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4th July Walking Tours – Benjamin Franklin in London

Celebrate the 249th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence by retracing Franklin’s footsteps around the City of Westminster.

BOOK TICKETS HERE

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?

Audience feedback: “I have been on dozens of walking tours in London and the UK and this one is at the top with an abundance of relevant and lesser known (unfortunately) information.” – June 2025

What’s included on the tour?

The tour begins outside Benjamin Franklin House.

We will then depart 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.

Please note: The walking tour does not include a look inside the House, but you can visit us separately either before or after the walk.

BOOK TICKETS HERE

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

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 90 mins.
  • 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+
  • Please wear suitable clothing for the walk and check the weather forecast beforehand.
  • 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.

BOOK TICKETS HERE

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Honouring Sir Bob Reid

Honouring Sir Bob Reid, Chairman Emeritus of Benjamin Franklin House
1 May 1934 – 28 May 2025


Sir Bob Reid successfully led large projects including as Chair and CEO of Shell UK, as Chair of British Rail, as Deputy Governor of the Bank of Scotland and much more.  But he was masterful at a small one as well – one with immense historical and contemporary importance – Benjamin Franklin House.

Lady Joan Reid, his brilliant wife (18 October 1932 – 10 November 2017), was on the Council of the Royal Society of Arts, which celebrates Benjamin Franklin as its first international member, when discussion of 36 Craven Street, neighbour to the RSA, came up.  The House in the late 1990s was derelict and needing a path forward.  She suggested to Sir Bob that he pick up the reins.

And so he became founding Chairman of Benjamin Franklin House in 1997 leading with foresight, vision, patience and kindness.  He opened doors to funding, gave strategic direction and was unwavering in his encouragement and support to the House team.

In the early days of the effort to conserve and realise the House’s potential as a dynamic museum and educational facility that makes real Franklin’s life in London and legacy for citizenship, diplomacy, letters, invention and more, a gala at the Science Museum was held to garner attention and support for the project.  The then new US Ambassador was due to attend but at the last minute, with some 200 guests in situ, word came that he would not be present.  Sir Bob took the news with his customary aplomb and declared there was no reason to panic, the event would somehow “be better” for the late change.  In taking the stage, Sir Bob, who lost an arm as a nine year old while helping in his father’s butcher shop but still managed to have a 4 handicap in golf, said with characteristic humour, “I have lost many things in my life.  My arm, many golf balls, and a number of papers, but I have never lost an Ambassador.”  The room erupted in laughter and set the tone for an outstanding evening.

After becoming Chairman Emeritus of Benjamin Franklin House in 2008, Sir Bob went on to serve on the board of ICE, owner of the New York Stock Exchange, London Electricity, Avis Europe and until just a few years ago, the board of Diligenta Limited, a Tata company.  He was the first chancellor of Robert Gordon University and received honourary degrees from Heriot-Watt University and London Southbank University.  He also served at the helm of many other charities including Learning Through Landscapes for 19 years and the Foundation for Young Musicians for 28 years. He received his knighthood in Queen Elizabeth’s 1990 Birthday Honours.

He adored his family, which encompassed sons and partners Doug and Sharon, Paul and Isobel, Mike and Clare, and their children and several great grandchildren.

Born in Cupar, Fife, he studied political economy and modern history at St Andrews University, where he met his historian wife, who had been in the first group of Fulbright students to study in the United States.  Marrying in 1958, the year Sir Bob joined Shell, they lived around the world including in Brunei, Nigeria, Thailand and Australia.

Benjamin Franklin House has a Lady Joan Children’s Author in Residence and will offer a first Reid Prize for Children’s Literature in 2025.

He published his autobiography, No Condition is Permanent; Risk, Adventure and Return: The Business of Life in 2022.  In it he notes with humility, “the fascination of leadership is the opportunity it provides for working with people,” and “people’s dedication to continued achievement is what makes working with them so motivating….”

Thank you Sir Bob for your enduring wisdom and leadership.  You will long be remembered for all you did to make Benjamin Franklin House what it is today and tomorrow – a place that brings history and innovation to life.

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Flag Day

Come celebrate Flag Day with us at the Benjamin Franklin House!

Learn about the history of the American Flag inside the worlds only remaining home of the founding father, Benjamin Franklin. It’s a great opportunity to spend time with family and friends while honouring the importance of flags in our society.

On Saturday the 14th June from 11am – 4pm we will be hosting lots of flag themed fun including:
– Bunting making
– Scavenger hunt
– Meet our historical characters
– Self guided tours of the Benjamin Franklin House
– and trace the trail of a Revolutionary War Veteran!

Don’t miss out on this exciting event!

Pre-booking is not required. Walk-ins accepted!

Buy your ticket here!

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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.

BOOK TICKETS 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 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.

BOOK TICKETS HERE

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.

BOOK TICKETS HERE

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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!

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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!

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Walking Tours: 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?

  • June 30th
  • July 3rd

More dates to be added for July and August soon!

On each date there will be two tours. One at 10:30-12:30 and the other at 13:30-15:30.

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
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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.

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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.

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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!