Tell a joke. Give a speech. Sing a rock song. You can do all these things at Planet Word, a museum of language in downtown Washington. The dream and effort of former teacher Ann Friedman, Planet Word fills three floors of the historic Franklin School with play areas that invite visitors to think about the origins and development of English and explore qualities of other languages. Through its galleries, visitors can use their sounds to interact and engage with exhibits. Such a museum has never been seen before anywhere else.
Friedman had the idea of Planet Word after a visit to the National Museum of Mathematics, which makes math fun by high-tech, hands-on activities. "I think a museum like that could work for one more important thing," said Friedman. "In the time of misinformation and texting, a literate(有文化的) society is way too vital. We need a higher level of ability to read and write, and literate people who have a wide vocabulary, understanding of motivation and ability to read people." That inspired her to make Planet Word a reality.
At the core of the museum, the magical Library exhibition is filled with books that come alive with videos. But Planet Word is not just about showing language in its spoken and written form. Public speaking is accessible in Lend Me Your Ears where people can test their own speaking skills in a recording area. The Karaoke room invites visitors to sing songs. On a more serious note, the Words Matter gallery presents lengthy videos of people telling personal stories.
"Planet Word is centered on ideas but not collections, putting visitors in control of every experience," explained Jake Barton from Local Projects, which designed Planet Word. In one exhibit, visitors can "paint" with words using a digital paintbrush, turning learning new words into beautiful experiences. To take the word "autumnal" as an example, the entire scene changes from spring to fall. "It's a place where children cry when their parents try to make them leave. It makes people wish this were how they had learned in school."
