The Benjamin Franklin Museum in Philadelphia, which reopened last year following a two-year $18m redevelopment, is the only venue in the US that is dedicated to Franklin, the scientist, inventor, printer, philosopher and statesman who signed the Declaration of Independence in 1776 as one of the country’s founding fathers.
The museum, which originally opened in 1976 and is housed underground, is operated by the US National Park Service. It is located at the Independence National Historical Park and is part of Franklin Court, which contains restored historic structures, including a post office and a newspaper office.
The exhibition at the museum is divided into five themes that focus on different aspects of Franklin’s personality: ardent and dutiful; ambitious and rebellious; motivated to improve; curious and full of wonder; and strategic and persuasive.
The museum is expected to attract 500,000 visitors a year.
What were the main aims of the redevelopment?
Ros Remer: The museum, located on the site of Benjamin Franklin’s Philadelphia home, which no longer stands, was originally built in 1976 as part of the bicentennial commemoration of American independence.
Some 35 years later it was in dire need of refurbishment. What were once considered cutting-edge, interactive displays, were outdated and broken. Franklin was an extraordinary innovator, so it seemed a shame for a museum dedicated to his life to have fallen into such a state.
How is his story brought alive for visitors?
We curated a large travelling exhibition on Franklin for his 300th anniversary in 2006. We learned that visitors were easily overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of his achievements, taken over the course of a very long life.
For this new museum, we wanted to make him more relatable and approachable, so rather than taking a standard chronological approach, we decided to encourage visitors to explore his character.
The main museological approach for bringing him alive is interpretive layering. The exhibit is filled with artefacts from his life, but no artefact stands alone to tell a story.
They are supported by hands-on interactives; touchscreen games; offbeat animations; text; and graphics, all with the idea that visitors with different learning styles will find access points.
What was the most challenging aspect of the project?
With a character like Franklin, who seems to have been involved in every major 18th-century development, the biggest challenge is in fitting his “whole” story into something less than 8,000 sq feet.
We had material to fill a much larger exhibit, but the underground space allotted to the exhibit forced us to edit. This is not always a bad thing, as often curators feel compelled to “overshare”. Hopefully, visitors will want to learn more when they leave.
Did any other museums dedicated to political figures provide inspiration?
Most such museums are located in or near the historic homes owned by political figures. Franklin’s home was razed by his descendants, sub-divided, and developed to produce rental income.
The National Park Service made the decision in 1976 to not attempt a historic recreation of his home, feeling that evidence of its exact design was insufficient.
Instead, a steel-beam “ghost house” was erected to demarcate the home’s dimensions, and the museum itself was located beneath the site.
One inspiration for the museum’s design came from the underground Churchill War Rooms in London. Casson Mann, who designed the Churchill museum, undertook the work at Franklin Court.
Is the museum aimed at a particular audience?
The museum is aimed at everyone from grade-school children to adults of all ages. In general, it is heavily visited by school groups, tour buses and, on weekends, family groups.
What is the most innovative element of the project?
What’s most innovative is the tone of the exhibit. Franklin was the most sociable of men. He loved music, games, eating and drinking. He loved jokes and storytelling.
We tried to capture some of that spirit in the displays and activities, so that instead of a hushed, reverential atmosphere, visitors find a somewhat busy, noisy, social experience.
The museum, which originally opened in 1976 and is housed underground, is operated by the US National Park Service. It is located at the Independence National Historical Park and is part of Franklin Court, which contains restored historic structures, including a post office and a newspaper office.
The exhibition at the museum is divided into five themes that focus on different aspects of Franklin’s personality: ardent and dutiful; ambitious and rebellious; motivated to improve; curious and full of wonder; and strategic and persuasive.
The museum is expected to attract 500,000 visitors a year.
What were the main aims of the redevelopment?
Ros Remer: The museum, located on the site of Benjamin Franklin’s Philadelphia home, which no longer stands, was originally built in 1976 as part of the bicentennial commemoration of American independence.
Some 35 years later it was in dire need of refurbishment. What were once considered cutting-edge, interactive displays, were outdated and broken. Franklin was an extraordinary innovator, so it seemed a shame for a museum dedicated to his life to have fallen into such a state.
How is his story brought alive for visitors?
We curated a large travelling exhibition on Franklin for his 300th anniversary in 2006. We learned that visitors were easily overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of his achievements, taken over the course of a very long life.
For this new museum, we wanted to make him more relatable and approachable, so rather than taking a standard chronological approach, we decided to encourage visitors to explore his character.
The main museological approach for bringing him alive is interpretive layering. The exhibit is filled with artefacts from his life, but no artefact stands alone to tell a story.
They are supported by hands-on interactives; touchscreen games; offbeat animations; text; and graphics, all with the idea that visitors with different learning styles will find access points.
What was the most challenging aspect of the project?
With a character like Franklin, who seems to have been involved in every major 18th-century development, the biggest challenge is in fitting his “whole” story into something less than 8,000 sq feet.
We had material to fill a much larger exhibit, but the underground space allotted to the exhibit forced us to edit. This is not always a bad thing, as often curators feel compelled to “overshare”. Hopefully, visitors will want to learn more when they leave.
Did any other museums dedicated to political figures provide inspiration?
Most such museums are located in or near the historic homes owned by political figures. Franklin’s home was razed by his descendants, sub-divided, and developed to produce rental income.
The National Park Service made the decision in 1976 to not attempt a historic recreation of his home, feeling that evidence of its exact design was insufficient.
Instead, a steel-beam “ghost house” was erected to demarcate the home’s dimensions, and the museum itself was located beneath the site.
One inspiration for the museum’s design came from the underground Churchill War Rooms in London. Casson Mann, who designed the Churchill museum, undertook the work at Franklin Court.
Is the museum aimed at a particular audience?
The museum is aimed at everyone from grade-school children to adults of all ages. In general, it is heavily visited by school groups, tour buses and, on weekends, family groups.
What is the most innovative element of the project?
What’s most innovative is the tone of the exhibit. Franklin was the most sociable of men. He loved music, games, eating and drinking. He loved jokes and storytelling.
We tried to capture some of that spirit in the displays and activities, so that instead of a hushed, reverential atmosphere, visitors find a somewhat busy, noisy, social experience.
Project data
- Cost $18m
- Main funders National Park Service; Pew Charitable Trusts
- Content consultant Remer & Talbott
- Exhibition design Casson Mann
- Exhibition project management Dan Bosin Associates
- Architect Quinn Evans
- AV Memory Collective; Bluecadet
- Fabrication Kubik Maltbie
- Construction Daniel J Keating Company
- Display cases Click Netherfield
