More than 3 million Americans stutter. Worldwide, the number is more than 80 million.
ROCKVILLE, Md., Nov. 14, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- "Can you imagine being afraid to say your name?" This question is the very first thing you'll see on a new digital, interactive, and unique exhibit about stuttering that is being announced today by the organizations that produced it—the Planet Word Museum and the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA).
Months in the making, the new exhibit is now in Words Matter Gallery of the museum, which is located in the historic Franklin School Building at 13th and K Streets NW, Washington, D.C.
That opening question of the exhibit conveys what some people who stutter actually feel. But it is not the whole story of what life is like for someone who stutters.
The exhibit features a diverse, robust series of touch- and voice-activated illustrative photos, videos, and graphics designed for all ages of viewers. The concepts and topics touched on in the exhibit include various aspects of stuttering—what it is, what causes it, the signs of stuttering, and how speech-language pathologists (SLPs) help.
The exhibit also covers a wide variety of people who stutter—people of all different ages—and who share their viewpoints and experiences. The successes of many people who stutter—some of whom are famous—are highlighted, and the exhibit provides simple supportive steps that everyone can take when interacting with people who stutter.
"We created the stuttering interactive so that visitors can better understand what stuttering is as well as people who stutter," said Ann Friedman, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Planet Word.
"Our goal at Planet Word is to make language come alive for everyone. That involves educating and raising awareness about communication differences that include stuttering. We are deeply grateful to ASHA for their partnership and expertise in helping us create a place that fosters respect, openness, and interest in all voices."
"We hope viewers of the exhibit will realize that we all should focus on what people who stutter have to say, not how they speak," ASHA 2025 President Bernadette Mayfield-Clarke, PhD, CCC-SLP, said. "Too often, misconceptions about stuttering and people who stutter are left uncorrected, which can contribute to damaging stigmas. We are immensely grateful to Planet Word for the opportunity to co-produce an educational resource that is factual; informed by research and people who stutter; and comprehensive."
Planet Word prides itself on being the only museum in the country "dedicated to renewing and inspiring a love of words and language." Since it opened 5 years ago, the museum has become a popular destination, highly ranked by Trip Advisor and other travel guides.
This exhibit on stuttering is the second of such exhibits created by this partnership: In 2022, Planet Word and ASHA co-produced an exhibit about word-finding difficulties and aphasia—a language disorder. This first exhibit is also in the Words Matter Gallery.
About the Planet Word Museum
Planet Word is the only museum in the country dedicated to renewing and inspiring a love of words and language. Located in the historic Franklin Schoold on the corner of 13th and K Streets NW in Washington, D.C, Planet Word opened in 2020 as a new kind of interactive and self-guided museum. Using the museum's state-of-the-art technology, visitors determine the experience through their own words and choices. Planet Word is a bold and imaginative response to the life-long importance of literacy and to the challenge of growing love of language. Planet Word is a private, non-government museum supported primarily by the generosity of donors. https://planetwordmuseum.org/
About the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA)
ASHA is the national professional, scientific, and credentialing association for 241,000 members and affiliates who are audiologists; speech-language pathologists; speech, language, and hearing scientists; audiology and speech-language pathology assistants; and students. Audiologists specialize in preventing and assessing hearing and balance disorders as well as providing audiologic treatment, including hearing aids. Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) identify, assess, and treat speech, language, and swallowing disorders. http://www.asha.org
View all ASHA press releases at https://www.asha.org/about/press-room/.
Media Contact
Francine Pierson, ASHA, 301-296-8715, [email protected], https://www.asha.org
SOURCE ASHA
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