Washington DC Portal

The Portal in Washington DC is located at Planet Word Museum.

No items found.

About

Planet Word is an immersive language experience located at the historic Franklin School in Washington, D.C. Ideal for all ages, Planet Word is a voice-activated museum (the world’s first!), and our interactive galleries and exhibits bring words and language to life in all sorts of fun ways.

Partners

Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art
modal-close
Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art

A Portal at the Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art helps celebrate its 100 year anniversary!

Multimedia

Holocaust survivor Johanna Neumann shares her experiences with Omar Alshafai, a Syrian man who fled the Assad regime and found refuge in Germany. Their exchange took place in the Portal at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum
Holocaust survivor Johanna Neumann shares her experiences with Omar Alshafai, a Syrian man who fled the Assad regime and found refuge in Germany. Their exchange took place in the Portal at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum
A conversation between Amar Bakshi, founder of Shared Studios, and Vint Cerf, a "father of the Internet" on "The Birth of the Internet and the Best of the Internet"
A conversation between Amar Bakshi, founder of Shared Studios, and Vint Cerf, a "father of the Internet" on "The Birth of the Internet and the Best of the Internet"
The Portal in Washington DC.
The Portal in Washington DC.
ABC News with George Stephanopoulos covers Shared Studios Portals.
ABC News with George Stephanopoulos covers Shared Studios Portals.
PBS Newshour covers the Shared Studios Portal.
PBS Newshour covers the Shared Studios Portal.
Founder Amar C. Bakshi painting the first Portal gold in Washington DC in 2014.
Founder Amar C. Bakshi painting the first Portal gold in Washington DC in 2014.
Founder Amar C. Bakshi working on the interior of the Portal in 2014 with optical engineer John Delaney.
Founder Amar C. Bakshi working on the interior of the Portal in 2014 with optical engineer John Delaney.
A closeup of the Portal door.
A closeup of the Portal door.
Portals at the Biden Cancer Initiative connecting researchers, family members, and survivors in Washington DC and Gaza City.
Portals at the Biden Cancer Initiative connecting researchers, family members, and survivors in Washington DC and Gaza City.
A flier for our Planet Word virtual programming series, The Language of Change.
A flier for our Planet Word virtual programming series, The Language of Change.
A flier for our Planet Word virtual programming series, The Language of Innovation.
A flier for our Planet Word virtual programming series, The Language of Innovation.
A flier for our Planet Word virtual programming series, The Language of Gender Identity.
A flier for our Planet Word virtual programming series, The Language of Gender Identity.
Code Switching Between Worlds
Code Switching Between Worlds
A flier for our Planet Word virtual programming series, The Language of Propaganda.
A flier for our Planet Word virtual programming series, The Language of Propaganda.
Cancer researchers in Washington DC speak with counterparts at the University of Texas through Portals.
Cancer researchers in Washington DC speak with counterparts at the University of Texas through Portals.
Portal on the National Mall at the Smithsonian's Asian Art Museum.
Portal on the National Mall at the Smithsonian's Asian Art Museum.

Curators

No items found.

Press Coverage

Passion Projects Documentary on Portals

What if you could talk to a stranger on the other side of the world as if you were in the same room together? Learn about the origins of Shared Studios and portals. The documentary follows middle schoolers as they step into the Richmond Portal and connect with two muralists in Mexico City. "Passion Projects" is a docuseries about turning passion into purpose and its impact on the world.

Television & Video

At Woodrow Wilson Plaza, a Portal to connect with faraway strangers

Her name is Mahsa Biglow, and she is a 25-year-old Iranian graduate student in photography at the University of Tehran. They met on the Internet — but not in any of the usual ways.

Article

Thinking Inside the Box: DC Art Portal Lets People Meet Strangers Around the World

George Stephanopolous reports on global Portals.

Television & Video

PBS Newshour coverage of Portals in Washington DC

A Portal at the Woodrow Wilson Plaza connects to Havana, Herat, and Tehran.

Television & Video

An American in D.C. A refugee in Iraq. And a powerful exhibit that let them talk face-to-face.

On a blustery Friday morning, Carolyn Rapkievian wrapped herself in a coat and gauzy scarf and walked a mile from her office to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum. She climbed to the second floor, stepped into a 16-foot-long, gold-painted shipping container, and settled onto a short wooden stool. It was the day after her 60th birthday.

Article

Testimonials

This portal is a gift, a treasure in time that I feel will one day be incredibly impacting!

This portal is a gift, a treasure in time that I feel will one day be incredibly impacting!

modal-close

This portal is a gift, a treasure in time that I feel will one day be incredibly impacting!

This portal is a gift, a treasure in time that I feel will one day be incredibly impacting!

It amazes me just how universal hip-hop has become. Here in America it was originally created as a means to express ourselves despite the forces oppressing us. Blacks had few ways to convey their thoughts publicly so we confused creativity with passion in hopes that the words in our hearts would be felt. Today I spoke with a man on the other side of the world who said that positive hip-hop is blooming where he lives in Afghanistan. It’s inspirational to say the least. I’m honored to be able to share my voice with the world. This portal is a gift, a treasure in time that I feel will one day be incredibly impacting! Javier S

Inspiring and groundbreaking.

Inspiring and groundbreaking.

modal-close

Inspiring and groundbreaking.

Inspiring and groundbreaking.

This is an amazing experience. Really works as art but as cultural diplomacy as well. Bravo!

A terribly important art exhibit that instantly breaks down the arbitrary borders we put between countries.

A terribly important art exhibit that instantly breaks down the arbitrary borders we put between countries.

modal-close

A terribly important art exhibit that instantly breaks down the arbitrary borders we put between countries.

A terribly important art exhibit that instantly breaks down the arbitrary borders we put between countries.

A terribly important art exhibit that instantly breaks down the arbitrary borders we put between countries.

No items found.