“American Prophets” at American Writers Museum reviewed by Julia W. Rath

The American Writers Museum showcases authors, songwriters, poets, novelists, librettists, journalists, movie producers, literary critics, and others who have shaped “our collective histories, cultures, identities, and daily lives” by expressing themselves meaningfully via their well-woven words. Dedicated in 2015, the Museum features a permanent exhibition, including a children’s literature room, a room dedicated to writers throughout American history, a Chicago room (highlighting authors with some tie to the Chicago area), and a good number of interactive exhibits for both adults and children.

Their most recent special exhibition, called “American Prophets”, opens on November 21st, and Museum president Carey Cranston gave me a sneak peek on Wednesday afternoon. You may ask: “What is the meaning of “American Prophets”?” Basically, this has to do with writers who have been influenced by their own religious or spiritual background or culture or that of others (broadly defined), and who subsequently inspire other people. The term also points to the fact that, at some level, all of us share a cultural environment where we have been influenced by religion and religious ideas whether we are believers or not. Basically, the exhibition encompasses all forms of spirituality, but a lot of it straddles various and sundry beliefs—perhaps as the writer may have changed religions or have had numerous religious influences on their thinking. And the works on display not only deal with the influence of religion on the writers themselves but on how the general public gets to see the world through the eyes of each of these talented individuals.

When you enter the exhibition, there is a video introduction on your left, while on your right, there is a 24-box square with religious artifacts and iconography from 24 different religions. The main part of the exhibition, however, features panels on the left side of the room, each with a different American author who has grappled with some notion of religion or spirituality in their work, and all of the displays contain an actual object of spiritual or religious significance that belongs to the writer (or their estate), which has been lent to the museum. For example, Samira Ahmed lent her amulet with a Muslim prayer of protection, while Flannery O’Connor’s estate contributed her rosary and holy water. And later on, when the exhibit spills into the adjoining room, you can see the beautifully crafted bell that Sanjay Patel (who works for Pixar) allowed the museum to display, an artifact previously used as inspiration for a film about superheroes.

On the right side of the room, there are the covers of numerous books, which are largely works of memoir or travelogues or spiritual journeys that explore different themes regarding religion, followed by various sections along the wall where religion is explored thematically. For example, one section is devoted to “Songwriting and Spirituality”, with a menu of different songs and a mini-juke box to play each selection. “Ritual and Rhyme” includes a fortune wheel that you can spin and learn about a poet. Two areas of the exhibition describe screenwriter and producer Harold Ramis, who had Jewish roots but later took to Buddhism, and whose films are reflective of his belief system and spiritual path. (In fact, you can take a typed replica of his “5-Minute Buddhist” home for your own safekeeping.) My discussion here would be remiss without talking about Jack Kevorkian’s actual typewriter, which is on display. After all, there are religious and spiritual reasons for his advocacy of physician-assisted suicide, having to do with the dignity of people.

The imagination of the writers is only surpassed by those who were moved to create this exhibition, and, for that matter, the Museum’s entire collection. “American Prophets” is supported by a $2.5 million grant from the Lilly Endowment through its Religion and Cultural Institutions Initiative. Other Chicago institutions, like the Newberry Library, have received similar grants. Note that thoughtful and representative selections were made in consultation with scholars from The University of Chicago. The inclusiveness of so many authors from many different walks of life makes the entire museum a gem.

You could spend hours browsing the collections, going through all the materials, and becoming fascinated by names of writers whom you may not have read or read about. For example, there is an interactive machine as part of the permanent exhibition, where you can press a button and a paper “receipt” of a work of literature pops out on thermally printed paper. I happened to randomly receive a poem by Native American writer Bertrand N. O. Walker. I was also told that the favorite room among children is the one with a series of manual typewriters of all kinds laid out along the long sides of a giant white table. These machines, some of which date from over a century ago, are complete with paper, and are, of course, very tactile. The children who visit are encouraged to type out their own stories on these machines.

So maybe now it’s the time for you to write your own memoir or your own story or poem or to compile a book of reflections. My favorite quotation of the day came from author Anne Lamott, who once said, “The sky is your ocean.” Considering that your creativity is limitless, who knows where you will get your inspiration from? Is it from God or a Higher Power or Spirit (or whatever you choose to call it)? Or is it from your culture or your family or from other people who may influence you in all sorts of different ways, such as through literature or film or artwork or music—or simply just by being there? You’ll get a much better sense of yourself and the meaning of your life’s journey by seeing this exhibition and learning more about the religious imagination in America today.

“American Prophets” is located at the American Writers Museum, 180 N. Michigan Avenue, Second Floor, in Chicago.

Museum admission (includes “American Prophets”):

Adults
$17.40
($16.00 USD + $1.40 Fees, if purchased online)

Seniors (Age 65-99)
$11.25
$10.00 USD + $1.25 Fees, if purchased online)

Students and teachers (with valid ID) (Age 13-99)
$11.25
($10.00 USD + $1.25 Fees if purchased online)

Free for members and children 12 and younger

To inquire about discounted rates for groups of 10 or more, visit

Open Thursday through Monday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Closed Tuesday and Wednesday (only open for private events and rentals)

Note that opening weekend is November 21, 2025.

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit: https://americanwritersmuseum.org/ or call 312-374-8765.

“The mission of the American Writers Museum is to excite audiences about the impact of American writers — past, present and future — in shaping our collective histories, cultures, identities, and daily lives.”

Please refer to the website for a list of evening programs in conjunction with the exhibition.
There is additional ticketing for each special event.