American Writers Museum

Jack Decker

WARNING: This "museum" has a political agenda and does not respect authors or their works with whom they politically disagree. No clearer example of this is their write-up for Ayn Rand and her novel "Atlas Shrugged". Their write-up: "In this dystopian tale, catastrophe ensues when the world's business leaders shrug off their responsibilities and refuse to work. Rand intended her novel as a critique of government regulation, which, in her view, smothered industrial innovation." Only her critics who have NEVER read her novels and are on the opposite political spectrum (literally communists) would ever write such tripe. "the world's business leaders shrug off their responsibilities and refuse to work" Just what you'd expect to hear from a slave-owner. Her novel is only dystopian for those who are slave-owners and parasites on society. For innovative producers, it is a tale of emancipation. That is who John Galt, the story's mysterious character (the novel's first sentence is literally "Who is John Galt?"), has been successfully quietly convincing to go on strike. To no longer be taken advantage of and wrongly disparaged. And her novel was NOT merely "a critique of government regulation, which, in her view, smothered industrial innovation" but of communism. Of collectivism. Of the idea that one's labor is government's property to do with as government leaders and lobbyists, and not the producers themselves, see fit. That taxation is theft. And, no, Ms. Rand was not an anarchist (a person who wants no government at all) but a minimalist who views government as a necessary evil that needs to reduced to as little as possible and vigilantly watched to make sure it doesn't grow beyond that. And Ms. Rand spoke from personal experience having fled Russia as it was taken over by communism, which is another interesting thing that this museum "forgot" to mention in her write-up. Oh, and I am sure that the other authors presented in this "museum" who opposed slavery also had inserted in their write-ups that their opposition to slavery was just "in her view" or "in his view" bad. But, for this "museum", the above is truly a reason to question anything it says about any author. If they were so disingenuous, deceitful, and disrespectful to Ayn Rand, which other authors have they been likewise to in their presentation of them. And that's saying they even presented them to the public. Personally, I think they had to present Ayn Rand in this "museum" for her exclusion would have gone noticed and publicly commented upon. Oh, and this is the ONLY write-up given to her. This "museum" gives larger write-ups to much less distinguished and known authors along a wall opposite to the little quips given authors on the wall where the above is said of Ayn Rand. A serious and deep review of this entire museum is in order. Until then, this is not a museum but a propaganda machine. Don't visit it. Don't donate to it. Warn others about it.

R H

Less expensive than most other museums in Chicago and less crowded. Almost everything is interactive and you can even read the books. Interesting and fun. Well worth the trip.

Chad Grant

Highly interactive and beautifully designed. Kind of small/brief. Free bookmark.

Jordan williams

Fun experience and learned a lot