Posted by:

4th of July at the Benjamin Franklin House

Spend 4th of July at the home of Founding Father Benjamin Franklin!

As the only American statesman to have signed all four of the documents that created the new nation – The Declaration of Independence, the Treaty of Alliance with France, the Treaty of Paris, and The Constitution – Franklin’s contributions to American independence are unparalleled!

So, come visit us to see a star-spangled Benjamin Franklin House, enjoy refreshments, and pose for a picture with Polly Hewson, who became like a daughter to Franklin during his time at 36 Craven Street.

Through our self-guided tours, walking tours, and our flagship Historical Experience, you will discover what life was like for an American in London while the colonies were on the cusp of revolution!

 

Thursday, 4 July 2024

Join us for timed visits throughout the day!

Self-guided Tours – £12.50 (plus booking fees)
Available from 10-11:30am, 11:30am-1pm, and 1-2:30pm

  • Learn about the 16 years Franklin spent here
  • Discover the rooms as they were when he left for Philadelphia in 1775 to sign the Declaration of Independence
  • See the House dressed for the occasion
  • Be tempted by American-style refreshments to complete your experience

Get your Self-guided Tour tickets here

Books and bifocals on a desk in Franklin's parlour

Walking Tours – £12.50 (plus booking fees)
Available at 3:30pm

  • Step inside the home where Franklin lived and worked for the 16 years prior to American independence before joining Tour Guide extraordinaire Brian for a walking tour of Franklin’s London!
  • Discover the rooms as they were when he left for Philadelphia in 1775 to sign the Declaration of Independence
  • Be tempted by American-inspired drinks and snacks to complete your experience

Get your tickets for the Walking Tour here

Museum Lates – £17.50 (plus booking fees)
Available from 5-6pm, 6-7pm, and 7-8pm

  • Join a self-guided tour and discover the rooms that Franklin lived and worked in for the 16 years prior to American independence
  • See the House dressed in red, white, and blue
  • Enjoy American-style refreshments and alcoholic beverages

Get your tickets for the Museum Late here

 

Friday, 5 July 2024 
Architectural Tours available on the hour between 11am-4pm

Come see the House in all its Independence Day glory, wandering from room to room to explore the fascinating history of 36 Craven Street and Franklin’s long residence here (1757-1775).

 

Saturday, and Sunday, 6-7 July 2024
Historical Experience available on the hour between 11am-4pm

Using a combination of audio-visual display and live acting, the Historical Experience dramatically tells the story of Franklin’s time in London through the eyes of Polly Hewson, the lady of the House.

Please note: the House will be decorated for Independence Day from the 28th of June forward, so pop in for a visit to see 36 Craven Street dressed for the occasion!

Posted by:

The Coronation: 4-7 May 2023

Join us in the heart of Westminster as we celebrate the Coronation of King Charles III, just as Ben would have done for George III in 1761!

Thursday May 4, 3pm

We are relaunching our walking tour, with an added coronation twist! Discover the sights, sounds and smells of Benjamin Franklin’s 18th Century London whilst retracing the steps Ben might have taken as an attendee to King George III’s coronation day!

£12/per person – More information and tickets

Friday May 5, Saturday May 6 and Sunday May 7, 12pm – 5pm 

In honour of the event, we will be enhancing our standard Architectural Tours and Historical Experiences with coronation decorations and fun Benjamin Franklin facts all about his surprising relationship to the Crown.

From £7.50 per adult – Purchase tickets here

Posted by:

Summer Walking Tour: Benjamin Franklin’s 18th Century London

Discover the sights, sounds and smells of Benjamin Franklin’s 18th Century London in the re-launch of our walking tour! From famous thoroughfares to hidden streets, you’ll uncover a layer of London history and learn of its transformation over the last 200 years.

Starting at our doorstep, our expert guide will lead you around our local area to follow the steps Franklin would have taken whilst living and working here just prior to the American Revolution. As a witness to George III’s Coronation on September 22, 1761, we will also be retracing the steps that Ben might have taken on that fateful day!

Thursday 7th September 2023, 2.30pm.

Duration: 1.5 hours (approximate)

Location: Starting from 36 Craven Street.

Tickets: £12 per person

Book your tickets now!

 

Posted by:

Family Event: Easter!

Join us on Easter Monday to learn all about Easter in the 18th Century and create some egg-xcellent arts and crafts!

BOOK TICKETS

Date/Time: Easter Monday 10th April 2023 1:30pm-3:00pm

This free family event will explore the history of Easter and how celebrations have evolved over time. We will learn how Benjamin Franklin might have celebrated the occasion in the 18th century as well as some of the popular Easter traditions from the period.

We will then gather in his famous Parlour to create some of our very own Easter decorations, cards and crafts.

If you are looking for a fun-filled family afternoon on Easter Monday, then pop along to Benjamin Franklin House! Recommended ages are 5-10, but all are welcome!

BOOK TICKETS

Posted by:

Franklin’s Young Scientists: SOUND!

Franklin’s Young Scientists is our FREE science club for aspiring scientists in Key Stage 2/3 (ages 7-14). Participants learn all about the experiments carried out by Benjamin Franklin and his British friends as well as trying their hand at practical investigations. A range of core topics from the science curriculum are covered including electricity, forces, sound and the human body.

In this session, we will carry out some exciting experiments involving SOUND.

Our SOUND workshop will be taking place on Thursday 9th March 2023 – 5pm-6:30pm

BOOK HERE

Where does sound come from? How is sound made? How does sound travel? How do we hear sound? These are some of the questions we will answer during the session using some interactive experiments to help consolidate learning.

Our Young Scientists will also get an exciting opportunity to learn all about Franklin’s fascinating Glass Armonica and even have a go at playing our replica in the House!

This is a FREE after-school workshop most suitable for KS2 and 3 pupils and anyone else with a keen interest in Science and History!

Please note: Parents are welcome to attend, however there is a cap of one adult per child during busier sessions.

BOOK HERE

Posted by:

Family Event: Inside Benjamin Franklin’s House

Our first family event of 2023 will explore Benjamin Franklin House to uncover what life was like in 18th century London. We will learn about the history behind each room of this Grade-I listed Georgian townhouse to understand what would have been happening here over 250 years ago!

Inside Benjamin Franklin’s House will be taking place on Thursday 16th February – 11am-12:30pm

BOOK HERE

What did the Georgians have for dinner? In our Historic Kitchen, we will learn about 18th century food & drink and even read some rather interesting recipes from 1785… pickled eels and turnip wine, anyone?

How did the Georgians entertain themselves? On our first floor, we will discover how tourism and leisure activities began to boom in the 18th century with new and exciting forms of entertainment becoming popular across the country. From firework displays to travelling zoos, curiosity shops to waxwork museums – the Georgians really knew how to enjoy their spare time!

What was Benjamin Franklin’s daily routine? On our second floor, where Benjamin Franklin lived for 16 years, we will read his very own account of his day to day living. We will hear all about his morning routine, his fitness regime, and even his personal hygiene! After hearing some of his tips, you might think that the Georgians weren’t so gorgeous after all!

For the final half of the session, we will craft our very own Benjamin Franklin House and fill our rooms with beautiful 18th century decorations! Each attendee will be able to take their homemade houses home at the end of the session, or donate their creations to the museum for us to put on display!

This is a FREE family event. You must reserve tickets for all those attending the event (including adults). The recommended age for this event is 5-11, however, all ages are welcome!

BOOK HERE

Posted by:

Franklin’s Young Scientists: FORCES!

Franklin’s Young Scientists is our FREE science club for aspiring scientists in Key Stage 2/3 (ages 10-14). Participants learn all about the experiments carried out by Benjamin Franklin and his British friends as well as trying their hand at practical investigations. A range of core topics from the science curriculum are covered including electricity, forces, sound and the human body.

Our Forces workshop will be taking place on Thursday 9th February 2023 – 5pm-6:30pm

BOOK HERE

In this session, we will carry out some exciting experiments involving air and water resistance. We will learn all about Franklin’s travels to the Lake District and the Netherlands and recreate some of his research into hydrodynamics.

The Young Scientists will test his famous oil on water experiment, which he carried out in the Lake District in 1772. They will explore the various forces involved in water and air resistance to support their learning in KS2/3 and apply these to a fun experiment at the end of the session. Each Scientist will be tasked with creating their very own parachute to experiment with air resistance and aerodynamics.

This is a FREE after-school workshop most suitable for Year 6-9 pupils and anyone else with a keen interest in Science and History! These workshops will run monthly with the next session occurring on 9th March.

Please note: Parents are welcome to attend, however there is a cap of one adult per child during busier sessions.

BOOK HERE

Posted by:

Events Calendar 2023

To view all upcoming events for the year, please check out our Event’s Calendar via the button below!

Click me!
Posted by:

Franklin’s Young Scientists: ELECTRICITY!

Franklin’s Young Scientists is our FREE science club for aspiring scientists in Key Stage 2/3 (ages 10-14). Participants learn all about the experiments carried out by Benjamin Franklin and his British friends as well as trying their hand at practical investigations. A range of core topics from the science curriculum are covered including electricity, forces, sound and the human body.

BOOK NOW

In this session, we will carry out some exciting experiments with static electricity in our Student Science Centre and learn all about Franklin’s Key and Kite.

The Young Scientists will create sparks with our Wimshurst Machine, see their hair stand on end with our Van Der Graff Generator and watch 250,000 volts of electricity strike our miniature key and kite with out Tesla Coil!

This is a FREE after-school workshop most suitable for Year 6-9 pupils and anyone else with a keen interest in Science and History! These workshops will run monthly with the next session occurring on 16th February.

Please note: Parents are welcome to attend, however there is a cap of one adult per child during busier sessions.

BOOK NOW

Posted by:

Family Event: Christmas!

Join us on Monday 19th December at 11am as we celebrate Christmas at Benjamin Franklin’s wonderful Grade I-Listed Georgian town house in the heart of London. You and your family will learn all about the rich history of Christmas in the 18th century and discover which Georgian traditions have survived to this day!

Learn about the history of Christmas in London, from the 18th century to the present day.

Discover the Georgian traditions that Benjamin Franklin experienced over 250 years ago!

Create your very own Christmas decorations to take home. From a toilet roll Santa to top your tree to sparkly icicles to hang from your mantlepiece!

Make a special Christmas card for a loved one using one of our Georgian or Victorian designs and write your message using one of our quill pens!

This event is designed primarily for families with children aged 4-10. However, all are welcome to take part in the festivities! To cover the cost of materials, there is a small, non-refundable fee of £2.50 per ticket for this event.

BOOK TICKETS

If you have any queries regarding the event, please do not hesitate to contact our Education Manager via email; education@benjaminfranklinhouse.com