Posted by:

Family Day: Print This!

Tuesday 3 August 11am-12.30pm. Book tickets here.

Did you know that Ben Franklin started out as a printer? Nowadays we think of a printer as something that connects to a computer but the mechanical printing press was cutting edge technology in Franklin’s time. Join us for this fun-filled family day to learn all about 18th Century printing methods and try your hand at some printing of your own!

Most suitable for ages 5-11 but all ages are welcome!

COVID-19 Safety Precautions:

– We are limiting bookings to 10 people. Each family group will receive their own pack of materials to use for the crafts

– Activities will take place in a well-ventilated historic space with hand sanitiser and sanitising wipes available

– All staff and adult visitors are encouraged to wear a mask 

Virtual Alternative

If you would prefer to learn with Benjamin Franklin House remotely, you can sign up here for a 30-minute follow-up via Zoom at 3pm BST/10am EDT on Tuesday 3 August. To complete the printing activity at home, you will need: cardboard, scissors, pva glue, masking tape, paint and paper. 

If you have any queries, please don’t hesitate to contact our Education Manager.

Posted by:

Children’s Summer Fete

Friday 30 July, 11.30am-3.30pm at 49 City Road, London, EC1Y 1AU. Book tickets here.

The annual Children’s Summer Fete, with special guests from the world of heritage including Benjamin Franklin House, the Museum of Methodism & John Wesley’s House, Newington Green Meeting House and Arts & Crafts Hammersmith (a collaboration between the Emery Walker Trust and the William Morris Society), offers a range of fun craft activities for families!

This year, children will have the opportunity to make their own kites with Benjamin Franklin House, pin badges to tell the world about issues they care strongly about with Newington Green Meeting House and a mini folded book with Arts & Crafts Hammersmith. Craft butterflies with The Museum of Methodism & John Wesley’s House and you can also make your own John Wesley and friends! There’ll be a courtyard ‘I-spy’ trail and don’t forget to join a free tour of John Wesley’s House, led by guides in costume.

The Fete will be held in the garden of Wesley’s chapel so bring a picnic to enjoy on the grass or benches! The main entrance is on City Road, however, a more accessible entrance which leads directly into the garden is located on Tabernacle Street. Find out more about the Museum of Methodism & John Wesley’s House here.

The Fete is free to attend but advanced booking is strongly advised to help us plan for the event. Families can join on a drop-in basis throughout the day, however, we will be limiting numbers to 30 at all times. We encourage adult visitors to wear masks and all attendees to maintain a level of distance from staff and other families. Hand sanitiser and sanitising wipes will be readily available on the day.

For more information, contact the Education Manager.

Posted by:

Festival of Archaeology for Kids: Bones in the Basement

Thursday 22 July, 4.30pm BST/ 11.30am ET. Register here for this 30-minute workshop.

Join us for this special virtual event to celebrate the Festival of Archaeology!

We’ll learn all about the bones that were uncovered in the basement at 36 Craven street in the 1990s. They are remnants of an 18th century anatomy school, run from the garden of the House by Dr William Hewson, while Benjamin Franklin was living here.

We’ll also be hearing from special guest, Dana Goodburn-Brown, who’ll tell us about her work as an archaeological conservator and share some of the artefacts she is currently working on with us.

Most Suitable for KS2-3 (US Grades 2-8) but all ages welcome!

For more information, contact our Education Manager.

Posted by:

Franklin’s Young Inventors: ‘Reaction Time’ with Andrew Hanson

Tuesday 6 July, 4.30pm BST. Register here for this 60-minute virtual workshop.

Franklin’s Young Inventors is our weekly science club for aspiring scientists in Key Stage 3 (ages 11-14). For the final session of the school year, we’re delighted to welcome back special guest Andrew Hanson who will show you how to measure your reaction time!

Andrew Hanson MBE is a scientist working at the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) where they measure all sorts of things. In this session, you’ll learn how to measure your reaction time which is very important when taking part in sports.

To join in with the (optional though recommended) practical activity – you will need:

  • 2 people
  • A 30 cm ruler
  • A calculator (this could be on a phone or tablet)
  • A printed copy of this results sheet or a paper and pencil

A parent, carer or teacher should register on behalf of participants. By registering, participants agree to follow our Online Safety Agreement. For more information, contact our Education Manager.

Funding for Franklin’s Young Inventors has been generously provided by the US Embassy London and the DAR Walter Hines Page Chapter:

Posted by:

Live History Class for Kids: Georgian Work and Industry

Join our virtual history classes on the 2nd and 4th Thursday of the month at 4:30pm BST to learn about key aspects of the Georgian period, when Benjamin Franklin was living in London. Together we will uncover the past and develop historical skills!

In this class we’ll look at different jobs which people had in the Georgian era. We’ll learn about the Industrial Revolution and the impact this had on Britain as well as the wider world. We’ll create our own fact file and the most important inventions from this period!

Activity materials: pencil, paper, ruler

Most suitable for KS2 and KS3 (US Grades 2-8) but all ages welcome!

Watch the class below:

Posted by:

Live History Class for Kids: Georgian Politics and Government

Join our virtual history classes on the 2nd and 4th Thursday of the month at 4:30pm BST to learn about key aspects of the Georgian period, when Benjamin Franklin was living in London. Together we will uncover the past and develop historical skills!

In this class we’ll look at the British government in the 18th century, as it grew more and more powerful. We’ll learn about the main political parties (the Whigs and the Tories) and politicians who served as Prime Minister during the Georgian era. We’ll create a table to help us remember all these facts!

Activity materials: pencil, paper, ruler

Most suitable for KS2 and KS3 (US Grades 2-8) but all ages welcome!

Watch the class below:

Posted by:

Live History Class: Georgian Art and Literature

Join our virtual history classes on the 2nd and 4th Thursday of the month at 4:30pm BST to learn about key aspects of the Georgian period, when Benjamin Franklin was living in London. Together we will uncover the past and develop historical skills!

In this class we’ll look at the styles of art and literature which were popular in the Georgian era. We’ll learn all about famous artists such as Hogarth, Reynolds and Gainsborough as well as how people saw their artwork at exhibitions. We’ll also see how the novel grew in popularity and look at influential writers like Jane Austen before making our own 18th century-style portrait!

Activity materials: pencil, paper, paints (optional)

Most suitable for KS2 and KS3 (US Grades 2-8) but all ages welcome!

Watch the class below:

Posted by:

Live History Class: Discover Georgian Music

Join this special half term edition of our virtual history classes series all about music in the 18th century! In these classes, we learn about key aspects of the Georgian period, when Benjamin Franklin was living in London. Together we will uncover the past and develop historical skills!

Did you know that Benjamin Franklin was a great lover of music? He enjoyed singing and even invented his own instrument… the glass armonica! In this class, we’ll look at popular styles of music from the Georgian era. We’ll also learn about famous composers from the period and hear their music played on a modern replica of Franklin’s armonica. Then we’ll have a go at making our own percussive instruments!

Activity materials: small container (e.g. empty Kinder egg capsule, empty hand sanitiser bottle), rice

Most suitable for KS2 and KS3 (US Grades 2-8) but all ages welcome!

Watch the full class below:

Posted by:

Live History Class: Georgian Buildings and Architecture

Join our virtual history classes on the 2nd and 4th Thursday of the month at 4:30pm BST to learn about key aspects of the Georgian period, when Benjamin Franklin was living in London. Together we will uncover the past and develop historical skills!

In this class, we’ll explore architectural styles and well-known architects from Georgian era. We’ll look at the design of Benjamin Franklin House and what makes it typical of the period. We’ll then have a go at designing our own Georgian façade!

Activity materials: paper, ruler, pencil

Most suitable for KS2 and KS3 (US Grades 2-8) but all ages welcome!

Watch the full class below:

Posted by:

Science on Stage

Wednesday 26 May, 1.30pm-2.45pm BST. Register here for this virtual event.

Science on Stage is a science enrichment event for upper Key Stage 2, run jointly by Benjamin Franklin House and The Royal Institution. Both our charities have a rich historical and scientific heritage and hold science events with school-age students to inspire the next generation of scientists. During this year’s online event, students will learn all about Benjamin Franklin, the science of sound and the invention of the glass armonica. They will be awe-struck by electrical demonstrations, as they find out how scientists at the Ri have contributed to our understanding of electricity.

Programme:

1.30pm-1.35pm – Welcome and Introductions

1.35pm-2.05pm – Benjamin Franklin House’s presenter Eleanor Hamblen will tell you all about famous scientist Benjamin Franklin and his invention of the glass armonica. What is sound? How do you invent a musical instrument? Eleanor will answer these questions through demonstrating Franklin’s magical instrument and showing you how to make your own music using bottles and water!

2.05pm-2.10pm – Movement Break

2.10pm-2.40pm – The Royal Institution’s presenter Dan Plane will tell us some stories from the history of electricity. How did Ri scientists, such as Humphry Davy and Michael Faraday, explore and experiment with electricity? What discoveries did they make? And do any of them still matter today? Dan will answer these questions through live demonstrations, feature surprising sources and uses of electricity from 200 years ago, some of which we still use today.

2.40-2.45pm – Questions and Farewell

Schools: We invite Year 5/6 classes to participate. Each class teacher should sign up separately, so that they receive their own joining link.

Families: We invite parents/carers to sign up on behalf of their children. Participants should be supervised and the recommended age range is 9-11.

Online Safety Protocols: The event will be held via Zoom Webinar. Only the presenters will appear on screen and be able to speak over the microphone. Participants will be able to type in the chat, but this will only be seen by the presenters and not by other attendees. All presenters are DBS checked. Please note that the event will be recorded.

All participants will also receive resources for optional follow-up activities. For more information, contact our Education Manager.