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Plan Your Visit

HOURS
Wednesday – Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Saturday – Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Monday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Last entrance time is 1.5 hours before closing (given availability)

SPECIAL HOURS
Saturday, 4/27, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (3rd floor closing at 2 p.m.)
Thursday, 5/2, 3rd floor closing at 2 p.m.
Saturday, 5/4, 3rd floor closing at 2 p.m.

LOCATION
925 13th Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20005
Entrance on K Street

ADMISSION
General admission is free, with a suggested $15 donation to support the museum’s mission-driven programs, exhibits, and educational outreach.

LEXICON LANE
Like mysteries, riddles, and puzzles? Reserve a puzzle case and solve the mysteries inside. $30 per case, with a suggestion of 4 people per case.  Learn more

LITTLE FREE LIBRARY
Have books at home that you’re planning to donate? Bring a few with you to Planet Word! We have a Little Free Library, located to the right of our entrance gate.

VISITOR GUIDELINES
We’re committed to the health and safety of our visitors and our staff. Please review the following guidelines before making your visit to Planet Word.  Learn more

Reserve your pass

Directions

Silver, blue, and orange lines: Exit at McPherson Square onto 14th and I streets. The museum entrance is directly across the park on 13th and K streets.

Red line: Exit at Metro Center onto 13th Street. Walk north until you reach K Street, then turn right. The entrance will be on your right.

Bus stops at 13th and K, 13th and I, and 15th and I are all within easy walking distance of the museum. Visit the Washington Metropolitan Transit Authority website to find the bus route that is most convenient for you.

From the north: Head south on 13th Street, NW. At the traffic circle, take the third exit to stay on 13th Street. In 0.5 miles, the Franklin School building will be on your left.

From the southwest: Take I-66 E, then take the left exit toward E Street. Keep right, following signs for E Street. Continue onto E Street Expressway. Turn left onto 18th Street, NW. Turn right onto H Street NW. Turn left onto 13th Street, NW. In 0.2 miles, the Franklin School building will be on your right.

From the southeast: Take I-695 W and exit on Maine Ave. Keep right at the fork, following signs for 12th Street. Continue straight onto 12th Street, NW. Turn left onto I Street, NW. Turn right onto 13th Street. The Franklin School building will be on your right.

Street parking is limited in this area, but several parking garages are available nearby (entrances at 915 13th Street, NW and 1010 13th Street, NW). Parking spots for persons with disabilities are located on the corner of 12th and K and 13th and I.

Bike racks are available by the entrance on K street and on the Northeast corner of 13th and K Street (in front of PAUL) and half a block down K Street from Planet Word’s main entrance.

Immigrant Food

Immigrant Food, located on our lower level, is the perfect spot to satisfy your hunger at Planet Word.

The restaurant offers casual immigrant-inspired fare during museum hours and transitions to a higher gastronomic experience in the evening, with global cocktails, an eclectic wine list, and a dinner menu created by award-winning chef Enrique Limardo.

Open Tuesday – Friday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Saturday, 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Sunday, 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Brunch Menu | Lunch Menu | Dinner Menu

Gift Shop

Present Perfect, the Planet Word gift shop, has something for the wordsmith in everyone.

You can browse books full of wordplay, find word-themed gifts, games, and puzzles, or pick up a last-minute card for a special occasion. Present Perfect offers plenty of curated, one-of-a-kind items to pique the interest of writers, readers, performers, conversationalists, kids, and word nerds.

Refunds are permitted with proof of purchase within 30 days of the purchase date. To receive a refund for a credit card purchase, the card used for the original sale is required. Planet Word is not responsible for loss of, or damage to, any items after purchase.

Frequently Asked Questions

Planet Word reserves the right to modify its hours of operations, capacity, or visitor guidelines as circumstances require and to deny entry or access to any person who fails to follow these guidelines or whose conduct puts Planet Word staff, visitors, or property at risk.

We are limiting the number of free passes available daily. Reserving your pass online will ensure you get the day and time of your choice. We recommend a donation of $15 per person to support the museum.

Please note that we are open Wednesday – Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday – Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and Monday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Last entrance time for the day is 1.5 hours before closing.

Tickets are released the first of the month for the following month. Due to our limited capacity, tickets sell out fast! We strongly recommend booking passes online ahead of time. A limited number of same-day timed passes will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Same day passes may be for a later time than your arrival or could be sold out for the day.

General Admission passes can be exchanged for a later time and date, subject to availability. Program passes are non transferable. Please notify us at [email protected]. All passes are considered donations to Planet Word, which are non-refundable and tax-deductible. As a nonprofit organization, Planet Word relies on donation support to continue providing immersive language experiences, outstanding programs, and fun learning opportunities.

Late arrivals are not guaranteed entrance. If a later session is available, you may be transferred to a later entry time.

Check your SPAM folder. If you are unable to find the confirmation email, you can check-in with your name at the Welcome Desk.

As a non-profit organization that receives no federal funding, we rely on donations to support our mission: to inspire and renew a love of words, language, and reading. Your suggested donation helps support our mission-driven programs, exhibits, and educational outreach.

Links to online programs are emailed after 5 p.m. the day before the event and 10 a.m. day-of. We also recommend checking your SPAM folder if you have not received anything.

The Museum is self-guided. We recommend 90 minutes to go through. View our Planet Word map to plan your visit.

Only visitors aged 2 and older require timed passes to visit.

To ensure a safe and pleasant visit for all guests, stroller access may be restricted at the discretion of staff. We encourage you to bring your own infant carrier or backpack. When permitted, only standard size strollers are allowed in the galleries. Please keep them away from high traffic areas like exhibit entries/exits as well as emergency exits. Guests with larger strollers can store them in the stroller designated parking. Planet Word is not responsible for loss of or damage to any items.

 

 

Planet Word is open for all ages, but the exhibits are best for ages 10 and up.

Anyone under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult.

Food and drinks are not permitted in the museum.

Please limit the number and size of the items you bring. A limited number of free storage lockers are available on a first come, first served basis. Large items, such as luggage, are not permitted in the permanent exhibition. Planet Word is not responsible for loss or damage to any items stored.

For the time being, only valuables (wallets, keys, phones, etc.) will be held for claim. All other items will be disposed of if not claimed within 24-hours. Please contact us at [email protected] for any Lost and Found questions.

Planet Word welcomes service animals — other animals or pets are not allowed. Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a service animal is defined as a dog that has been individually trained to do work or perform tasks for an individual with a disability. Therapy animals whose function is to provide comfort or emotional support do not qualify as service animals, even with a doctor’s note.

Free WiFi provided by AT&T is available throughout the building. Ask a staff member if you need help connecting.

Yes, visitors are permitted to take photographs and shoot videos for personal, non-commercial use. Tag your photos with @PlanetWordDC or #PlanetWord on social media — we want to see them, too!

Tripods, monopods, selfie sticks or gimbles are not permitted. Professional photo shoots, including wedding, engagement, and modeling, are not permitted. Please note that photography should not interfere with the visitor experience.

Photographs and videos are not to be used for any commercial purposes, except for as approved in advance by our communications team ([email protected]), including but not limited to: Web sites, print or broadcast advertisements, publications, training films, feature films or motion pictures (movies), screen savers, podcasts, or other public use.

Planet Word or authorized third-parties may carry out photography and/or other recordings at the Museum, and any images and/or recordings may feature visitors. You consent to the use of such images and/or recordings by us in connection with advertising, promoting the Museum, and for our internal purposes. In doing so, you allow us to edit, modify, publish and make available such images and/or recordings. You acknowledge and agree that you will not receive compensation if we use such images and/or recordings.

The museum is within easy walking distance of the vibrant K Street corridor, the White House, the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, several Smithsonian museums, Penn Quarter, and many of D.C.’s top hotels and restaurants.

Visitor Code of Conduct

While on Planet Word premises, no visitor shall: 

  • Use loud, abusive, or otherwise improper language. Any use of inappropriate language and/or behavior will not be tolerated and may result in removal from the Museum.
  • Carry firearms, other dangerous or deadly weapons, or explosives, either openly or concealed on the premises. The prohibition on firearms applies to all visitors, including those with firearm permits, but not to active federal and local law enforcement personnel authorized to carry firearms.
  • Display or carry placards, signs, or banners. This includes any person wearing attire that could detract from the experience of other visitors. 
  • Protest or conduct a demonstration. 
  • Solicit or advertise for commercial or charitable purposes or distribute advertisements, pamphlets, handbills, and flyers. 
  • Destroy, damage, or remove property. 
  • Climb upon any part of the building or exhibit.
  • Loiter, sleep, or participate in unwarranted assemblies. 
  • Engage in disorderly conduct. 
  • Smoke or vape. This includes all tobacco products, cigarettes, smokeless tobacco, electronic cigarettes, and vaping.
  • Take photographs for advertising or any other commercial purpose. 

 

Planet Word reserves the right to refuse admission, revoke Membership, control occupancy, or eject any person whose conduct is deemed by the management to be disorderly or does not comply with this Visitor Code of Conduct.

  • Did you know?

    Perhaps ironically, the word “sesquipedalophobia” means “the fear of long words.”

  • Did you know?

    “Contronyms” are words that contain multiple meanings that are complete opposites of each other. For example, “oversight” means both “the action of overseeing something” and “a failure to notice something.”

  • Did you know?

    There are over 7,000 languages worldwide, but more than half the world’s population speaks only 23 of these languages.

  • Did you know?

    The first entirely artificial language was the Lingua Ignota, a private mystical cant recorded in the 12th century by St. Hildegard of Bingen.

  • Did you know?

    The 10 most-used letters in English are E, A, R, I, O, T, N, S, L, and C.

  • Did you know?

    Eels, llamas, and aardvarks, ooh my! In English, there are only four letters that appear as double letters at the beginning of a word: A, E, L, and O.

  • Did you know?

    A “deipnosophist” is a person who’s really good at making conversation at the dinner table.

  • How do you get a dog to stop eating your books?

    Take the words right out of its mouth!

  • What's the difference between a cat and a comma?

    A cat has claws at the end of its paws, but a comma’s a pause at the end of a clause.

  • The past, the present, and the future walk into a bar...

    It was tense.

  • Is there a word that uses all the vowels including y?

    Unquestionably.

  • Riddle me this

    What did the intransitive verb say when told it was pretty? (Answer: Nothing. Intransitive verbs can’t take complements.)

  • Riddle me this

    What does an island and the letter T have in common? (Answer: They’re both in the middle of water.)

  • Riddle me this

    What word becomes shorter when you add two letters to it? (Answer: Short)

  • Riddle me this

    What starts with an E, ends with an E, and contains just one letter? (Answer: An envelope!)

  • Riddle me this

    What begins with a T, ends with a T, and has T in it? (Answer: A teapot!)

  • Riddle me this

    What’s in centuries, hours, and years, but not minutes, days, or seconds? (Answer: The letter R!)

  • Quote them on it

    “Outside of a dog, a book is a man’s best friend. Inside of a dog, it’s too dark to read.” — Groucho Marx

  • Quote them on it

    “The past is always tense, the future perfect.” — Zadie Smith

  • Quote them on it

    “If there is a book that you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, you must be the one to write it.” — Toni Morrison

  • Quote them on it

    “A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies...The man who never reads lives only once.” — George R.R. Martin

  • Quote them on it

    “If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart.” — Nelson Mandela