Each month, we ask the question, “What’s in a Word?”

How cool would it be to visit a word/language-themed facility simply to enjoy words?

Look no further than Planet Word.

Washington D.C. is the one place I believe everyone in America and everyone who visits America should visit. There are so many incredible museums and historical sites to enjoy. Planet Word is another must-see.

When Ann B. Friedman retired from teaching first grade, she was looking for her next chapter. Walking away from a lifetime of learning and teaching was not to be. When Friedman read about the creation of the Museum of Math in New York City which was designed with hands-on activities to make math fun, she came up with the idea for Planet Word. Friedman is a philanthropist. Her husband is Tom Friedman, a columnist for The New York Times.

Why not create a special place to celebrate the constantly evolving words that makeup languages?

Words can be signed written, spoken, or sung. They can make us laugh, cry, be offended, comforted, or be informed. They express our innermost thoughts, hopes, and fears. We use them to communicate, entertain, encourage, warn, and educate.

Each word has its own history and story that belongs within each language.

In 2020, Planet Word opened at the historic Franklin School in Washington D.C.

The Franklin School, located on Franklin Square at 13th and K streets in Northwest Washington D.C., opened as a segregated school in 1869. The German architect, Adolf Cluss, designed it. The five-story, 50,000-square-foot, building was the flagship school for eight modern urban public school buildings in Washington D.C. It was the model for the American Public School system. The school provided free public education for as many as 900 students per year. Instead of the one-room multiage/grade schoolhouses, boys and girls were originally separated into their own grade-related classrooms. Children of color were to be sent to separate facilities.

Alexander Graham Bell’s first successful transmission of a photophone message was made from the rooftop of The Franklin School to his lab on L Street. It was a vital precursor to the wireless and fiber-optic communications we use today.

The school was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1996.

It was used as a homeless shelter from 2002 to 2008. On November 19, 2011, it was briefly occupied by protesters associated with the Occupy movement.

In 2015, Mayor Muriel Bowser canceled plans to convert it to a public facility for art exhibitions, lectures, and educational activities by the Institute for Contemporary Expression.

Friedman hired the international architectural firm, Beyer, Blinder Belle to rehabilitate and restore the building for its next chapter.

This is the official mission statement for the project:

“Planet Word will inspire and renew a love of words, language, and reading in people of all ages. Through unique, immersive learning experiences, we provide a space to explore words and language that is grounded in a solid understanding of language arts and science.” [taken directly from  https://planetwordmuseum.org/].

The six core values of Planet Word are fun, inclusivity, meaningfulness, motivational, playful, and unexpected.

It’s a place for individuals, families, school groups, and friends of all ages to experience language from its origins to the constantly evolving nature of its words.

The Museum has three designated floors. It’s recommended that visitors begin their explorations on the third floor.

Third floor:

·       First words - how we learn to speak our first words.

·       Word origins – where do the words we use come from? A 20-foot-tall talking wall of words shares the story of the English language.

·       The spoken word – meet speakers and signers from around the world representing every type of language.

·       Lexicon Lane – rent and solve a word puzzle.

Second floor:

·       Sing karaoke and learn about songwriting techniques.

·       Learn about jokes and word timing.

·       Paint with words.

·       The Library - where words come to life.

·       Deliver famous speeches using a teleprompter.

First floor:

·       Learn how advertisers use words to sell their products.

·       Words matter – share your stories about how words have inspired you or affected your life using a recording booth and listen to other people’s stories.

·       Enjoy food from around the world in an Immigrant restaurant.

Visits are self-guided, and the exhibits speak for themselves.

The museum is accessible.* The first-floor restroom is unisex with individual stalls appropriate for caregivers and/or parents to help anyone needing assistance.

Restrooms on the second and third floors are gender specific, so you have options.

A limited number of headphones are available for sound-sensitive adults or children.

A limited number of manual wheelchairs are available for people with limited mobility.

If you or a member of your party has special needs and/or physical challenges, it’s always a good idea to phone ahead and make sure any special resources you need will be available.

It’s also recommended that you book passes ahead of time online for anyone aged 2+ because only a limited number of same-day passes are available. Passes can be booked up to a month in advance.

 Sources for this article:

https://planetwordmuseum.org/