
If you’ve ever wanted to peek into the lives of our European neighbors, now here is your chance. The Portal has officially opened in Philadelphia and will connect to Dublin, Lithuania, and Poland.
The Portal is open in Philadelphia
Earlier today, the art installation known as ‘The Portal’ was officially opened and will connect Philadelphia to cities like Dublin, Ireland; Vilnius, Lithuania; and Lublin, Poland. Brought to you by Portals.org, this cutting-edge live-streaming art installation promises to build a bridge to a united planet.
At today’s press conference, officials with Portals.org, the 2026 Philadelphia committee, and members of the press and media gathered in LOVE park for the official ribbon-cutting.
The Portal has been activated!
“Hello Dublin,” Michael Newmuis, the 2026 director for the City of Philadelphia, said at Tuesday’s event. Additionally the portal will link Philadelphia with other European cities including Vilnius, Lithuania and Lublin, Poland.
But it doesn’t stop there!
“Soon we will be connected to Brazil, Ethiopia and other many parts of the world,” said Portals.org rep and proud Philadelphian, Joseph Callahan.
What is The Portal?
Indeed, this is an exciting and innovative art installation. Created by Lithuanian artist and entrepreneur Benediktas Gyly, the first portal opened in 2021. It connected Vilnius to Lublin.
Next, the portal was headed to The Big Apple. A live stream portal linking NYC and Dublin opened in 2024. While in NYC, it was temporarily shut-down due to inappropriate behavior. It was since re-opened with measures in place to curtail such behaviors.
And now it has landed in the City of Brotherly Love!
“The love, the peace and the joy of recognizing we are all one and we are all the same,” Callahan said Tuesday.
What this means for Philly
Undeniably, this new art installation landing in Philadelphia will be a great nod to the city. Not only will it connect us to other parts of the world, but it is also expected to increase tourism as it is only the 2nd American city to house it.
In true Philly-style, it now sports a crack visible to the naked eye, occurring somewhere during travel from NYC to Philly
“Like the Liberty Bell there is a small crack,” Newmuis said at Tuesday’s ribbon cutting. Moreover, he noted, the crack was not from vandalism and can be fixed.
How’s that for a Philadelphia welcome!
Lastly, The Portal will stay in LOVE Park through at least Nov. 7, 2024, before it is moved to another location in Philadelphia.