The 24/7 live streaming sculpture was started in 2016 by Lithuanian artist, Benediktas Gylys, but one of the people behind the portal is a Philly native.

"It's exhilarating," Portals.org's Joseph Callahan said. "I used to skate in this park on my way to crew practice down to boathouse row in the 80s."

The Portal generated buzz when onlookers saw it being installed over the weekend. On Tuesday, officials with Portals.org and the 2026 Philadelphia committee gathered to cut the ribbon on the large circular live streaming device, connecting Philadelphia with three countries: Ireland, Poland and Lithuania.

The Portal flips from location to location every three minutes or so.

Passersby in the different cities where devices are installed can wave and gesture to those on the other side, however, no audio is transmitted.

Words on the back of the Portal state it's a "bridge to a united planet."

Michael Newmuis, the city's 2026 director, has said the Portal has mechanisms to mitigate any "anti-social behavior."

While the Portal first paired Lithuania and Poland in 2021, it was in 2024, when the Portal linked NYC and Dublin to each other, that it gained national attention.

The art installation had to be temporarily shut down due to people's "inappropriate behavior”, including flashing body parts, showing inappropriate images, and doing drugs on camera.

The Portal will stay in LOVE Park until at least November 7, 2024, before it is moved to its next location.

According to representatives from Portals.org, plans are underway to construct similar structures in Brazil and Ethiopia.