA R K I N S O N K E Y E SJA M A I C A K I N C A I DG A LWAY K I N N E L LT R AC Y K I D D E RC A R O LY N K I Z E RMARTIN LUTHER KING JR .J O H N K N OW L E SSTEPHEN KINGY U S E F KO M U N YA K A AB A R B A R A K I N G S O LV E RE . L . KO N I G S B U R GM A X I N E H O N G K I N G S TO NJ E R Z Y KÓ S I N S K IA L E X KOT LOW I T Z

There’s a story that needs to be told: the story of theextraordinary men and women who have created the writtenworks that have shaped our society since its inception and haveboth inspired and entertained us.Welcome to the American Writers Museum, the first and onlymuseum of its kind in the United States. Opening in Chicago inearly 2017, this vibrant, interactive museum will celebrate thelives and works of America’s great writers, and their influenceon our history and our culture. Permanent exhibits will feature your favorite works andtell the story of your favorite writers, whether they wrotenon-fiction or fiction, plays or poetry. Special galleries will showcase exhibits and artifactson loan from our nation’s historic writers’ homes, joiningwith our museum to tell the behind-the-scenes storiesof our great writers. Diverse educational programs and special events will promoteliteracy and foster a love of reading and writing.In the pages that follow, you can explore the concept designfor the museum.We invite you to join in the celebration.

Amazon.comCHAPTER 1 .Loomings.CALL ME ISHMAEL. Some years ago—never mind howlong precisely—having little or no money in my purse,and nothing particular to interest me on shore, I thoughtI would sail about a little and see the watery part of theworld. It is a way I have of driving off the spleen andregulating the circulation. Whenever I find myselfgrowing grim about the mouth; whenever it is a damp,drizzly November in my soul; whenever I find myselfinvoluntarily pausing before coffin warehouses, andbringing up the rear of every funeral I meet; andespecially whenever my hypos get such an upper handof me, that it requires a strong moral principle toprevent me from deliberately stepping into the street,and methodically knocking people's hats off—then, Iaccount it high time to get to sea as soon as I can. This ismy substitute for pistol and ball. With a philosophicalflourish Cato throws himself upon his sword; I quietlytake to the ship. There is nothing surprising in this. Ifthey but knew it, almost all men in their degree, sometime or other, cherish very nearly the same feelingstowards the ocean with me.

Table of ContentsVisitor Experience4678910111213141516171820222324Where Will it Be?Writers HallWriting Across AmericaAmerican IdentitySurprise BookshelfWord WaterfallReaders HallThe Mind of a WriterA Writer’s RoomFeatured WorksWord PlayChicago: A City of WritersChildren’s GalleryChanging Exhibits GalleryAdvocatesCurating TeamNational Advisory CouncilAffiliated Author Home MuseumsBusiness Plan282930323336373840Exhibit Floor PlanAttendance ProjectionsLeadershipPartnersFinancialsFundraising PlanYour OpportunityNaming OpportunitiesProject Strengths

WEST HURON ST.WEST ERIE ST.Olive ParkE. ONTARIO ST.WEST ONTARIO ST.Where Will it Be?NorthwesternUniversityMICHIGAN AVE.CLARK ST.WEST SUPERIOR ST.E. OHIO ST.WEST OHIO ST.E. ILLINOIS ST.W. KINZIE AVE.MarinaCityEAST WACKER DRIVES. CANAL ST.S. CLINTON ST.N. WABASH AVE.NORTH HALSTEDSTREETAWM will be located in theheart of downtown Chicagoon one of the busiest blocksof famed Michigan Avenue.Millennium Park, a magnetfor Chicago residents andvisitors from all over theworld, is one block away.Other cultural attractionsin the area include TheArt Institute of Chicago,Chicago Symphony Center,Pritzker Military Museumand Library, and theChicago ArchitecturalFoundation. The theatredistrict lies two blocks to thewest. The AWM will be justa short walk away from anumber of Chicago’s majorhotels.Navy PierE. GRAND AVE.W. GRAND AVE.W. LAKE ST.GoodmanTheatreN. STATEN. FRANKLIN ST.W. MADISON ST.MillenniumParkARTINSTITUTEOF CHICAGOW. MARBLE PL.W. QUINCY ST.E. ADAMS ST.S. WABASH AVE.W. ADAMS ST.S. STATES. FRANKLIN ST.CHICAGOSYMPHONYCENTERE. JACKSON ST.W. JACKSON ST.– RAHM EMANUELMAYOR, THE CITY OF CHICAGOS. DES PLAINES ST.Grant ParkE. VAN BUREN ST.S. MICHIGAN AVE.CHICAGOARCHITECTUREFOUNDATIONW. CONGRESS PKWY.W. HARRISON ST.BuckinghamFountainE. HALBO DR.S. CLARK ST.S. WELLS ST.S. LAKE SHORE DR.S. COLUMBUS DR.W. POLK ST.NEARBY CULTURAL SITESJohn G. SheddAquariumE. ROOSEVELT RD.S. CANAL ST.S. CLINTON ST.RooseveltParkS. JEFFERSON ST.FieldMuseumAdlerPlanetariumE. 13TH ST.12th Street BeachColiseumS. INDIANA STREETDAN RYAN EXPRESSWAYPark479O C TO B E R 2 0 1 5WEST 14TH PLACEMUSEUM SITENEARBY HOTELSE. 14TH ST.4“ I enthusiastically support theefforts to place a national writersmuseum in Chicago. Such amuseum will complement the richofferings of the City’s theaters,museums, libraries and musicalactivities and adds significantlyto Chicago’s vitality.”J. PritzkerPavillonE. MONROE ST.W. MONROE ST.SearsTowerE. MADISON ST.N. MICHIGAN AVE.E. WASHINGTON ST.W. WASHINGTON ST.CivicOperaHouseCHICAGOCULTURALCENTERE. RANDOLPH ST.W. RANDOLPH ST.AMERICAN WRITERS MUSEUMSoldierField

WritingAcross AmericaAmerican IdentityChildren’s GalleryReaders HallWriters HallChicago:A City of WritersThe Mind of a WriterAMERICAN WRITERS MUSEUMO C TO B E R 2 0 1 55

Writers HallStep into Writers Hall andexperience your first AWMsurprise: a face-to-faceencounter with a writer fromyour hometown.6What to See and Do: Great writers come from all cornersof the country, including where youlive. Enter your zip code to see apanoramic video display of writers,their works, their awards, and theirinspirations from your hometown. L earn about the American WritersMuseum’s broad network of authorhome museum affiliates.O C TO B E R 2 0 1 5AMERICAN WRITERS MUSEUM

Writing AcrossAmericaA giant interactive map ofthe United States allows youto explore animated storiesshowing how Americanwriting encompasses everyregion of the country.Map of AffiliatedAuthor Home MuseumsMark Twain in front of his boyhoodhome in Hannibal, Missouri.What to See and Do: Go on literary journeys—with Kerouacand Steinbeck and other iconicAmerican writers. “Travel” to places where writers lived. Visit famous literary sites—“Tara”and “Cannery Row,” or “The Houseof the Seven Gables,” among others.AMERICAN WRITERS MUSEUMThe American prairie – illustratedby Garth Williams in the ‘Little House’books by Laura Ingalls Wilder.O C TO B E R 2 0 1 5The Ozarks of Steinbeck’s “The Grapes ofWrath,” illustrated by Thomas Hart Benton.7

American IdentityAmerican Identity chroniclesAmerican literature fromthe early Native Americanoral traditions up to theexplosion of voices of the20th century.What to See and Do: The 60-foot-long multilayeredexhibit wall takes you on a journeythrough the literary history of theUnited States.8O C TO B E R 2 0 1 5 Explore literary movements, authorsand their works over time—discoverthe poems of Anne Bradstreet ofColonial America to writers likeEmerson, Melville, Whitman, and Poewho helped declare America’s literaryindependence.AMERICAN WRITERS MUSEUM Test your knowledge to determineif a featured piece of writing helpedcreate an American voice, identity orgenre. Your on-screen selectionstrigger a wide range of lighting andaudio effects.