Fact Sheet

Benjamin Franklin: In Search Of A Better World

Ben Franklin

Photo by B. Krist for GPTMC

DESCRIPTION:

The Benjamin Franklin: In Search of a Better World exhibition presents more than 250 original Franklin artifacts and more than 40 interactive devices, designed in the spirit of Franklin's curiosity, wit and wisdom. Debuting in Philadelphia, the traveling exhibition is the centerpiece of an international celebration to mark the 300th anniversary of Franklin's birth on January 17, 1706.

ORGANIZER:

The Benjamin Franklin Tercentenary is a consortium of five Philadelphia institutions (the American Philosophical Society, The Franklin Institute, the Library Company of Philadelphia, the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the University of Pennsylvania ) created in 2000 to mark the 300-year anniversary of Benjamin Franklin's birth.

VENUE AND HOST:

Hosted locally by CBS 3, the exhibition made its world debut at the National Constitution Center, 525 Arch Street, Philadelphia.

DATES:

December 15, 2005, through April 30, 2006, with special events taking place on Franklin's birthday, January 17, 2006

ADMISSION FEES:

Tickets to the exhibition are $14 for adults; $12 for children ages 4-12, seniors, college students and active military personnel; and $8.50 for groups of 20 or more. Admission to the Constitution Center is also included.Tickets can be purchased by phone at (215) 409-6700 or online at www.gophila.com/ben.

SECTIONS:

The 8,000-square-foot exhibition is divided into six sections, representing different periods of Franklin's life:

• Character Matters, 1706- 1723: Young Franklin in Boston
• B. Franklin Printer, 1723- 1748: Franklin's entrepreneurial and prosperous career as a printer, as well as family life at his Market Street home
• Civic Visions, 1731 - 1751 : Franklin's collaborative approach to community action, including his role in founding many of Philadelphia's key philanthropic, educational and civic institutions
• The Search for Useful Knowledge, 1747- 1785: Franklin's many inventions, such as the discovery of the properties of electricity and his concern with practical applications for his scientific discoveries
• The World Stage, 1744- 1787: Franklin's political career in colonial Pennsylvania, his years as a colonial agent in London, his diplomacy in France and his role as America's elder statesman
• Seeing Franklin, 1787-Today: Franklin's own assessment of his life and a visual journey, dating back 250 years, of Franklin's image in pop culture

INTERPRETIVE ELEMENTS:

Each section of the exhibition features the following elements:

• Text panels: Lively, accessible text displayed on an asymmetrical design and featuring original artifacts, period graphics and Franklin's own words.
• Artifacts: Displayed in a way that puts Franklin's material world in the context of his life as a printer, statesman, diplomat and scientist. Artifacts include a lightning rod, Franklin’s chess set and currency printed by Ben.
• Video animations: Offering whimsical re-tellings of Franklin's stories. During the "Adams, Franklin and the Window" animation, John Adams expounds on why Franklin insisted on keeping the window open when they were forced to share a bed while on a business trip.
• Interactives: Engaging electronic, mechanical and hands-on work stations that allow visitors to re-create Franklin's experiments and understand his character. Visitors can typeset their names virtually and match up Franklin’s definitions with his 13 virtues.
  

HIGHLIGHTS:

• Original copies of five of America's founding documents, including the Albany Plan, the Declaration of Independence, the Treaty of Amity, the Treaty of Paris and the U.S. Constitution
• More than 250 priceless original items from 75 lenders, including many owned by Franklin's family and never before displayed in public
• More than 40 interactive devices, featuring special effects, hands-on opportunities and family-centered fun

TEAM:

• Chief curator: Dr.Page Talbott
• Exhibition designer: Staples and Charles Ltd., Virginia
• Interactives designer: A More Perfect Union, LLC, Massachusetts
• Illustrations: Katherine Streeter
• Fabricators: Proto Productions, Illinois

FUNDING:

Funders include The Pew Charitable Trusts, the John Templeton Foundation, the Annenberg Foundation, the Department of the Interior and the Florence Gould Foundation, among others. In addition, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has provided major funding for the Tercentenary’s programs.

EXHIBITION SCHEDULE:

• Philadelphia, National Constitution Center, December 15, 2005 - April 30, 2006
• St. Louis, Missouri Historical Society, June 8 - September 4, 2006
• Houston, The Houston Museum of Natural Science, October 11, 2006 - January 21, 2007
• Denver, Denver Museum of Nature & Science, March 2 - May 28, 2007
• Atlanta, Atlanta History Center, July 4 - October 14, 2007
• Paris, Musée Carnavalet, December 4, 2007-March 9, 2008; and Musée des Arts et Metiérs, December 4, 2007-March 30, 2008

MORE INFO: www.benfranklin300.org and www.gophila.com

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Ben Franklin 300 Philadelphia is a year-long celebration of Benjamin Franklin's 300th birthday, coordinated and marketed by the Benjamin Franklin Tercentenary, the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation, the National Constitution Center and CBS 3. Festivities will run from fall 2005 through 2006 and will focus on the world premiere of the international traveling exhibition, Benjamin Franklin: In Search of a Better World at the National Constitution Center. The Benjamin Franklin Tercentenary, a non-profit organization, is supported by a lead grant of $4 million from The Pew Charitable Trusts and established to reaffirm Franklin's enduring legacy in his 300th birthday year. The Tercentenary was founded in 2000 by the American Philosophical Society, The Franklin Institute, the Library Company of Philadelphia, the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the University of Pennsylvania. For more information about the exhibition, related programs and traveling to Philadelphia, visit www.gophila.com/ben.

Note to Editors: For photos of Greater Philadelphia, visit our Photo Gallery.

CONTACT:

Cara Schneider, GPTMC
(215) 599-0789, cara@gptmc.com

Sharon Murphy, Benjamin Franklin Tercentenary
(215) 790-7867, sharon@alta247.com