The Franklin Institute in Philadelphia, Pa has been a center of science education and research for close to 200 years. Founded in 1824 The Franklin Institute was a center for important scientific research and technology during the 19th century. It wasn’t until the twentieth century that they opened the doors to educate the general public through their museum and it is now one of the best family museums of Philadelphia.
The Franklin Institute’s awards program dates back to 1824 and is one of the oldest in the world. This years ceremony was held on April 19th and they have been congradulated with several awards including:
Philippe Horvath: 2018 Bower Award and Prize for Achievement in Science Anne M. Mulcahy: 2018 Bower Award for Business Leadership John B. Goodenough: 2018 Benjamin Franklin Medal in Chemistry Vinton Gray Cerf and Robert E. Kahn: 2018 Benjamin Franklin Medal in Computer and Cognitive Science Susan Trumbore: 2018 Benjamin Franklin Medal in Earth and Environmental Science Manijeh Razeghi: 2018 Benjamin Franklin Medal in Electrical Engineering Adrian Bejan: 2018 Benjamin Franklin Medal in Mechanical Engineering Helen Rhoda Quinn: 2018 Benjamin Franklin Medal in Physics
Location & Parking
Franklin Institute is located at 222 N 20th St, Philadelphia, PA 19103. The Franklin Institute is in the heart of Philadelphia and street parking may be very limited and difficult to find. I know most of you are for saving some extra money but going around city blocks all day to find a parking space is just not worth the frustration.
The Franklin Institute offers a parking garage located at 271 North 21st Street Philadelphia, PA 19103. The parking garage does seem small when you first go in and the top floors are the first place people tend to park. However, there are lower levels for parking if those spots are taken.
The parking garage fee varies on how long you have your car parked there. In my opinion you would need a few hours to go through the whole museum. For 1-4 hours the cost is $18 and so worth it but you must get there early as the museum does tend to get crowded from time to time. You can find out more information HERE
Franklin Institute Special Exhibits
The Franklin Institute offers a variety of hands on activities for the whole family including special exhibits. They currently have Game Masters exhibit and IT is going on now through Sept 3rd 2018. Game Masters exhibits over 30 innovative game designers taking visitors on an interactive journey inside their favorite video games. Find out more HERE
Permanent Exhibits
The Franklin Institute has several permanent exhibits such as:
The BrainChanging EarthThe Train FactoryThe Giant HeartThe Franklin Air ShowSir Isaac’s LoftAmazing MachineJoel N. Bloom Observatory
Each area has several interactive activities related to the topic helping children get a better understanding of how “it” works. To get a full list of details click HERE
Ticket Prices & Hours
The Franklin Institute is open daily 9:30am-5pm
For general admission only:
2 and under are free
ages 3-11 is $19
Ages 12+ is $23
The Franklin Institute holds a variety of events each month you can find a list of those events and prices HERE
Ways to save
The Franklin Institute offers a yearly membership. I personally like doing this because we are in the area and can go frequently. In my opinion if you choose to go more than one time a year then buying their membership is ideal because not only are you saving on ticket prices it also includes
Exclusive Discounts to:
• Tuttleman IMAX® and Franklin 3D Theater films • Ticketed Special Exhibitions • Exclusive presale opportunities and no service fees • Science-Store Purchases • Camps, Workshops, Adult Programs, and more To find out more about getting your Franklin Institute Membership go HERE
