Photo: Anna Shuster/Vimeo

A Museum Dedicated Entirely to Words and Language Is Opening in Washington, DC

Washington, D. C. News Museums
by Eben Diskin Feb 5, 2020

There are plenty of museums that revolve around visual art — now words are finally getting their due. An interactive museum dedicated to words and language is opening on May 31, 2020, in Washington, DC. Planet Word is designed to educate visitors about language, with exhibits focusing on the spoken, sung, and written word. The 51,000-square-foot space will be located inside the historic Franklin School in the heart of DC.

Word museum

Photo: Anna Shuster/Vimeo

The museum will feature 11 galleries with distinct immersive experiences. One will allow guests to paint a scene with words using small brushes that change the virtual landscape. Another has a 22-foot-tall Word Wall with over 1,000 voice activated words, lighting up and telling stories about how they made their way into the English language. In a slightly less educational vein, there’s also karaoke, and the opportunity to recite famous speeches from the likes of JFK and Martin Luther King, Jr.

Word museum in DC

Photo: Anna Shuster/Vimeo

The museum also aims to be a contributing member of the community by offering “Wordshops” in its classrooms, and performances, author readings, and community discussions in its auditorium.

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