The Franklin Institute

The Franklin Institute. , The Franklin Institute was founded in 1824 "for the Promotion of the Mechanic Arts." Located in what is now Independence Hall, it trained young engineers., In 1930, at the start of the Depression, The Franklin Institute and the Poor Richard Club began to seek funds for a new science museum. They raised $5.1 million in just 12 days., The Franklin Institute Science Museum opened on this site on January 1, 1934., Called the "Wonderland of Science," it was one of the first museums in the United States to offer a hands-on approach to science learning. Early exhibits explained the workings of science and industry., The Franklin Institute also opened one of the nation's first public observatories, with a 10-inch telescope for sun watching and star gazing, as well as the Western Hemisphere's second planetarium., In 1990, the museum added an IMAX^® Theater, a theater for interactive "live learning" programs, and a large gallery for traveling exhibitions., Wonderland of Science , As science marches forward, the museum changes its exhibits to keep up with the times. The UNIVAC computer, a cutting-edge exhibit in 1955, was replaced when new technologies, like mini-computers and PCs, came on the scene., Other exhibits proved timeless. The 350-ton Baldwin 60,000 locomotive, the Wright Brothers' 1911 Model B biplane and the Giant Heart remain visitor favorites to this day., [Captions:] , The Franklin Institute's rooftop is home to one of the nation's first public observatories., The 101-foot, Baldwin 60,000 locomotive was brought in through an unfinished opening in the Institute's northwest wall., The Franklin Institute was founded in 1824 to honor Benjamin Franklin and advance technology and invention in America., The Franklin Institute Science Museum, founded in the spirit of inquiry and discovery embodied by Benjamin Franklin, opened to the public on January 1, 1934. The museum grew famous for creating hands-on exhibits like the Giant Heart and Space Command. Besides its 12 permanent exhibits, the museum hosts traveling blockbuster exhibitions., The institute's mission, to inspire a passion for science and technology learning, translates into an array of science shows, programs and lectures for visitors, groups and members., The Fels Planetarium, opened in 1933 as the Western Hemisphere's second planetarium, uses today's cutting edge digital technology to take visitors traveling among the stars. The Tuttleman IMAX^® Theater shows riveting documentaries and appealing movies for the family., As the world around it changes, The Franklin Institute stays committed to its mission, sharing new discoveries with visitors in ways they enjoy and understand., A National Memorial , Opened in 1938 and dedicated by Congress in 1972, Franklin Memorial Hall honors Benjamin Franklin: scientist, inventor, printer, writer, businessman, humorist, philosopher and founding father., A 20-foot-high statue of Franklin, created by American sculptor James Earle Fraser, sits inside the domed hall. The statue weighs 30 tons and rests on a 92-ton white marble base., [Captions:] , Architect James Windrim, who helped design the Parkway, modeled Memorial Hall after Rome's Parthenon., The two-story walk-through Giant Heart, originally built in 1954, continues today as a Philadelphia icon.