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Plan Your Visit

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

SPECIAL HOURS
Saturday, 3/25, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
First Wednesday of each month, 10 a.m. to 7 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. $20 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. We encourage all guests to take a book and leave a book.

VISITOR GUIDELINES
We’re committed to the health and safety of our visitors and our staff. Please review the following safety 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.

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 – Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Friday – Saturday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Sunday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Brunch Menu | Lunch Menu | Aperitivo Hour Menu | Dinner & Cocktail 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

DO I HAVE TO RESERVE A PASS IN ADVANCE?
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, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and Sunday – Monday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Last entrance time for the day is 1.5 hours before closing.

WHY ARE PASSES NOT AVAILABLE?
Tickets are released the first of the month for the following month. Due to our limited capacity, tickets sell out fast! A limited number of same-day timed passes will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.

I RESERVED A FREE PASS BUT CAN’T MAKE IT TODAY — CAN I USE IT TOMORROW?
If you missed the day on your pass or are unable to use your passes for a certain day, please notify us at [email protected]. Feel free to reserve another free pass or join the walk-up line, and we’ll do our best to accommodate you.

WHAT IF I MISS MY RESERVATION TIME OR ARRIVE LATE?
Late arrivals are not guaranteed entrance. If a later session is available, you may be transferred to a later entry time.

WHAT IF I CAN’T FIND MY PASSES?
Check your SPAM folder. If you are unable to find the confirmation email, you can check-in with your name at the Welcome Desk.

WHY IS THERE A SUGGESTED DONATION?
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.

WHAT IF I HAVE NOT RECEIVED A LINK TO AN ONLINE PROGRAM I REGISTERED FOR?
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.

HOW LONG SHOULD I SPEND AT PLANET WORD?
The Museum is self-guided. We recommend 90 minutes to go through. View our Planet Word map to plan your visit.

DO INFANTS REQUIRE TIMED PASSES?
Only visitors aged 2 and older require timed passes to visit.

ARE STROLLERS ALLOWED IN THE MUSEUM?
To ensure a safe and pleasant visit for all guests, we limit the size of strollers permitted in the galleries. Umbrella strollers and compact travel strollers that fit within these dimensions are allowed: 30” length and 25” width and 43” height. Guests with larger strollers can fold and store them in the locker area in the lobby. Planet Word is not responsible for loss of or damage to any items.

CAN I GET FOOD OR DRINKS IN THE MUSEUM?
Food and drinks are not permitted in the museum.

DO YOU HAVE LOCKERS AVAILABLE?
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.

DO YOU HAVE A LOST AND FOUND?
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.

MAY I BRING A PET?
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.

DOES THE MUSEUM HAVE WIFI?
Free WiFi provided by AT&T is available throughout the building. Ask a staff member if you need help connecting.

CAN I TAKE PICTURES IN THE MUSEUM?
Yes. We love photos, and yours are welcome and encouraged. Tag your photos with @PlanetWordDC or #PlanetWord on social media — we want to see them, too!

Commercial photography and videography must be approved in advance by our communications team. Email [email protected]

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.

WHAT OTHER WASHINGTON, D.C. LANDMARKS ARE CLOSE BY?
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.

 

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.

Visitor Code of Conduct

While on Planet Word premises, no visitor shall: 

  • Carry weapons (including concealed or open carry). Except for qualified law enforcement*, anyone possessing a weapon will be asked to remove it from our premises immediately.
  • 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. 
  • Use loud, abusive, or otherwise improper language. 
  • Loiter, sleep, or participate in unwarranted assemblies. 
  • Engage in disorderly conduct. 
  • Take photographs for advertising or any other commercial purpose. 

* Qualified Law Enforcement — This policy excludes Federal and local law enforcement officials, who after displaying their credentials to our Security team, may carry their firearms in a concealed manner. Local refers to all law enforcement agencies with jurisdiction within the immediate DMV area.  

 

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