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Ben’s Birthday and the House’s Anniversary Bash!

You’d have the Custom broke, you say,
That marks with festive Mirth your natal Day;
“Because as one grows old,
One cares not to be told,
How many of one’s Years have pass’d away.”  – 1767

Celebrate Ben’s 317th birthday and the House’s 17th anniversary of being open to the public:

  • An after-hours tour of the Home Benjamin Franklin knew and loved
  • Hear fun facts about 18th century birthday celebrations
  • Learn how to play Happy Birthday on his Glass Armorica
  • A slice (or two) of birthday cake in his parlour

Party hats strongly encouraged!

Tour starts at 5pm. Limited capacity with timed entry. A toast to the man will follow the tour!

Tuesday 17 January.
Tour at 5pm. A toast to the man will follow! Limited capacity with timed entry. Book now to secure the date and tour time of your choice.

£15 per person (plus booking fee), refreshments included.

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After Dark: Christmas at Craven Street

Glistening by candlelight, our 18th century Georgian Home is the perfect setting for a cosy and historical Christmas. Our guided evening tours will take you on a magical journey through our extraordinary history.

  • A rare opportunity to see our home after-dark
  • Step back in time, walk through the rooms Ben knew and loved, and learn of Georgian Christmas traditions and celebrations
  • Snap photos of the House dressed with authentic 18th century decorations
  • Enjoy mince pies and the warming English yuletide drink, Wassail, in the Parlour of Benjamin Franklin

Thursday 8 and 22 December.
Tours will run at 5pm and 6pm. Limited capacity with timed entry. Book now to secure the date and tour time of your choice.

£15 per person (plus booking fee), refreshments included.

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Benjamin Franklin House at History Camp America 2022

On Saturday 5th November, we will be taking part in History Camp America 2022! Across the day there will be a series of interesting virtual talks and tours from institutions all over the US. Benjamin Franklin House will be joining from across the pond to deliver a virtual tour of the House and demonstration of Franklin’s Glass Armonica.

To view the schedule for History Camp America 2022, please find the information here; HCA 2022 Schedule.

We expect more than 30 sessions for 2022—including presentations, historic site tours, recipes, session-stretch yoga, and more! Registrants have exclusive access to the online portal on the day of the event as well as one year exclusive access to replay the sessions following the event.

To view previews of the 7 site tours, please follow the like here.

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After Dark: Thanksgiving

Looking for the perfect London Thanksgiving? Whether you’re an American expat, former US resident or simply an Americanophile, our museum is the ideal setting to spend quality time with family and friends on this all-important American Holiday.

  • Celebrate with an after-hours tour of the historic House
  • View decorations created by our school and family groups
  • Add a note to the ‘Wall of Gratitude’ in the House’s corridor
  • Enjoy traditional Thanksgiving treats (including the “best Pumpkin Pie” in London) in our parlour

Thursday 24 November 2022.

Tours will run at 5pm, 6pm and 7pm. Limited capacity with timed entry. BOOK NOW to secure the tour time of your choice.

£15 per person (plus booking fee), refreshments included.

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After Dark: The Cadavers of Craven Street

Thursday 27 October 2022, from 5pm.

Are you ready to explore the darker side of Benjamin Franklin House?!  Join us for an after-hours tour this Halloween to hear of haunted happenings at our Historic House.

  • See Benjamin Franklin House transformed for the occasion and experience a eerie evening in an original Georgian home
  • Hear the spine-chilling stories of the cadavers that were found in our basement
  • Immerse yourself in our small and spooky candle-lit rooms
  • Listen to the haunting tones of Franklin’s Glass Armonica

There might even be some tasty treats (or tricks) along the way…

Your history-lovers Halloween starts here! Limited capacity with timed entry. Book now to secure the tour time of your choice.

£15 per person (plus booking fee), refreshments included.

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

Thursday 03 August 2023, 3pm. 

Discover the sights, sounds and smells of Benjamin Franklin’s 18th Century London in our brand-new summer walking tour!

Starting at our doorstep, our expert guide will lead you around our local area to retrace the steps Franklin would have taken whilst living and working here just prior to the American Revolution.

From famous thoroughfares to hidden streets, you’ll uncover a layer of London history and learn of its transformation over the last 200 years.

Duration: 1.5 hours (approximate)

Location: Starting from 36 Craven Street.

Tickets: £12 per person

BOOK HERE

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Celebrate 4th July Weekend with us!

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

As a founder of the United States, Franklin was the only statesman to have signed all four documents that created a new nation, including The Declaration of Independence, the Treaty of Alliance with France, the Treaty of Paris, and The Constitution. The first of these was signed on 4 July 1776, the year after Franklin left this house!

Whether you’re an American expat or a just want to get in on the celebrations with our friends across the pond, we are ready to welcome you all weekend!

Friday 1 – Sunday 3 July 2022, 12-5pm

See Benjamin Franklin House decorated for the occasion and join us for our Architectural Tours on Friday and our Historical Experience show on Saturday and Sunday to learn all about the time Franklin spent in London on the cusp of revolution!

From £7.50 per adult – Purchase tickets via Art Tickets here

Monday 4 July 2022

12-4:15pm

Join us for our flagship offering, the Historical Experience, where the house will be transformed into a stage for a drama that tells the rich story of Franklin in London just prior to the Revolution. A one-off Monday treat!

From £9.50 per adult – purchase tickets here. 

5-7pm. 

We are also opening our doors for two exclusive after-hours tours, complete with American-inspired drinks and snacks!

£15 per person – find out more and purchase tickets.

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Platinum Jubilee Celebrations: Benjamin Franklin’s Relationship with the Crown

Join us as we celebrate HM The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee!

Thursday June 2, Friday June 3 – Sunday June 5, 12pm – 5pm 

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

From £7.50 per adult – Purchase tickets via Art Tickets here

Thursday June 2,  6pm – 7pm

Kick off the four day weekend with an after hours tour complete with traditional British cocktails and snacks!

Make your way through this iconic historic building, the only remaining residence of Benjamin Franklin anywhere in the world, and learn all about Benjamin Franklin’s relationship with the Crown during his 16 year stay here.

£10/per person – Purchase tickets via Eventbrite here

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Thanksgiving at Benjamin Franklin House

25 November 2021, 12pm-5pm

It’s time to give thanks! Join us for this important American holiday and celebrate with a tour of Benjamin Franklin’s London home followed by pumpkin pie and a Thanksgiving Quiz in his parlour! Franklin, in addition to suggesting the turkey become one of America’s national symbols, practised cooking it as part of his early work on electricity.

Join us for tours at 12pm, 1pm, 2pm, 3.15pm, and 4.15pm to see this historic place and to enjoy all the festivities!

Tickets are £10/per person plus online booking fee, refreshments included.

Purchase tickets via Eventbrite here. 

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Virtual Talk: American Sheet Music at the British Library

Although once disregarded by historians as sentimental and ephemeral, today American sheet music is valued for the unique light it sheds upon the nation’s concerns and aspirations. In this talk, Eccles Centre for American Studies librarian Jean Petrovic will share items held at the British Library. She will consider how this music moved ‘from the sacred to the secular and from the timeless to the timely’ and will explore how songs associated with World War I and the movement for female suffrage captured, reflected – and possibly even shaped – the cultural and political zeitgeist.

Image: Marie Zimmerman, Votes for Women. Suffrage Rallying Song. Philadelphia: E.M. Zimmerman, 1915. British Library shelfmark: H.3992.r.(18)