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.
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 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 4-7 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.
Online Talk: War, Faith, and the Political Genius of Benjamin Franklin
Join us online for a talk by historian Brady Crytzer, where he will detail how in 1756, Benjamin Franklin’s skills in diplomacy helped to yield a compromise Pennsylvania’s Quaker pacifists and the imperial regime that demanded a provincial militia to support North American efforts. In many ways, it’s his first great political achievement.
Book tickets here via Eventbrite!
An Evening with Historian George Boudreau
Join us as we host our friend George Boudreau, who will deliver a talk entitled “A Glimpse of Franklin on the Cusp: Unraveling an Often Forgotten Image of Franklin at Craven Street”. Focusing on Franklin in portraiture, the talk will fittingly take place in Franklin’s Craven Street parlour!
Talk only : £5
Tour + Talk: £15*
*The House tour will begin at 4:30pm
Book tickets here via Eventbrite!
Walking Tour: American History in London
Walking Tour: American History in London
In April 1775, the American Revolutionary War began when the ‘shot heard around the world’ was fired at Lexington and Concord, MA.
To celebrate it’s 250th anniversary, Benjamin Franklin House is launching a brand-new walking tour, that retraces Franklin’s footsteps through the city and stops by some rather unique sites of American history in London.
When?
- April 28th
- May 12th*
- May 19th
- June 2nd
- June 30th
- July 3rd
On each date there will be two tours. One at 10:30-12:30 and the other at 13:30-15:30.
*Afternoon only
Tickets
Tickets can be purchased on our Eventbrite page here.
- General Admission: £15:00
- Concession (Student/Over 65): £12:50
- Children (Under 12): Free
Did you know that Benjamin Franklin spent 16 years (1757-1775) living in London acting as a colonial agent? Some even argue that he was the first de-facto American ambassador to the UK!
During much of his time in the city, Franklin fought to maintain the union between the American colonies and Great Britain. He lived and worked in the city, delivering speeches at the Houses of Parliament, attending royal coronations at Westminster Abbey and meeting with some of the most important figures from the 18th century.
Did you know he also visited a waxwork museum run my an alleged American spy who corresponded with him during the Revolutionary War?
What’s included on the tour?
The tour begins at Benjamin Franklin House where you will get a private look around the world’s only remaining Franklin home. We will see where Franklin lived and hear about some of the famous guest he hosted.
We will then depart from the House on a circular route that retraces Franklin’s movements around Westminster.
Along the way we will pass by the office of John Quincy Adams, the formal residence of George III, the site of an embassy for the Republic of Texas, and come face to face with George Washington and Abraham Lincoln.
The tour will finish on Craven Street, outside Benjamin Franklin House.
What are we seeing?
As well as uncovering American history in London, you will also be ticking off some of the most iconic landmarks the city has to offer!
Key sights are:
- Trafalgar Square
- St. James’s Palace
- The Mall
- Buckingham Palace
- Westminster Abbey
- Palace of Westminster
- Big Ben
- Scotland Yard
- London Eye
Who’s leading the tour?
The tour will be led by Henry Wilkinson, who has served as Education Manager at Benjamin Franklin House for over 3 years. He is a graduate of History from the University of Cambridge and a former History teacher. He has lived in London for over 5 years and also supports other museums across the UK with education advice through his work with the Historic Houses Association.
Need to know
- The tour will last approximately 2 hours. (30mins at Benjamin Franklin House 90mins walking tour)
- You will be doing roughly 5,000 steps / 4km of walking – so bring suitable footwear and a bottle of water.
- This tour is not wheelchair accessible and not suitable for individuals with mobility difficulties.
- Recommended age for the tour is 12+
- An umbrella and/or rain gear is always recommended for London.
- No food or drink will be provided but feel free to bring along your own.
- Toilets are available at Benjamin Franklin House.
- We will pass public toilets during the walking tour but these may not be available at certain points. Some public toilets require a small fee, payable by cash, card or contactless.
- London is incredibly busy, so you must stay with the group at all times. We are not liable for any lost, stolen or damaged property, persons of goods during the tour.
- The tour will be in English only.
- The tour will begin at the advertised time, if you are late you may not be able to join the tour if it has departed from the House.
Tickets
Tickets can be purchased on our Eventbrite page here.
- General Admission: £15:00
- Concession (Student/Over 65): £12:50
- Children (Under 12): Free
Springtime Open House
Join us for a FREE day of family fun — enjoy a self-guided tour by downloading the Bloomberg Connects app, test your observation skills with a scavenger hunt, try your hand at arts and crafts, and enjoy hot chocolate and practice proper etiquette with Mrs. Polly Hewson, the lady of the House!
Pre-booking is not required. Just drop in, and stay as long as you’d like! Last entry will be from 3:30pm.
Children’s Spring Craft Fair at Fulham Palace
Join a fun-filled spring craft fair, featuring a number of west London museums.
Hosted by Fulham Palace, Benjamin Franklin House will be taking part in a brand-new Spring Fair that offers families a chance to take part in some exciting arts and crafts during the Easter Holidays.
JOIN US ON WEDNESDAY 9TH APRIL 2025 FROM 11AM-3PM
We will be joined by a number of other heritage sites with each one bringing a unique craft relating to their own histories.
Museums and historic houses taking part are;
- Battle of Britain WW2 Bunker
- Benjamin Franklin House
- Boston Manor House
- Chiswick House
- Fulham Palace (hosts)
- Kingston Museum
- Leighton House
- William Morris Society
With hands-on craft activities from each historic site, this event offers a variety of creative fun for all ages. Visitors will also have the chance to dress up in historic outfits from Fulham Palace’s costume collection with their families for a fun and immersive experience.
Tickets are FREE but must be reserved in advance to ensure entry to the Palace. Each site will have stalls located in and around the Palace from 11am until 3pm.
To reserve your spaces, please click HERE to be redirected to the Fulham Palace event page.
Colour and Paint in the Smaller 18th-century Town House with Patrick Baty
6pm
Get tickets here via Eventbrite!
Join us either in person or online as Patrick Baty talks us through his long career of conserving some of England’s most remarkable historic homes, including his process of restoring the original ‘Franklin green’ color to the wooden-panelled walls of Benjamin Franklin House!
Ben’s Bon Voyage
March 20, 2025 – 6pm
Get tickets here via Eventbrite!
To mark the 250th anniversary of Benjamin Franklin’s hasty departure from London, we’re hosting a hybrid roundtable discussion featuring leading historians of Early America.
Founding Director Márcia Balisciano will deliver a special keynote speech highlighting the remarkable conservation efforts of the original board that saved Benjamin Franklin House. Then, moderator Ben Marsh will lead Liz Covart, Patrick Griffin, and Tara Bynum in a discussion reflecting on Franklin’s legacy 250 years on.
If you can’t join us in Ben’s parlour at 36 Craven Street, London, then we hope you’ll tune in online!
Ben’s 319th Birthday Bash
Join us for an after-hours tour of Benjamin Franklin House to celebrate Ben’s 319th birthday, complete with a glass of prosecco and a slice of birthday cake!
- explore the London home that Franklin knew and loved for nearly 16 years
- hear fun facts about 18th century birthday celebrations,
- try your hand at playing ‘Happy Birthday’ on Franklin’s Glass Armorica, and
- toast the man of the hour!
The event will start at 5pm, and capacity is limited.
Note: party hats strongly encouraged!
