Librarians traveling to Chicago this summer for ALA Annual, have a new tourist site to add to their sightseeing list.

The American Writers Museum opens on May 16 on N. Michigan Avenue, not far from Millennium Park.

The museum’s mission is to “engage the public in celebrating American writers and exploring their influence on our history, our identity, our culture, and our daily lives.”

Media coverage indicates it is a book-lovers dream come true.

The Chicago Tribune applauds it for giving the impression of “something hot off the presses and eager to be read … [it feels] ambitious, far-reaching and wise in its appreciation of writers and writing.”

The NYT says it features “a mesmerizing ‘Word Waterfall,’  in which a wall of densely packed, seemingly random words is revealed, through a constantly looping light projection.” Another 85-foot long wall highlights 100 notable writers and illustrates how American writing developed over time, with audio commentary by NPR book critic Maureen Corrigan.

The opening temporary exhibits include a plant-filled exhibition on poet W.S. Merlin, who loved horticulture, and the original scroll on which Jack Kerouac wrote On the Road.

Authors such as Billy Collins, Nicholas A. Basbanes, Stuart Dybek, Nikki Giovanni Jr., Alice McDermott, and Scott F. Turow are on the advisory council. Booklist‘s adult books editor, Donna Seaman, is on the curating team and NPR’s Corrigan is a subject specialist.