Planet Word

It’s official — Planet Word is in the top 10% of things to do worldwide! We are pleased to announce that Planet Word is a 2024 Tripadvisor Travelers’ Choice Awards winner. Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to leave a wonderful review on our Tripadvisor page! We owe this achievement to you. #TravelersChoice

Check out what the Language Science Station team is up to at Planet Word this summer! https://lnkd.in/ebGJbWCF University of Maryland - College of Arts and Humanities College of Behavioral and Social Sciences, University of Maryland National Science Foundation (NSF) Gallaudet University Howard University

Join us on July 27 for Between the Lines with Jason Reynolds and Marcus J. Moore, a powerful exploration of culture through the written word! NYT best-selling YA author Jason Reynolds and music journalist and author Marcus J. Moore will discuss the impact and joy of storytelling rooted in Black culture. Register now: https://lnkd.in/emR8azCg

Today we celebrate the 199th birthday of Adolf Cluss, born #OnThisDay in 1825. The German-born architect immigrated to the United States in 1848 and, settling in Washington, D.C., soon made his mark as one of the capital city’s most distinguished and prolific architects. He designed the Franklin School that houses Planet Word, and many other recognizable buildings across the city, such as the Smithsonian Arts and Industries Building, Eastern Market, and the Charles Sumner School. Cluss’s innovative design for the Franklin School included spacious, well-lit classrooms, a state-of-the-art heating and ventilation system, and indoor restrooms — creating a beautiful, comfortable atmosphere for learning, and a fitting future home for a museum about words and language! 📷 Les Talusan

Join our team! Planet Word is looking for an experienced Building Manager to operate and maintain our National Historic Landmark home. For a full job description and salary information, visit https://lnkd.in/eFncsZbh.

Wordplay Wednesday is the perfect way to spend your Fourth of July eve! We are open late on July 3, and you’ll find plenty of ways to gear up for the midweek holiday. Sing Katy Perry’s “Firework” in our Unlock the Music gallery, recite a presidential speech in Lend Me Your Ears, and enjoy refreshments at our first-ever Wordplay Wednesday pop-up bar, provided by our onsite restaurant Immigrant Food. Lexicon Lane, our word sleuthing puzzle adventure room, will be open too! Reserve your pass: https://lnkd.in/eiSx7zMM

Where do two nerdy writers stop on vacation? Planet Word, obviously. In addition to being one of D.C.'s most unique museums–and a wonderland for lovers of the written and spoken word–it's also a masterclass in #instructionaldesign. 💡 Its design is intuitive and offers visitors opportunities to engage in ways that feel well-constructed without placing the experience on rails. If you start on the top floor, you can get interactive lessons in history and linguistics that meticulously frame the rest of the experience; you can then explore the art of language, writing, and speech in ways that build your understanding of the importance of words. 💡 Every element is engaging and interactive. Every room and exhibit offers opportunities to engage each of your senses and a range of learning styles. You can listen, watch, and engage—often simultaneously—within each exhibit. The books come to life, each video is interactive, and you can even sing karaoke while getting a lesson in songwriting and communication. 💡 All of this makes the experience uniquely memorable. Visitors can explore each exhibit as deeply as they wish, and you can determine the breadth and scope of your engagement. More importantly, each section goes well beyond written descriptions or plaques on a wall. You can even contribute to scientific research while you're there. I found myself taking mental notes about building scaffolded learning experiences that create opportunities to engage meaningfully while being consummately fun.

Tongue twisters aren't just fun and games — they’re a window into the unique traits of languages. Check out our latest blog post to dive into this fascinating topic! https://lnkd.in/e9ygX4Pm

“Words can be the important building blocks not to build walls, not to build fences, but to build bridges. And we need more people who are willing to build bridges.” — Michele Norris In her insightfully perceptive book Our Hidden Conversations, Michele Norris offers a transformative dialogue on race and identity, unearthed through her decade-long work with The Race Card Project. With a seemingly simple prompt — “Race. Your Thoughts. Six Words. Please Send.” — over half a million people have submitted stories, revealing an insurmountable array of emotions from fear and pain to triumph and sometimes even humor. Watch Having Hard Conversations: Michele Norris — The Race Card Project here: https://lnkd.in/eTiFQDqb

Wordplay Wednesday is right around the corner, and it’s going to be our best after-hours extravaganza yet! On Wednesday, July 3, the museum is staying open from 5–8 p.m. Join us for an evening of language, music, poetry, word puzzles, and, for the first time, refreshments! Our onsite restaurant, Immigrant Food, will be providing a pop-up bar. It’s a great way to kick off your long holiday weekend — we hope to see you there! Tickets available at https://lnkd.in/eiSx7zMM.