In the middle of Independence National Historical Park is the Ben Franklin Museum. And not only is there a museum, there are “shadow buildings” of where Ben Franklin’s house once stood. And on the Market Street side, there is Franklin’s original Post Office and the tunnel he used to get back to his own house.
In Franklin’s shadow house, there are portholes to look down into the original foundation. And there are quotes taken from letters from Ben & his wife about the house printed in the concrete. It’s fun to walk around and spot his preferences for curtains or fireplaces.
Ben Franklin Museum
The entrance to the Ben Franklin Museum is very unimposing. It’s a modern glass-front and very narrow. But this is only the entrance desk and the gift shop. The actual museum is underground! After paying for your $5 ticket, you can take the stairs or an elevator down to a media-friendly basement area.
The Ben Franklin Museum has an open floor plan with stations about Franklin’s life laid out along the walls. The order of his life goes in a clockwise direction, from his youth in Boston to running away to Philadelphia and eventually becoming an inventor, diplomat, and founding father.
This museum is very hands-on and perfect for kids. No fact is served up dry – there are video screens with stories from his youth, inventions to touch, and lots of games. Several versions of a matching game where you turn over words award you with a “huzzah!” You can play a touchscreen version of a glass armonica. And you can pretend to be a typesetter and have your name printed on a flyer. One whole game allots you a certain amount of money, and your goal is to get from 1720s Boston to Philadelphia without running out. (I didn’t make it. I think I got robbed in a cheap inn trying to get some sleep.)
This museum isn’t a major, all-encompassing dive into Ben Franklin’s life. It’s a happy, high-level, kid-friendly jaunt with some fun science and folksy philosophical aspects. I had to look into his family tree on my own later to figure out where all the illegitimate-but-acknowledged sons came from.
Tickets, Hours, & Parking, etc.
While the Ben Franklin Museum is part of the National Park system, there is a fee to get in due to all the touch screens. It costs $5 for adults and $2 for kids 4-16. Children age 3 and under get in free. There are several free days, however. Current free days in 2022 are April 16, August 4, September 24, and November 11.
The Ben Franklin Museum is open every day from 9 am-5 pm. (And there doesn’t seem to be any caveats like closed on Thanksgiving or Christmas Days….)
Parking is on your own; there is no dedicated lot. There is plenty of street parking and parking garages throughout downtown Philadelphia. If you’re making it a day with Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell Center, and other nearby attractions, you might park in the garage below the Independence Visitor Center, only a couple of blocks away. You might find 1-2 hour free street parking or free street parking on Sundays. If you’re only coming to the Ben Franklin Museum, it should only take about an hour to go through.
There is a gift shop on the upper level of the museum that you can visit any time. Likewise, seeing the Post Office and Franklin’s shadow house is free anytime. (Though good luck on finding the post office open, its hours are very limited.) The only restroom is downstairs in the museum, so I don’t think you can get to it without paying.
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