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Summer Walking Tours

We’re pleased to announce the return of our Summer Walking Tours on July 25th and August 22nd!

Join tour guide extraordinaire Brian to explore the sights, sounds, and smells of Benjamin Franklin’s 18th-century London! From famous thoroughfares to hidden streets, you’ll uncover a layer of London history and learn about 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 historic day!

 

Thursday, July 25th at 3pm

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Thursday, August 22nd at 3pm

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If you have any questions or queries, please feel free to contact Front of House Manager Megan at supervisor@benjaminfranklinhouse.org.

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Franklin’s Young Scientists: The Solar System

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 HERE

In this session, we will learn all about Benjamin Franklin’s fascination with the stars. As a member of the famed Lunar Society he travelled to Birmingham every full moon to meet with some of the most influential figures from the 18th century including Erasmus Darwin, Joseph Priestley and James Watt.

The Young Scientists will explore our Solar System; what it is and how it works. We will also design and craft our very own diorama of the Solar System to take home!

Due to our limited resources – there are a select number of tickets available for this event.

Please only reserve a ticket for the children attending.

Due to absences in previous sessions – you will be asked to confirm attendance ahead of the event to ensure all tickets are accounted for.

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

BOOK HERE

Please note: Parents are welcome to attend.

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Refugee Week Family Event – ‘Our Home’

Join us on Saturday 22nd June 2024 to celebrate Refugee Week (theme: “Our Home”) in the heart of London at Benjamin Franklin House, 36 Craven Street.

Meet our illustrator in residence, Kremena Dimitrova, and hear about her research related to the museum.

Learn about one of 36 Craven Street’s lesser-known 18th Century residents.

Discover how illustration can be used to visualise history by practicing your existing creative skills and by learning new artistic techniques.

Participate in the co-creation of a research comic to be exhibited at Benjamin Franklin House on 2-18 December 2024.

Make your very own visual creations to take with you home.

We are running two FREE workshops on the day, designed primarily for KS3 and KS4 children. Our first session will be for KS3 (aged 11-14) and our second session will be for KS4 (14-16). However, all are welcome to take part.

To take part in the KS3 session (10:00-11:15) please BOOK HERE.

To take part in the KS4 session (11:15-12:30) please BOOK HERE.

Number of participants per session: Maximum 15.

Activities: Storytelling, observational drawing, tracing, mapping.

National Curriculum Links: History/geography/art.

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The Coercive Acts – Response to the Boston Tea Party

THE 250TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BOSTON TEA PARTY TOOK PLACE IN DECEMBER 2023 

What happened afterwards in the lead-up to the American Declaration of Independence?

Join us at the National Archives for an afternoon debate!

SATURDAY 1st JUNE 2024

13.00 – 15.15 HRS

The National Archives, Bessant Drive, Richmond TW9 4DU 

Tickets £10 available via this link 

It’s 1774 and the tea party is over. Britain is shocked at the colonists’ blatant disregard for the law and sovereignty. It is time to respond.

You are cordially invited to join the Walter Hines Page Chapter, NSDAR (National Society Daughters of The American Revolution) and the Kew Society as we explore the Coercive Acts of 1774, a key element in the lead-up to the Declaration of Independence.

The afternoon begins at 1pm and will feature a display of original documents related to the Coercive Acts held by the National Archives and a debate between the colonists and the British. The colonists will be represented by Dr Marcía Balisciano, Director at Benjamin Franklin House and the British parliament by Rebecca Palmer, postgraduate student at University College London. Andrew Payne of the National Archives will chair

Timings:

Document display at 1pm – 2pm

Debate begins at 2pm between the Colonists & Parliament

Q&A from audience at 2.30pm

Document Display continues at 2.45pm

Event ends at 3.15pm

Café stays open till 4pm

WHOSE SIDE WILL YOU BE ON?

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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.

Our Forces workshop will be taking place on Tuesday 30th April 2024 – 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

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Education Volunteers Needed!

Are you looking for some experience in delivering exciting creative learning opportunities for young people? If so, Benjamin Franklin House needs you!

We are currently looking for a team of Education Volunteers to support the delivery of our Tuesday schools programming at the House. Benjamin Franklin House is a Grade-I listed building and heritage gem in the heart of Central London. We are the world’s only remaining Franklin residence and serve as an historic house and education facility championing Franklin’s legacy in history and science.

During Term Time, we welcome school groups to the House for exciting trips that cover a range of topics in the National Curriculum. Our main audience is KS2 Primary School children, but we also offer visits for KS4, KS5 and Higher Education learners too.

As an Education Volunteer, you will be supporting the delivery of our exciting schools programme that involves: welcoming classes to the House, leading introductions to our history, and running workshops covering the history of medicine and science. This is a fantastic opportunity to gain or develop experience working with young people in an historic setting and we provide excellent professional development opportunities. Previous volunteers have been able to use their experience here to progress into graduate courses in museum/heritage/education studies as well as early careers in teaching and museum education.

Education volunteers are required to work between 10am and 2pm every Tuesday during Term Time and are welcome to also support our other offers including our Family Events and other education related programming.

If you are interested in becoming an education volunteer at Benjamin Franklin House please email our Education Manager, Henry Wilkinson, for further information. Please email: education@benjaminfranklinhouse.org

Volunteers are needed throughout the year so get in touch any time! If you would like to arrange a call/visit to the House with our Education Manager, please email.

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Family Event: Christmas!

Join us after-school on Wednesday 13th December at 4:30pm 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!

BOOK TICKETS

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 FREE event is designed primarily for families with children aged 4-10. However, all are welcome to take part in the festivities!

BOOK TICKETS

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Family Event: Thanksgiving!

Join us on Wednesday 22nd November 4:30pm-6:00pm as we celebrate the traditional American holiday of Thanksgiving. You will learn all about this popular event and also learn how to decorate your house to celebrate it!

BOOK NOW

Uncover the origins of this North American holiday. You will learn all about how Thanksgiving was celebrated through the ages including Benjamin Franklin’s time and find out why turkeys are most commonly associated with it.

Decorate Benjamin Franklin House with your very own hand-crafted Thanksgiving displays for all to see! Together we will create all kinds of Thanksgiving-themed decorations from colourful hand turkeys to hand-made cornucopias and a gratitude tree that visitors to the house will be able to enjoy!

This event is designed primarily for families with children age 5-10. However, all are welcome to take part in the festivities! This is a FREE event, but donations are always warmly welcome.

BOOK NOW

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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 HERE

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 until May 2024, with a different topic each month.

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

BOOK HERE

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Christmas at Benjamin Franklin House

Details TBC