Planet Word Museum

The Optimum Group was retained as foodservice consultant by Planet Word Museum (PWM), a new kind of museum that opened on October 22, 2020 in the historic Franklin School building in downtown Washington DC. As with all our projects, Optimum met initially with PWM and developed an appreciation of the mission and goals of our client. This 50,000-square-foot museum was built on an idea rather than a collection of objects. Planet Word is an interactive museum that brings language to life with unique, immersive experiences for people of all ages. Nothing like it exists anywhere else in the world.

With a collaboration in mind, The Optimum Group was retained to execute a four-phase approach to assist PWM with a variety of foodservice related activities that included:

1. Defining and programing appropriate event and restaurant space and executing kitchen layout and design.
2. Developing an RFP solicitation process to the Washington, DC restaurant community to locate and lease the 3,000-square-foot restaurant space to an operator. Assist in the evaluation of potential restaurant operators to ensure an appropriate fit for the museum and help maximize future success.
3. Developing an RFP solicitation process to locate and evaluate the finest catering companies in the Washington, DC region to partner with PWM. Catering services would be provided in two separate 3,500-square-foot event spaces located on the 3rd and 4th floors of the museum, as well as a variety of other interior and exterior spaces. At the completion of the RFP process, the selected three catering companies have exclusive rights to use the catering spaces through an operating contract/agreement providing commission to the Museum which was authored by The Optimum Group and approved by PWM counsel.
4. The purpose of our role as project manager and owner’s representative was to assist Planet Word Museum in the development and construction of the restaurant space adjacent to the museum and located within the PWM building. This effort included collaboration with the leadership of the Museum, as well as managing and coordinating the Design & Build Team required to design, equip, and construct the project.