Events
Past Events

4th of July
Celebrate the Fourth of July with us! 🎆
We are delighted…

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.

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

Flag Day
Come celebrate Flag Day with us at the Benjamin…

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).

Online Talk: War, Faith, and the Political Genius of Benjamin Franklin
Join us online for a talk by historian Brady Crytzer, where…

An Evening with Historian George Boudreau
Join us as we host our friend George Boudreau,…

Walking Tours: American History in London
Explore Benjamin Franklin's London home before heading out on a whistle-stop tour of some fascinating American history sites in Central London.

Family Springtime Open House
Join us for a FREE day of family fun…

Children's Spring Craft Fair at Fulham Palace
Join a fun-filled spring craft fair, featuring a number of west London museums at Fulham Palace.

Colour and Paint in the Smaller 18th-century Town House with Patrick Baty
Wednesday, 12 March @ 6pm
Get tickets here via Eventbrite!
Join…

Ben's Bon Voyage
March 20, 2025 - 6pm
Get tickets here via Eventbrite!
To…

Ben's 319th Birthday Bash
Join us for an after-hours tour of Benjamin Franklin…

Robert H. Smith Lecture in Democracy
Márcia Balisciano is founding…

Thanksgiving at Benjamin Franklin House
Join us on Thanksgiving Day!
9-11am: FREE drop-in social…

2024 US Election Debate with Justin Webb
Join moderator Justin Webb, the BBC's first North America…

Family Event: Halloween!
Trick or treat! Join us at Benjamin Franklin House for a FREE fun-filled day as we explore the history of America's spookiest holiday and craft some terrifyingly good decorations to take home!

Frankly Speaking Debate Competition 2025- Applications Open
A Benjamin Franklin House debate competition in collaboration with the US Embassy London and the DAR Walter Hines Page Chapter.

Benjamin Franklin House Literary Prize 2024 - SUBMISSIONS OPEN
Each year a question or quote exploring Benjamin Franklin’s relevance in our time is open for interpretation in 1000-1500 words. The competition is open exclusively for young writers, aged 18-25, with a first prize of £750, and a second prize of £500.

Ben's Book Club Returns!
We're proud to be hosting an array of accomplished historians…

Summer Family Events @ Benjamin Franklin House
Every Wednesday in August we will be running a series of historical skills workshops at the House. We will be holding two sessions per workshop with limited tickets available in the morning and afternoon.

Summer Family Events: Untold Stories - Visualising History
Learn about 36 Craven Street’s lesser-known 18th Century young resident and help us tell their story.

Children's Summer Fair
Join a fun-filled summer craft fair at Fulham Palace, featuring Benjamin Franklin House, the William Morris Society and Leighton House!

Summer Walking Tours
We're pleased to announce the return of our Summer Walking Tours…

Franklin's Young Scientists: The Solar System
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!

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.

The Coercive Acts – Response to the Boston Tea Party
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.

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.

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!

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.

Family Event: Thanksgiving!
Join us at Benjamin Franklin House as we celebrate this American holiday and learn about its rich history from its colonial origins to now!

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).

Dr Tristram Hunt: ‘The Radical Potter: Josiah Wedgwood and the Transformation of Britain’
Join Benjamin Franklin House and Dr Tristram Hunt on 16th November…

Literary Prize 2023: SUBMISSIONS OPEN
The deadline for our Annual Literary Prize is fast approaching,…

After Dark at Craven Street
Thursday 26 and Monday 30th October 2022, 2pm-7pm.
Are you…

Family Event: Halloween!
Trick or treat! Join us at Benjamin Franklin House for a FREE fun-filled day as we explore the history of America's spookiest holiday and craft some terrifyingly good decorations to take home!

Three ties that bind? the relationship between the UK, US and France in a complex world
Join us for the annual Robert H Smith Lecture in Democracy…

Volunteers Needed!
Would you like to volunteer at Benjamin Franklin House? We have…

Virtual Talk: A Day in the Life of Benjamin Franklin
Our Education Manager, Henry Wilkinson, will be delivering a FREE virtual talk chronicling Benjamin Franklin's life in London. Using the wealth of information that we can pluck from Franklin's papers, the talk will explore his life in 18th century Britain.

OPEN HOUSE @ Benjamin Franklin House 2023
We're taking part in Open House 2023!
We'll be free to enter…

To Begin The World Over Again: The Life of Thomas Paine
Join us on the 15th October for Ian Ruskin's one-man play exploring…

Summer Break @ Ben's House
This summer at Benjamin Franklin House we are running a series of historical skills workshops for all the family to enjoy!

Children's Summer Fair 2023
Join Fulham Palace and Benjamin Franklin House for a fun-filled bank holiday family event!

Franklin's Young Scientists: The Anatomy
Franklin’s Young Scientists is our FREE science club for aspiring scientists in Key Stage 2/3 (ages 7-12). 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.

Recreating Franklin: What it Means to Bring Benjamin Franklin Alive
6 July 2023, 7pm
Join BFH Playwright in Residence, Michael…

Franklin's Young Scientists: THE HUMAN BODY
Franklin’s Young Scientists is our FREE science club for aspiring scientists in Key Stage 2/3 (ages 7-14).

Family Event: Fourth of July!
Join us afterschool to celebrate Fourth of July at Benjamin Franklin House! Learn about Franklin's role in American independence and more!

Breakfast Lecture with Mark Skousen
Tuesday June 6 2023, 8:30-9:30am, Benjamin Franklin House.
“Great…

Franklin's Young Scientists: LIGHT
Franklin’s Young Scientists is our FREE science club for aspiring scientists in Key Stage 2/3 (ages 7-14). 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.

Family Event: Coronation Celebration!
In 1761, Benjamin Franklin attended the coronation of King George III. 262 years later, London is preparing for the coronation of King Charles III. Join us at Benjamin Franklin House on Monday 1st May at 2:30pm as we take a look at the history of the kings and queens of England.

Fulbright Lecture: Extinction Rebellion, Eco-Drama, and the Myth of "Saving the World"
Lecture is now available for viewing on our YouTube channel.
Lecture…

4th of July at the Benjamin Franklin House
Spend 4th of July at the home of Founding Father Benjamin Franklin!
As…

The Coronation: 4-7 May 2023
Join us in the heart of Westminster as we celebrate the Coronation…

Summer Walking Tour: Benjamin Franklin's 18th Century London
Discover the sights, sounds and smells of Benjamin Franklin’s…

Franklin and Collinson: Sowing the Seeds of Revolution
The garden has long been associated with this green and pleasant…

Family Event: Easter!
Join us on Easter Monday to learn all about Easter in the 18th Century and create some egg-xcellent arts and crafts!

Book Talk: ‘Poor Richard’s Women’ By Nancy Rubin Stuart
Join us this Women’s History Month as we talk to Nancy Rubin…

Franklin's Young Scientists: SOUND!
Franklin’s Young Scientists is our FREE science club for aspiring scientists in Key Stage 2/3 (ages 7-14).Participants learn all about the experiments carried out by Benjamin Franklin and his British friends as well as trying their hand at practical investigations.

Family Event: Inside Benjamin Franklin's House
Our first family event of 2023 will explore Benjamin Franklin House to uncover what life was like in 18th century London. We will learn about the history behind each room of this Grade-I listed Georgian townhouse to understand what would have been happening here over 250 years ago!

Franklin's Young Scientists: FORCES!
Franklin’s Young Scientists is our FREE science club for aspiring…

Events Calendar 2023
To view all upcoming events for the year, please check out our…

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.

Ben's Birthday and the House's Anniversary Bash!
You’d have the Custom broke, you say,
That marks with festive…

Family Event: Christmas!
Join us on Monday 19th December at 11am as we celebrate Christmas in 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!

Being Human Festival 2022
Did you know that this year marks the 250th anniversary of Benjamin Franklin's visit to the Lake District in 1772?

After Dark: Christmas at Craven Street
Glistening by candlelight, our 18th century Georgian Home is…

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.

Thanksgiving: The Origin of Tradition and Native Perspective
Join us on Native American Heritage Day to rethink the story…

The 2022 US Mid-Term Elections: Will They Make Any Difference?
Wednesday 12 October 2022, 17:30 BST/12:30 ET.
Online and in-person…

After Dark: Thanksgiving
Looking for the perfect London Thanksgiving? Whether you're an…

Family Event: Thanksgiving
Join us on Sunday 13 November 10 a.m.-11:30 a.m. 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!

Family Event: Halloween
Trick or treat! Join us on 26th & 27th October at Benjamin Franklin House for a fun-filled morning as we explore the history of America's spookiest holiday and craft some terrifyingly good decorations to take home!

After Dark: The Cadavers of Craven Street
Thursday 27 October 2022, from 5pm.
Are you ready to explore…

Children's Summer Fair 2022
This year, Benjamin Franklin House is collaborating with the William Morris Society and Fulham Palace for an exciting Children’s Summer Fair to end the Summer Holidays!

Virtual Talk: Benjamin Franklin and Popular Culture
Thursday 1st September 2022 – 5pm BST/12pm ET
Join our Front…

Family Event: Portrait Perfect
Strike a pose! Discover the secrets of portraiture and explore…

Family Event: Bones in the Basement!
Uncover the truth behind the bones that were found buried in…

Family Event: Letters From the Past
Quills at the ready! Join us as we learn about Benjamin Franklin's…

Family Event: Let's Go Fly a Kite!
Discover the true nature of lightning at Benjamin Franklin…

Summer Walking Tour: Benjamin Franklin's 18th Century London
Thursday 03 August 2023, 3pm.
Discover the sights, sounds…

Ben’s Book Club: ‘Benjamin Franklin’s Last Bet’ By Michael Meyer
Wednesday August 10, 2022, 5pm BST/12pm ET. Register here.
Join…

Celebrate 4th July Weekend with us!
Spend 4th July weekend at the home of Founding Father, Benjamin…

Ben’s Book Club: ‘Female Genius’ by Mary Sarah Bilder
Wednesday July 13 2022, 5pm BST/12pm ET. Register here.
Join…

Platinum Jubilee Celebrations: Benjamin Franklin's Relationship with the Crown
Join us as we celebrate HM The Queen's Platinum Jubilee!
Thursday…

Franklin's Young Inventors Science Club: Light
Saturday 16th July 2022 (10:30am-11:30am). Register here.
Join…

Virtual Talk: A Day in the Life of Benjamin Franklin
Thursday 7th July 2022 - 5pm BST/12pm ET
Join our Education…

Virtual Talk: The Limits of Diplomacy
Join us as Benjamin Franklin House Director, Dr Marcia Balisciano,…

Franklin's Young Inventors Science Club: Sound
Saturday 21 May, 10:30am-11.30am. Register here to attend in-person.
Join…

Family Event: Dress Like a Georgian!
Tuesday 26th July 2022 at (11am-12pm) & (1:30pm-2:30pm)
In…

Family Event: Inside Benjamin Franklin's Georgian House!
Tuesday 31st May 2022 - (11am-12pm) & (1:30pm-2:30pm)
This…

Georgian Easter Celebration!
Join us for Easter-themed crafts and games. Take part in a special Easter egg hunt inspired by Benjamin Franklin’s inventions and scientific work.

Ben’s Book Club: ‘The Gun, the Ship & the Pen' by Linda Colley
Wednesday May 18 2022, 5pm BST/12pm ET. Register here.
Join…

Ben’s Book Club: ‘Slave Empire’ by Padraic X. Scanlan
Wednesday February 23 2022, 5pm GMT/12pm ET. Register here.
Join…

Family Day: Children's Christmas Fair
We've teamed up with friends from across the heritage world to bring a range of fun festive craft ideas to you this December!

Thanksgiving at Benjamin Franklin House
25 November 2021, 12pm-5pm
It’s time to give thanks! Join…

Live History Class for Kids: The 7 Years' War
Join our virtual history classes on the 2nd Thursday of the month at 4.30pm GMT to learn about to key events in early American history. Together we will uncover the past and develop historical skills!

Live History Class for Kids: The Original 13 Colonies
Join our virtual history classes on the 2nd Thursday of the month at 4.30pm GMT to learn about to key events in early American history. Together we will uncover the past and develop historical skills!

Book Launch: 'Washington at the Plow' by Bruce A. Ragsdale
Bruce A. Ragsdale will discuss his book, 'Washington at the Plow: The Founding Farmer and the Question of Slavery' which depicts the “first farmer of America” as a leading practitioner of the New Husbandry, a transatlantic movement that spearheaded advancements in crop rotation.

Franklin's Young Inventors Science Club: Electricity and Magnetism
Franklin's Young Inventors is our science club for aspiring scientists in Key Stage 3 (ages 11-14). Participants will learn all about the experiments carried out by Benjamin Franklin and his British friends as well as trying their hand at practical investigations.

Ben's Book Club: 'Running from Bondage' by Karen Cook-Bell
Karen Cook-Bell, Associate Professor of History at Bowie State University, will discuss her book, Running from Bondage, recounting the important stories of enslaved women, who comprised one-third of all runaways, and the ways in which they fled, or attempted to flee, bondage during and after the Revolutionary War.

Ben's Book Club: 'Incomparable World' by S I Martin
S I Martin will do a reading and discuss his book Incomparable World which reimagines 1780s London, showcasing the untold stories of African-American soldiers grappling with their post-war freedom.

Robert H Smith Lecture in American Democracy: Justin Webb
Our annual Robert H Smith Lecture in American Democracy will once again be held in partnership with the LSE Department of Government. This year, the lecture will be on the theme of "Is American Democracy Under Threat?" with journalist Justin Webb.

Ben's Book Club: 'The Cabinet' by Dr Lindsay M. Chervinsky
Dr Chervinsky, Senior Fellow at the Robert H. Smith International Center for Jefferson Studies, and Professorial Lecturer at the School of Media and Public Affairs, George Washington University, will discuss her book, The Cabinet: George Washington and the Creation of an American Institution, which reveals how George Washington created one of the most powerful bodies in the federal government.

Live History Class for Kids: The British in America
Join our virtual history classes on the 2nd Thursday of the month at 4.30pm BST to learn about to key events in early American history. Together we will uncover the past and develop historical skills!

Live History Class for Kids: Pre-Colonial America
Join our virtual history classes on the 2nd Thursday of the month at 4.30pm BST to learn about to key events in early American history. Together we will uncover the past and develop historical skills!

Family Day: Strike a Pose!
Children will become artists for the morning and create their own portraits using sculpture and collage techniques!

Family Day: Print This!
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!

Children's Summer Fete
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!

Transatlantic Slavery Symposium
In collaboration with George Washington’s Mount Vernon and Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello, join us for a series of panel discussions on the historical foundations of the Transatlantic Slave Trade, its development in the Revolutionary Atlantic world, and current best practices in the museums and heritage sector.

Ben’s Book Club: Thomas Jefferson’s Idea of a University with Andrew O’Shaughnessy
Andrew O’Shaughnessy will discuss his new book, 'The Illimitable Freedom of the Human Mind: Thomas Jefferson's Idea For A University', a twin biography of Jefferson in retirement and of the University of Virginia in its earliest years.

Festival of Archaeology for Kids: Bones in the Basement
Join us for this special virtual event to celebrate the Festival of Archaeology!

Franklin's Young Inventors: 'Reaction Time' with Andrew Hanson
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!

Fulbright Lecture: Spectacle and Social Order in ‘Scientific’ Prints
In this Fulbright talk, Prof. Louise Siddons will take a close look at mezzotints by Valentine Green after Joseph Wright and others, asking how changing audiences affected the interpretation of the imagery in his prints.

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!

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!

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!

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!

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!

Science on Stage
Science on Stage is a science enrichment event for upper Key Stage 2, run jointly by Benjamin Franklin House and The Royal Institution. 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.

Franklin in Portraits: Charles Willson Peale and His Museum
Karie Diethorn, Senior Curator and Chief of Museum Branch of the Independence National Historical Park in Philadelphia, will discuss with Dr George Boudreau the significance of this portrait and the Peale Museum.

Digital Book Launch: The Howe Dynasty by Julie Flavell
Join us for a very special digital book launch and Q&A with Julie Flavell to celebrate her newest book The Howe Dynasty: The Untold Story of a Military Family and the Women Behind Britain's Wars for America.

Live History Class: Georgian Health and Medicine
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!

Live History Class for Kids: Education and Etiquette
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!

Virtual Talk: The Trials of James Graham in the Revolutionary Atlantic World
Dr. James P. Ambuske, Digital History at George Washington’s Mount Vernon and co-director of the Scottish Court of Session Digital Archive Project at the University of Virginia Law Library, will discuss Graham’s journey from slavery to freedom and the questions that his case raised in an increasingly complicated revolutionary world.

Live History Class: Discover Georgian Ceramics
For this special holiday edition of our virtual history class series, we are delighted to welcome Anya Naumovic from the Newington Green Meeting House to introduce us to 18th century ceramics and show us how to make our own pinch pots!

Live History Class: Georgian Easter Celebration
Join us for this special Easter edition of our virtual history class series. During these sessions, we explore key aspects of the Georgian period, when Benjamin Franklin was living in London.

Franklin in Portraits: Charles Willson Peale after David Martin
To celebrate the launch of our virtual exhibition, Franklin in Portraits, join us for a series of talks about Benjamin Franklin’s most famous portraits. We continue our series with a discussion on the differences between two versions of the same portrait: Benjamin Franklin by David Martin and the copy made by Charles Willson Peale in 1785, given to the American Philosophical Society.

House Talk: Benjamin Franklin and the Art of Diplomacy by Dr Márcia Balisciano
Printer, philosopher, author, scientist and inventor are among the guises of the famous Dr. Franklin. But Benjamin Franklin House Director, Dr. Márcia Balisciano, will argue his role as a diplomat was among his most important and lasting contributions.

House Talk: The Life of Polly Hewson
Discover this little-known, yet important figure in Franklin’s life, the daughter of Benjamin Franklin’s landlady at 36 Craven Street.

Benjamin Franklin and the Lightning Rod
To celebrate the anniversary of Benjamin Franklin’s famous kite and key experiment, join us in partnership with Christ Church Philadelphia, for a transatlantic panel discussion on the lightning rod and why it was one of the greatest inventions of the 18th century.

Virtual Talk: Sarah Pomeroy, Children's Author in Residence
Join us for a presentation by our inaugural Lady Joan Reid Children’s Author in Residence, Professor Sarah B. Pomeroy, who will discuss her book, Benjamin Franklin, Swimmer.

Franklin in Portraits: Benjamin West
To accompany our virtual exhibition, Franklin in Portraits, join us for the second in a series of talks about Benjamin Franklin’s most famous portraits over the years.

House Talk: The Story Behind Benjamin Franklin’s Infamous Pen Name, Silence Dogood
Join Education Manager, Eleanor Hamblen, for an exploration of the works of a young Benjamin Franklin's adopted persona: elderly widow Silence Dogood!

Franklin's Young Inventors: 'Give me a second' with Andrew Hanson
Franklin’s Young Inventors is our weekly science club for aspiring scientists in Key Stage 3 (ages 11-14). This week we’re delighted to welcome special guest Andrew Hanson who will show you how to make a time recording machine!

Ben's Book Club Family Edition: 'A Ben of All Trades' by Michael J. Rosen
Join us for the August installment of Ben’s Book Club, a monthly virtual gathering looking at themes relating to Benjamin Franklin, the 18th century, and American history. In this month’s special family edition of Ben’s Book Club, we will be talking to Michael J. Rosen about his book, ‘A Ben of All Trades: The Most Inventive Boyhood of Benjamin Franklin’. This rousing biography, illustrated by Matt Tavares, reveals how Benjamin Franklin’s boyhood shaped his amazingly multifaceted life.

Franklin in Portraits: Robert Feke
To celebrate the launch of our virtual exhibition, Franklin in Portraits, join us for the first in a series of talks about Benjamin Franklin’s most famous portraits over the years.

Ben's Book Club: ‘Thomas Paine and the Clarion Call for American Independence' by Harlow Giles Unger
Join us for the June instalment of Ben’s Book Club, a monthly virtual gathering looking at themes relating to Benjamin Franklin, the 18th century, and American history. This month we will be talking to Harlow Giles Unger about his book ‘Thomas Paine and the Clarion Call for American Independence’, which chronicles how Thomas Paine became the most widely read political writer of his generation.

Ben’s Book Club: ‘Past and Prologue’ by Michael D. Hattem
Join us for the July instalment of Ben’s Book Club, a monthly virtual gathering looking at themes relating to Benjamin Franklin, the 18th century, and American history.
This month we will be talking to Michael D. Hattem about his book, ‘Past and Prologue: Politics and Memory in the American Revolution’ which illustrates how colonists’ changing understandings of their British and colonial histories shaped the politics of the American Revolution and the origins of American national identity.

Ben's Book Club: 'Fanny Burney: her life' by Kate Chisholm
Join us for the May instalment of Ben’s Book Club, a monthly virtual gathering looking at themes relating to Benjamin Franklin, the 18th century, and American history. This month we will be talking to Kate Chisholm about her book ‘Fanny Burney: her life’, which tells the story of Fanny Burney, who is best known for her book Evelina, one of the most engaging novels of the eighteenth century. Over the course of her long life, she was also an incomparable diarist, witnessing both the madness of George III and the young Queen Victoria's coronation.

Ben's Book Club: 'White Fury' by Christer Petley
Join us for the April instalment of Ben’s Book Club, a monthly virtual gathering looking at themes relating to Benjamin Franklin, the 18th century, and American history.
This month we will be talking to Christer Petley about his book ‘White Fury’, which tells the story of sugar planter Simon Taylor, one of the wealthiest and most influential slaveholders of the eighteenth-century British empire.

Ben's Book Club: ‘Georgian London: Into the Streets’ by Lucy Inglis
Join us for the March instalment of Ben’s Book Club, a monthly virtual gathering looking at themes relating to Benjamin Franklin, the 18th century, and American history. This month we will be talking to Lucy Inglis about her book ‘Georgian London: Into the Streets’, which takes readers on a tour of London's most formative age - the age of love, sex, intellect, art, great ambition and fantastic ruin.

Live History Class for Kids: Discover the Georgian Home with John Wesley's House
For this special half term edition of our Live History Class series, we're delighted to welcome Gemma Smith to transport us back to Georgian times with a virtual tour of John Wesley's House!

Live History Class for Kids: Crime and Punishment
Join our virtual history classes on the 2nd and 4th Thursday of the month at 3pm GMT 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!

Live History Class for Kids: Georgian Fun and Games
Join our virtual history classes on the 2nd and 4th Thursday of the month at 3pm GMT 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!

Live History Class for Kids: Georgian Food and Drink
Join our virtual history classes on the 2nd and 4th Thursday of the month at 3pm GMT 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!

Live History Class for Kids: Georgian Children and Families
Join our virtual history classes on the 2nd and 4th Thursday of the month at 3pm GMT 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!

Live History Class for Kids: Georgian Society and Class
Join our virtual history classes on the 2nd and 4th Thursday of the month at 3pm GMT 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!

Live History Class for Kids: Georgian Kings and Queens
Join our virtual history classes on the 2nd and 4th Thursday of the month at 3pm GMT 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!

Ben's Book Club: 'Tacky's Revolt' by Vincent Brown
Join us for the February instalment of Ben’s Book Club, a monthly virtual gathering looking at themes relating to Benjamin Franklin, the 18th century, and American history. This month we will be talking to Vincent Brown about his book ‘Tacky’s Revolt: The Story of an Atlantic Slave War’, a gripping account of the largest slave revolt in the eighteenth-century British Atlantic world, an uprising that laid bare the interconnectedness of Europe, Africa, and America, shook the foundations of empire, and reshaped ideas of race and popular belonging.

Ben's Book Club: 'The Fortunes of Francis Barber' by Michael Bundock
Join us for the January instalment of Ben’s Book Club, a monthly virtual gathering looking at themes relating to Benjamin Franklin, the 18th century, and American history. This month we will be talking to Michael Bundock about his compelling narrative, ‘The Fortunes of Francis Barber: The story of the Jamaican slave who became Samuel Johnson’s heir’, which chronicles a young boy's journey from the horrors of Jamaican slavery to the heart of London's literary world, and reveals the unlikely friendship that changed his life.

Virtual Children's Christmas Fair: Leighton House Museum
We've teamed up with our friends from across the heritage world to bring a range of fun festive craft ideas to you this December!

Virtual Children's Christmas Fair: Arts and Crafts Hammersmith
We've teamed up with our friends from across the heritage world to bring a range of fun festive craft ideas to you this December!

Virtual Children's Christmas Fair: Benjamin Franklin House
We've teamed up with our friends from across the heritage world to bring a range of fun festive craft ideas to you this December!

Virtual Children's Christmas Fair: John Wesley's House
We’ve teamed up with friends from across the heritage world again to bring a range of fun festive craft ideas to you this December!

Virtual Children's Christmas Fair: Newington Green Meeting House
We’ve teamed up with friends from across the heritage world again to bring a range of fun festive craft ideas to you this December!

Virtual Children's Christmas Fair
We've teamed up with our friends from across the heritage world to bring a range of fun festive craft ideas to you this December!

Franklin's Young Inventors: Special Guest
Franklin's Young Inventors is our weekly science club for aspiring scientists in Key Stage 3 (ages 11-14). This autumn we are delivering our science club virtually via Zoom on Tuesdays at 4.30pm GMT or Saturdays at 11.30am GMT throughout term time. Participants will learn all about the experiments carried out by Benjamin Franklin and his British friends as well as trying their hand at practical investigations. This week we're delighted to welcome a very special guest, Hamid the Supersonic Science Professor, who will deliver his amazing Bubble Science show!

Thanksgiving Quiz
Join us for a fun virtual America-themed quiz for Thanksgiving! Enter as an individual or a team. Winners will receive exclusive Benjamin Franklin House treats. All proceeds will go toward advancing our mission to bring history and innovation to life at the only surviving Franklin home.

Virtual Family Day: Halloween at Benjamin Franklin House
Join our virtual family day this half term to learn about the history of Hallowe'en, hear a spooky tale and find out how to make some ghoulishly good decorations.

Ben's Book Club: 'Christmas Traditions' by George Goodwin
Join us for the December instalment of Ben’s Book Club, a monthly virtual gathering looking at themes relating to Benjamin Franklin, the 18th century, and American history. This month we will be taking a festive break by talking to George Goodwin, our Author in Residence, about his book Christmas Traditions, an entertaining and enlightening guide to the sacred and secular traditions of Christmas, with many of the latter being 19th-century Anglo-American creations that owe much to Washington Irving and Charles Dickens.

US Presidential Debate 2020
US Presidential Debate with representatives from Republicans Overseas and Democrats Abroad and moderator, veteran pollster, Sir Robert Worcester
In association with the Eccles Centre for American Studies at the British Library

Washington, Franklin, and the British
In our second partnership event with the George Washington Library at Mount Vernon, Library Director Dr Kevin Butterfield will be in conversation with our Author in Residence, George Goodwin (author of Benjamin Franklin in London). On the day, visit the George Washington's Mount Vernon Livestream Events page or our social media pages to tune in live.

Franklin's Young Inventors Science Club: Muscles
Franklin's Young Inventors is our science club for aspiring scientists in Key Stage 3 (ages 11-14). Participants will learn all about the experiments carried out by Benjamin Franklin and his British friends as well as trying their hand at practical investigations.

Franklin's Young Inventors Science Club: Skeleton
Franklin's Young Inventors is our science club for aspiring scientists in Key Stage 3 (ages 11-14). Participants will learn all about the experiments carried out by Benjamin Franklin and his British friends as well as trying their hand at practical investigations.

Franklin's Young Inventors Science Club: Balanced Diet
Franklin's Young Inventors is our science club for aspiring scientists in Key Stage 3 (ages 11-14). Participants will learn all about the experiments carried out by Benjamin Franklin and his British friends as well as trying their hand at practical investigations.

CANCELLED - Franklin's Young Inventors Science Club: Sound
Franklin's Young Inventors is our science club for aspiring scientists in Key Stage 3 (ages 11-14). Participants will learn all about the experiments carried out by Benjamin Franklin and his British friends as well as trying their hand at practical investigations.

Franklin's Young Inventors Science Club: Forces
Franklin's Young Inventors is our science club for aspiring scientists in Key Stage 3 (ages 11-14). Participants will learn all about the experiments carried out by Benjamin Franklin and his British friends as well as trying their hand at practical investigations.

Franklin's Young Inventors Science Club: Energy Transfer
Franklin's Young Inventors is our science club for aspiring scientists in Key Stage 3 (ages 11-14). Participants will learn all about the experiments carried out by Benjamin Franklin and his British friends as well as trying their hand at practical investigations.

Franklin's Young Inventors Science Club: Fuels and Costs
Franklin's Young Inventors is our science club for aspiring scientists in Key Stage 3 (ages 11-14). Participants will learn all about the experiments carried out by Benjamin Franklin and his British friends as well as trying their hand at practical investigations.

Franklin's Young Inventors Science Club: Photosynthesis
Franklin's Young Inventors is our science club for aspiring scientists in Key Stage 3 (ages 11-14). Participants will learn all about the experiments carried out by Benjamin Franklin and his British friends as well as trying their hand at practical investigations.

Franklin's Young Inventors Science Club: Pollination
Franklin's Young Inventors is our science club for aspiring scientists in Key Stage 3 (ages 11-14). Participants will learn all about the experiments carried out by Benjamin Franklin and his British friends as well as trying their hand at practical investigations.

Franklin's Young Inventors Science Club: Electric Current
Franklin's Young Inventors is our science club for aspiring scientists in Key Stage 3 (ages 11-14). Participants will learn all about the experiments carried out by Benjamin Franklin and his British friends as well as trying their hand at practical investigations.

Franklin's Young Inventors Science Club: Static Electricity
Franklin's Young Inventors is our science club for aspiring scientists in Key Stage 3 (ages 11-14). Participants will learn all about the experiments carried out by Benjamin Franklin and his British friends as well as trying their hand at practical investigations.

Robert H Smith Family Foundation Lecture in American Democracy - Democracy and the Supreme Court: judges and the politicians
Join us for the annual Robert H Smith Family Foundation lecture in American Democracy which aims to promote the importance of international diplomacy and democracy in the spirit of Benjamin Franklin as a diplomat and politician. This year, our virtual event, hosted in partnership with the LSE Department of Government, will discuss 'Democracy and the Supreme Court: judges and the politicians' with Lord Charles Falconer

Franklin & Washington: Edward J. Larson in conversation with Dr. Márcia Balisciano
During their lifetimes and in the years since, Benjamin Franklin and George Washington have been the subject of great literary interest. Yet each has typically been a minor player in the chronicles of the other – until now.

Ben's Book Club: 'The Knife Man' by Wendy Moore
Join us for the October installment of Ben’s Book Club, a monthly virtual gathering looking at themes related to Benjamin Franklin, the 18th century, and American history. This month we will be talking to Wendy Moore about her first book 'The Knife Man', a fascinating biography of the John Hunter. This celebrated anatomist trained Dr William Hewson, a fellow resident of 36 Craven Street during Benjamin Franklin's stay who ran a private anatomy school from the garden.

Ben's Book Club: 'A World on Fire' by Amanda Foreman
Join us for the November installment of Ben’s Book Club, a monthly virtual gathering looking at themes related to Benjamin Franklin, the 18th century, and American history. This month we will be talking to Dr Amanda Foreman about her brilliant narrative, 'A World on Fire', in which she tells the fascinating story of the American Civil War--and the major role played by Britain and its citizens in that epic struggle.

Ben's Book Club: Benjamin Franklin’s Autobiography with Dr George Boudreau
Join us for our first edition of Ben’s Book Club, a monthly virtual gathering looking at themes related to Benjamin Franklin, the 18th century, and American history. This month we will be exploring Benjamin Franklin’s Autobiography with the help of Dr George Boudreau, public historian and Benjamin Franklin expert.

(SOLD OUT) Open House London, Saturday 19 & Sunday 20 September
Open House London is the capital’s largest annual festival…

Family Day: Watch it Grow!
Benjamin Franklin was a keen botanist and frequently exchanged seeds with other scientists. Join us to learn about what plants need to grow and decorate your own plant pot to take away!

Family Day: Dress Like a Georgian!
Join Polly Hewson, a character from Franklin’s household, to learn about Georgian dress and etiquette. Design your own period outfits for Franklin and his fashionable friends in London!

Family Day: Hewson's School of Anatomy
Find out about Dr. William Hewson who ran an anatomy school at 36 Craven Street during Franklin’s stay in London!

Family Day: Up, up and away!
Follow in Franklin's scientific footsteps and join us to carry out investigations into the forces which affect flight!

Virtual Children's Summer Fete 2020
Although we're not able to hold the annual Benjamin Franklin House Children's Summer Fete this year, we've still teamed up with our friends from across the heritage world to bring a range of fun craft ideas to you virtually!

Virtual Children's Summer Fete: Newington Green Meeting House
Mary Wollstonecraft was just one of the revolutionary figures who visited the Newington Green Meeting House. Find out more about their craftivism series this summer and create your own protest banner!

Virtual Children's Summer Fete: Leighton House Museum
Leighton House was the magical home of celebrated Victorian artist Frederic, Lord Leighton. He was inspired by the myths of Ancient Greece and Rome. Follow in his footsteps, and make and create in response to these great tales!

Virtual Children's Summer Fete: Arts & Crafts Hammersmith (a partnership between Emery Walker's House and the William Morris Society)
William Morris and Emery Walker were good friends and members of the Arts and Crafts movement. Their houses are a few streets away from each other in Hammersmith. Find out how to create your own mobile and sunflower inspired by their designs!

Virtual Children's Summer Fete: John Wesley's House
Gemma from the Museum of Methodism and John Wesley's House will be showing us how to make a rattle drum!

Virtual Children's Summer Fete: Benjamin Franklin House
Did you know that Benjamin Franklin started out as a printer? Find out how to create your own simple monoprint!

Virtual Talk: American Sheet Music at the British Library
Wednesday July 29th, 3pm London/10am New York
In this talk, Eccles librarian Jean Petrovic will share American Sheet Music items held at the British Library and explore their importance,

Virtual Talk: Benjamin Franklin and Black Lives Matter
House Director, Dr. Márcia Balisciano, will explain how Franklin became the American founder who campaigned against slavery, spending his last days as the President of the Pennsylvania Society for Promoting the Abolition of Slavery.

American Independence Day Tours
Join us for a special reopening celebration of Independence Day at Benjamin Franklin House and enjoy a tour of the world’s only remaining Franklin home!

We've Reopened!
We are excited to announce that following new UK government guidelines on museums and galleries, Benjamin Franklin House will be reopening to the public.

Live Science Class for Kids: Ben Franklin and the Solar System
Join our series of weekly virtual classes to learn how Ben Franklin’s inventions and scientific discoveries illuminate the national curriculum! You can recreate all the featured science demonstrations at home using household materials.

Live Science Class for Kids: Ben Franklin and Volcanoes
Join our series of weekly virtual classes to learn how Ben Franklin’s inventions and scientific discoveries illuminate the national curriculum! You can recreate all the featured science demonstrations at home using household materials.

Virtual Talk - True Grid: François-Marc-Louis Naville and his moral tables
Harro Maas, professor in history and methodology of economics at the Centre Walras-Pareto for the history of economic and political thought at the University of Lausanne, will use these words from the diary of François-Marc-Louis Naville, a turn-of-the nineteenth-century Genevese pastor and pedagogical innovator, as a cue to examine his use of Benjamin Franklin’s tools of moral calculation and a lesser known tool, Marc-Antoine Jullien’s moral thermometer, to improve his moral character.

Live History Class for Kids: Collaboration with the New York Historical Society
We are delighted to be collaborating with the New York Historical Society on a special installment of their History @ Home series to uncover the many different faces of Benjamin Franklin.

Live Science Class for Kids: Guest Presenter from John Wesley's House
We are very exciting to welcome a guest presenter from The Museum of Methodism & John Wesley's House for this week’s installment of our weekly virtual science classes. You can recreate the featured demonstration at home using household materials.

Live Science Class for Kids: Guest Presenter from Newington Green Meeting House
We are very exciting to welcome a guest presenter from Newington Green Meeting House for this week's installment of our weekly virtual science classes. You can recreate the featured demonstration at home using household materials.

Virtual Talk: Fuelling Democracy - Ben Franklin and Coffee Houses
Join us for a talk by Caitlin Hoffman, Operations Manager, on how Benjamin Franklin used the stimulating environment of coffee houses to help shape his early political ideals. These public and social establishments were centres of the 18th century Enlightenment and provided a foundation of early American politics.

Virtual Talk: The Rise of the Private Banker in Franklin's London
Dr Perry Gauci, Tutor in Modern History at Lincoln College, Oxford…

Virtual Talk: The value of being luckily wrong
There is only so much we understand. There is only so much we make sense of in advance. Are we spending too much time trying to be right, and too little time simply maximising our chances of getting lucky. Join Rory Sutherland, Vice Chairman of Ogilvy UK and Board Member of Benjamin Franklin House, for this fascinating talk.

Live Science Class: Ben Franklin's Long Arm
Join our series of weekly virtual classes to learn how Ben Franklin’s inventions and scientific discoveries illuminate the national curriculum! You can recreate all the featured science demonstrations at home using household materials.

Live Science Class: Ben Franklin and Storm Clouds
Join our series of weekly virtual classes to learn how Ben Franklin’s inventions and scientific discoveries illuminate the national curriculum! You can recreate all the featured science demonstrations at home using household materials.

Live Science Class for Kids: Ben Franklin and the Northern Lights
Join our series of weekly virtual classes to learn how Ben Franklin’s inventions and scientific discoveries illuminate the national curriculum! You can recreate all the featured science demonstrations at home using household materials.

Virtual Talk: The Motel in America
Join Dr. Cara Rodway for this talk exploring the early development of a distinctly American form of lodging, the motel. A child of the automobile age, the 'motor hotel' first flourished during the Depression and experienced its heyday after World War Two.

Virtual Talk: ‘A Mere Matter of Marching’?: The War of 1812, The Battle of Queenston Heights
Mallory Horrill, PhD student at University College London, Institute of the Americas and House Manager and Curator of the Emery Walker Trust will be speaking on the Battle of Queenston Heights, a seminal battle in the War of 1812.

Virtual Talk: The Story of Thomas Paine by Paul Myles
Paul Myles will speak on the story of Thomas Paine and how he became a prominent figure in the American Revolution. To join directly on Wednesday June 3rd at 10am EST/ 3pm BST, please find the Zoom link and password below:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89871081800?pwd=WDc1NllJMmVPL0h1c21ETndxV2VyUT09
Password: Paine

'Changing the World' Writing Resources for KS2-3: Webinar for Teachers and Home Educators
This webinar will introduce teachers and home educators to writing resources for KS2-3 which were created in partnership by Benjamin Franklin House, Newington Green Meeting House and the Museum of Methodism & John Wesley's House.

His Final Chapter: Benjamin Franklin's Busy Final Five Years
In this lecture, Dr. George Boudreau will explore Dr. Franklin's last years, a sometimes overlooked, but essential part of the great man's life.
To join the talk directly on Wednesday May 20th at 5.00pm GMT/12.00pm EST follow the zoom link here: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83777285418

Virtual Talks Available Online!
Find out about upcoming virtual events hosted by Benjamin Franklin House. If you missed one of our past events, they are available on demand on their respective event pages and through our YouTube channel.

Live Science Class for Kids: Ben Franklin and the Gulf Stream
Did you know that Ben Franklin crossed the Atlantic 8 times in his life? He kept busy on these long journeys by charting the Gulf Stream. Join this virtual class for KS3 (US Grades 6-8) to learn more about this ocean current and why it is so important to our climate today, developing an understanding of Sustainable Development Goal 13: climate action and Sustainable Development Goal 14: life below water. Create your own convection current at home!

Live Science Class for Kids: Ben Franklin's Swim Fins
Did you know that Ben Franklin was a keen swimmer as a young man? Join this virtual class for KS2-3 (US Grades 2-8) to learn how he used his knowledge of water and air dynamics to create devices to help him swim more quickly. Build on this understanding to create paper boats and race them!

Live Science Class for Kids: Ben Franklin's Fuel-efficient Stove
Did you know Ben Franklin was an environmentalist ahead of his time? Ben discouraged waste and even designed a special stove to save fuel. Join this virtual class for KS3 (US Grades 6-8) how we are following in his footsteps today by developing renewable energy sources and working towards Sustainable Development Goal 7: affordable and clean energy. Create your own anemometer to measure wind speed!

Live Science Class for Kids: Ben Franklin's Bifocals
Have you ever wondered how glasses work? Join this virtual class for KS2-3 (US Grades 2-8) to learn how light helps us to see and how Ben made one of the first pairs of bifocal glasses. Use the science of refraction to carry out magic tricks!

Live Science Class for Kids: Ben Franklin's Glass Armonica
Did you know that Ben Franklin invented a musical instrument called the glass armonica? Join this virtual class for KS2-3 (US Grades 2-8) to uncover his process of invention and how he harnessed the science of sound to play mesmerising music. Try making your own music with glasses and by creating a musical instrument!

Live Science Class for Kids: Ben Franklin's Lightning Rod
Did you know that Ben Franklin was one of the fathers of electricity? Join this virtual class for KS2-3 (US Grades 2-8) to learn about Ben’s famous kite and key experiment and how this led to the invention of the lightning rod. Then try your hand at some practical activities to explore static electricity!

Virtual Talk: Benjamin Franklin in London - the British life of America's Founding Father
George Goodwin, our Honorary Author in Residence at Benjamin Franklin House, captures the fullness of Dr Franklin’s life in the heaving metropolis of 18th century London. He describes Franklin’s friendship with men such as Joseph Priestley and the notorious Francis Dashwood, charts Franklin’s political cooperation with Prime Ministers William Pitt the Elder and the Marquess of Rockingham, and details the final antagonism with the ‘mangling ministers’ in Lord North’s administration which ultimately made Franklin the fiercest of American patriots. In a highly illustrated talk, George tells Benjamin Franklin’s London story with wit and verve.

Virtual Talk: Reflecting on the US Primaries
Philip Davies, Professor Emeritus of American Studies, De Montfort University, discusses what the primary season holds and reflects on the months since the opening contests in Iowa and New Hampshire.

Virtual Talk: What Would Benjamin Franklin Think About Facebook?
Amy Werbel, Fulbright Scholar to the United Kingdom and Professor at the State University of New York-Fashion Institute of Technology, ponders how the prospect of greater censorship of social media, Franklin’s experiences and views, shed necessary light on our best path forward in tumultuous times.

Virtual Talk: Franklin and the Joys of 18th Century Cooking
Join the House’s Operations Manager, Caitlin Hoffman, in exploring the savoury (and unsavoury!) 18th Century diet and how Benjamin Franklin might be considered an early foodie. Discover why the Georgians drank beer in the morning and how Franklin introduced some of his favourite foods from the colonies to his London hosts.
To join directly on Wednesday May 6th at 3pm GMT/10am EST use the Zoom Link below: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/958544403

Virtual Talk: Benjamin Franklin, The Early Years
Join the House’s Education Manager, Eleanor Hamblen, for an…

Virtual Talk: Endell Street - The trailblazing women who ran a military hospital in WWI
Join author and journalist Wendy Moore, who acts as a judge for the Benjamin Franklin House Literary Prize, as she discusses her latest book, Endell Street (published in the US as No Man's Land). This military hospital was run entirely by women and played a key role in the treatment of injured British soldiers during World War One. It was situated just minutes away from Franklin’s former home on Craven Street.

Virtual Talk: Character virtues for the 21st century?
Benjamin Franklin in the 18th century had an abiding faith in the power of good character to improve quality of life for an individual and society at large. As a young man, Benjamin Franklin identified 13 character virtues. What were they? Did they improve his character and are they instructive for ours? Join (founding) Benjamin Franklin House Director, Dr. Márcia Balisciano, for a fun and informative talk with virtual Q&A.

Temporary Closure of Benjamin Franklin House
Our priority is protecting our visitors, staff, volunteers - and of course our precious, historic building. To do our part to discourage the spread of the COVID-19 virus, we will be closing Benjamin Franklin House for all offerings effective Tuesday, 17 March 2020.

Polymath Festival with Benjamin Franklin House
As part of the Polymath Festival, Benjamin Franklin House stages a virtual immersive tour of the world's only remaining home of Benjamin Franklin to tell the rich story of Benjamin Franklin’s 16 polymathic years in London.

Holiday Fair
Wednesday, 11 December 2019, 12pm - 5pm
Join us for an afternoon of festive cheer with beautiful gifts and mulled wine at the world's only surviving Franklin home.
Entry £3

2019 Robert H Smith Lecture in Democracy: Why Heritage Matters?
Tuesday 22 October, 7.15pm - 8:30pm
Delivering the 2019 Robert H Smith Lecture in Democracy, Irina Bokova, former Director-General of UNESCO, explores how issues of education for all, gender equality, tolerance and the fight against violent extremism are crucially linked to the preservation of heritage.

Emerge Festival
Friday 27 September, 6:30pm - 9:30pm
As part of the Emerge Festival, a celebration of London-wide culture, we will offer evening views of the House, along with a demonstration of Franklin’s glass armonica.

Virtual Talk: Franklin the Innovator
Join us on a whistle-stop tour of Franklin’s many ingenious inventions, from the lightening rod to the glass armonica and the Franklin stove. House Education Manager, Eleanor Hamblen, will reflect on how Franklin’s scientific process led him to become one of the key figures of the Enlightenment and how his discoveries have shaped our modern world.

Family Day: Toys in Franklin's Time
Tuesday 30 July, 10.30am-12.30pm
Join us to learn how children passed their time 300 years ago with Georgian toys and games. Design and create some your own traditional toys to take away.

Family Day: Children's Christmas Party
Family Day: Children’s Christmas Party
Saturday 30 November,…

Family Day: Halloween at Benjamin Franklin House
Halloween-themed fun and games for all the family!

Museum Lates - Craven Street Bones
Explore the darker side of the 18th century pursuit of knowledge with the team at Benjamin Franklin House. As you make your way through our Grade I, Georgian building, you’ll discover why over 1200 bones were unearthed in the basement. Drink included.

Festive Candlelit Tours
Step back in time and experience the House in true eighteenth-century style this winter with our festive candlelit tours.

The Shakers: from Manchester to Maine
Thursday 21 November, 6.30pm-8.30pm
Join Philip Davies, Emeritus Professor of American Studies at De Montfort University as we look at the lives of ‘The Shakers’. Ann Lee and eight followers left Manchester for America in 1774. The United Society of Believers in Christ’s Second Appearing, otherwise known as Shakers, had emerged in the industrialising northwest of England during the later years of that international spiritual ferment, the Great Awakening.

Family Day: Float Ben's Boat!
Tuesday 20 August, 10:30am - 12:30pm
Benjamin Franklin crossed the Atlantic Ocean eight times in his life, charted the Gulf Stream, and investigated canals. During his time in London, he swam in the Thames and conducted experiments using the ponds on Clapham Common. Children will recreate some of Franklin’s investigations involving water and design their own boat!

Family Day: Frankin's Georgian Home
Tuesday 13 August, 10:30am - 12:30pm
Join Polly Hewson, a character from Franklin’s household, on a tour of the building to learn about everyday life in 18th Century London. Inspired by our Virtual Georgian Interior, children will design furnishings to fill the historic rooms.

Family Day: Children's Summer Fete
Saturday 13 July 11am - 4pm
Our annual Summer Fete, in collaboration with special guests from the world of heritage, will include activities for all the family. Join us in the lovely gardens of Leighton House Museum so bring a picnic!

Family Day: Georgian Easter Celebration
Join us for Easter-themed crafts and games. Take part in a special…

Family Day: Spark your Curiosity
Join us for hands-on family fun exploring the wonders of electricity,…

The Long Goodbye: Benjamin Franklin's Death and Creating the American Identity
Wednesday April 17 2019, 5.30pm
Early morning on 17 April 1790, Benjamin Franklin died at his home in Philadelphia. Almost a generation older than most of America's founders, he was the first to inspire a national, and indeed international, period of mourning. In arranging Franklin's memorial, his own and Craven Street family set in place lasting ideas on remembrance and identity.

The Battles of Blackfriars Bridge: London Improvement in the Age of Franklin
Thursday April 4th 2019, 6.30pm - 8pm
Dr Perry Gauci, Tutor in Modern History at Lincoln College, Oxford University, will speak about the stormy public debates surrounding the first Blackfriars Bridge, which opened in 1769. The bridge caused deep divisions within the metropolis, but its completion highlighted how Londoners managed to find common cause in pursuit of civic improvement in Franklin's day.

Election 2020 - Carol Gould on American Politics
Wednesday June 12th 2019, 6.30pm
As the 2020 presidential race gains momentum, Carol Gould, a political commentator since 2004, will discuss the current state of play in American politics, including race relations, international affairs, and (in the spirit of Benjamin Franklin) freedom of the press.

SOLD OUT - Family Day: Printing Workshop
Tuesday February 19th 2019, 10:30 am - 12:30pm
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!

Franklin and his British Friends
Wednesday 29th of May. 6:30pm
Dr. Márcia Balisciano, Director of Benjamin Franklin House will introduce Franklin's British milieu, those who challenged and sustained him during his long London sojourn. Fellow members of the Lunar Society like Josiah Wedgwood, Erasmus Darwin and Matthew Bolton, reformed rogues like Sir Francis Dashwood, and artists like the blind organist John Stanley will all feature in this illustrated talk.

The Rise of Thomas Paine and the Case of The Officers of Excise
Wednesday March 6th at 6:30pm
Introducing his new book, The Rise of Thomas Paine, Paul Myles will tell the story of how the relatively unknown Englishman-Paine- came to be thrust onto the international stage and his literary role in the American War of Independence.

Museums at Night - 'Candle Lit' Architectural Tours
Thursday 16 & Friday 17 May, 6pm, 7pm & 8pm
The atmospheric…

Independence Day: Thursday 4th July
Thursday 4 July, 12pm, 1pm, 2pm, 3:15pm and 4:15pm
Join us for a celebration of Independence Day at Benjamin Franklin House. Enjoy cake and a glass of bubbly following a 30 minute tour of the world’s only remaining Franklin home. 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 Final Plea, Thursday January 10th 6:30-8pm
Join us on Thursday 10 January 2019 at 6.30pm for a performance…

House 14th and Franklin's 314th Birthday Celebration, Friday 17th January
A celebration of Benjamin Franklin's 314th birthday and the 14th anniversary of the opening of Benjamin Franklin House to the public as a dynamic museum and educational facility.

Talk: Benjamin Franklin’s influence at the Constitutional Convention
Dr Nicholas Cole is a Senior Research Fellow at Pembroke College,…

Family Day - Investigate! Bubbles, slime and other materials.
Benjamin Franklin questioned the world around him. Join us to…

Franklin & Grant: Americans Against Slavery
Franklin & Grant: Americans Against Slavery
2018 Benjamin…

Family Day: A Georgian Tea Party
Join us to investigate the traditions of tea drinking from the…

Family Day: Instrumental Inventions
Benjamin Franklin was a prolific inventor and a lover of music,…

Fireworks, Franklin & the Fourth
In the run up to American Independence Day, Dr. Simon Werret…

Festive Candlelit Tours, December 6th, 13th and 20th at 6.30pm
Step back in time and experience the House in true eighteenth-century…

Thanksgiving Dinner, Thursday 28 November, 7.30pm
An American Thanksgiving feast with all the trimmings will take…

The US Elections, Washington Politics and the Prospects for 2020, Wednesday 14 November, 6.30pm
At a time when there seem to be few fixed points on the political…

Museums at Night- The Craven Street Bones
Museums at Night- The Craven Street Bones
Explore the darker side of the 18th century's pursuit of knowledge with the team at Benjamin Franklin House. As you make your way through the Grade I, Georgian building you'll discover why over 1200 bones were unearthed in the basement. Drink included.

Family Day: Hallowe'en at Benjamin Franklin House
Tuesday 23 October, 4-5pm
Children will meet Polly Hewson, daughter of Franklin's landlady, to hear some ghoulishly good Hallowe'en stories followed by gruesome games including Pumpkin Trick or Treat and Pin the Spider on the Web.

To cure all ills?
For centuries, unqualified practitioners have sold miracle cures,…

Concordia Concert
Friday 20 September, 7pm
We will be hosting an evening in keeping with Franklin’s love of 18th century music in association with our Craven Street neighbours, the Concordia Foundation, which serves young musicians.

Summer Fete
Our annual Summer Fete will take place in collaboration with…

Family Day: Bones in the Basement
Saturday 20 July 10.30am-12pm
Come along and search for bones in the basement at Benjamin Franklin House. Become an archaeologist for the morning and help uncover the history of this Georgian townhouse.

Independence Day Party
Join us for a celebration of Independence Day at Benjamin Franklin…

London Festival Of Architecture
In celebration of the London Festival of Architecture we will…

London History Day
To celebrate the 2018 London History Day theme of ‘courage,’…

Toys in Franklin's Time
Come and see how children passed thier time with traditional…