Benjamin Franklin House facts for kids
Benjamin Franklin House is a museum located in a historic Georgian house at 36 Craven Street, London. It's very close to famous spots like Trafalgar Square in the West End of London. This house is special because it's the only former home of Benjamin Franklin that is still standing. Benjamin Franklin was one of the important people known as the Founding Fathers of the United States, who helped create the country.
The house was built around 1730. Benjamin Franklin lived and worked there for many years, from 1757 to 1774. The museum first opened its doors to visitors on January 17, 2006. This building is considered a very important historic site in England because of its connection to Franklin.
Preserving History: The House's Story
Restoring a Historic Home
The Benjamin Franklin House was carefully fixed up and restored in 1998. This work was done by a group called The Friends of Benjamin Franklin House. Their goal was to turn the old house into a museum for everyone to enjoy.
A Surprising Discovery
During the restoration work, something unexpected was found. Workers discovered the remains of 10 people, including many bones and bone pieces. It looked like six of these might have been children.
Scientists tested these remains and found they were about 200 years old. This meant they could have been buried in the basement when Franklin lived there. However, more investigation showed that a close friend of Franklin, William Hewson, was likely responsible for the human remains.
The Work of an Early Scientist
William Hewson was an early anatomist, which means he studied the human body. He lived in the house for two years and worked in secret. At that time, there were strict rules about studying human bodies. Benjamin Franklin probably knew what Hewson was doing, but he was not involved in the dissections himself.
Keeping the House Authentic
Today, the museum at 36 Craven Street is a very important historic building. It still has many of its original parts, like the old floorboards, ceilings, and staircases. Not many changes have been made to it over the years. The people who take care of the house try to keep it as original as possible.
Special Items to See
One interesting item at the house is a modern, working copy of a glass harmonica. This musical instrument was designed by Benjamin Franklin himself!
Exploring the Museum: What You Can Do
The Historical Experience
When you visit, you can enjoy the "Historical Experience." This is like a play where an actor pretends to be a historical person connected to the house. They use dialogue, sounds, special lighting, and effects to bring history to life. The character often featured is Polly Stevenson Hewson. She was the daughter of Franklin's landlady and became like a "second daughter" to him.
The Student Science Centre
The "Student Science Centre" is a fun place for students. Here, you can try out some of the experiments that Benjamin Franklin did when he lived in London.
- Medical History Room: This room focuses on the medical research done by William Hewson, who worked from the house for a while.
- Discovery Room: Here, you can see historical items and artifacts.
- Demonstration Room: In this room, students can try to do some of Franklin's famous experiments.
The Benjamin Franklin House offers free visits for schools on Tuesdays. While it's designed for students around 10-11 years old, visits can be changed to fit students of all ages.
The Scholarship Centre
On the top floor of the house, there's a "Scholarship Centre." This is a place for people to study the many different subjects that Benjamin Franklin was interested in, from science to writing.
Annual Literary Prize
Benjamin Franklin House also holds an annual Literary Prize. In this competition, people write about a quote from Benjamin Franklin and explain what it means today.
See also
- Grade I listed buildings in the City of Westminster
- Benjamin Franklin National Memorial, a U.S. national memorial in Philadelphia
- Franklin Court, the site of one of Franklin's residences in Philadelphia
