The Franklin Institute

Activity Overview

The Franklin Institute is a famous science museum in Philadelphia named after Benjamin Franklin which is designed to inspire the public to learn more about science and technology. Its many attractions include twelve exhibit galleries, the Benjamin Franklin National Memorial, live science demonstrations, a planetarium, and two theaters. If your family is fascinated by science, you'll want to make sure to save an entire day to explore this wonderful museum and its seemingly endless array of exhibits.

Things to Do

• Explore the museum's exhibitions, including a giant heart, an observatory, and The Train Factory, which allows visitors of all ages to climb aboard a steam locomotive!
• Attend an astronomical presentation in the Fels Planetarium, which will teach you all about the planets, stars, and space.
• Check out their popular live science demonstrations that take place throughout the day, which focus on everything from paper-making to the dissection of a sheep's heart.

The Franklin Institute Insider Tips

• If the museum itself isn't within your budget, you can still visit the Benjamin Franklin National Memorial for free, which includes a short multimedia show that explains his historical importance.
• Use their handy Things to Do and See page in order to help plan your visit so that you can check out all of the most popular exhibits in a limited amount of time.
• View their calendar in order to learn about special family programs, hands-on workshops, science demonstrations, and astronomy presentations you can attend.