Benjamin Franklin Museum
Overview
Expert Summary
Detailed Insights
The Benjamin Franklin Museum is a small, affordable, and information-packed historical attraction that offers a concise yet thorough understanding of Benjamin Franklin's life, inventions, and philosophies. It uniquely blends historical artifacts with interactive elements and educational displays, making it suitable for a quick, enriching visit, especially when paired with other historical sites.
Key Highlights
- ✓Engaging overview of Benjamin Franklin's diverse life, inventions, quotes, and writings.
- ✓Specific hands-on activities, including 'please touch' displays and rubbings, appeal to elementary-aged children.
- ✓Active printing press demonstrations available next door on Sundays, offering insight into 18th-century publication methods.
- ✓Friendly and welcoming staff enhance the visitor experience.
- ✓Considered a 'worthwhile attraction' that is 'information packed' despite its small size.
Standout Features
- ⭐Interactive 'please touch' displays for children.
- ⭐Opportunity to see a working printing press on Sundays (located next door).
- ⭐Affordable entry fee of $5.
- ⭐Educational content presented engagingly for various age groups.
- ⭐Friendly and helpful staff members.
- ⭐Conveniently located in an historic courtyard with easy access.
Perfect For
Ideal For
💡Pro Tips from Reviews
- →**Visit on a Sunday** to experience the active printing press next door, demonstrating how Franklin's team produced publications.
- →**Pair your visit** with other historical attractions in the area, as the museum is a relatively short experience (30 mins - 2 hours).
- →**Bring a 4th grader with an 'Every Kid Outdoors pass'** for free entry for the child and their family.
- →**Allocate 1-1.5 hours for adults** and up to 2 hours for children who are eager learners.
- →Expect a 'quaint little museum' that is information-packed rather than expansive.
Things to Consider
- ⚠Not designed as a full-day attraction; visits typically range from 30 minutes to 2 hours, so manage expectations for visit duration.
Price & Value
The entrance fee is $5 per person, which is consistently described as 'very affordable' and offers good value for the amount of information and the quality of the exhibits. It's free for 4th graders and their families with an 'Every Kid Outdoors pass'. No hidden costs mentioned.
♿Accessibility & Special Needs
- •No specific information provided in reviews regarding wheelchair accessibility or other special needs accommodations, beyond 'easy access' which is generic.
🍎Food & Drink Policy
- •No specific information provided in reviews regarding outside food or drinks.
🚗Parking Info
- •No specific information provided in reviews regarding parking facilities or costs.
👥Crowd Levels
- •Reviews indicate it is generally 'not super busy', suggesting manageable crowd levels even during peak times.
🛡️Safety Features
- •No specific information provided in reviews regarding safety measures.
⏰When to Avoid
- • If you are expecting a full-day, large-scale interactive science center; this is a smaller, more focused historical museum.
- • If your children are toddlers or very young preschoolers, as the primary engagement is reading displays and some light hands-on interaction, not extensive play areas.
Pricing/Package/Events
Events & Schedule
Special Events(Last 2 months - Next 6 months)
National Public Lands Day
Saturday, September 27, 2025
FREE admission for all visitors
A day of observance with free admission to the museum.
Veterans Day
Tuesday, November 11, 2025
FREE admission for all visitors
A day of observance with free admission to the museum.
🍎Food Policy
- • Accessible restrooms are located on the lower level of the museum (admission fee required to enter museum).
- • A cafe is available in the Independence Visitor Center (6th and Market Streets).
- • Many restaurants are in the area of the park.
- • Visitors may bring a bagged lunch and eat on benches in the park.
- • Water bottle filling stations are available at the Independence Visitor Center and other nearby national park units (not explicitly in BFM).
🛡️Safety Policy
- • All visitors entering secure areas (e.g., Liberty Bell Center and buildings on Independence Square) are required to proceed through security screening, including a bag check.
- • No weapons or pocket knives are permitted in secure areas.
- • Photography, including flash and video, is permitted in park buildings, with the exception of specific light-sensitive exhibits (e.g., Great Essentials exhibit in Independence Hall).
- • Flash photography is prohibited in light-sensitive exhibits.
- • Tripod usage is prohibited throughout the park.
- • No photography is permitted in security screening areas.
- • Pets are permitted on park grounds providing they are leashed, but are not permitted in any park buildings. Service dogs are welcome in all buildings.
📅Booking Policy
- • Admission is available at the door and must be purchased on the day of your visit.
- • School group reservations are not required, but are recommended.
- • Requests for school group reservations must be submitted two weeks in advance.
- • There is a limit of 100 tickets reserved for school groups for each hour.
- • School group reservations are on the hour (e.g., 9AM, 10AM).
- • A reservation for a school group is not a guarantee of free admission; a signed letter on school letterhead requesting a fee waiver (addressing eligibility, educational purpose, and relevance of park resources) is required.
- • A park representative will respond to school group reservation requests within 72 hours.
🚗Parking Information
- • Parking is available at the Independence Visitor Center garage (6th and Market Streets). Enter on 5th or 6th Street, between Market and Arch Streets. Fees apply.
- • Parking is also available at a garage on 2nd Street between Chestnut and Walnut Streets. Fees apply.
What People Say
What's Great
- Friendly and helpful staff (mentioned in 5 reviews)
- Spacious play areas (mentioned in 2 reviews)
Areas for Improvement
- Can get crowded during peak times (mentioned in 2 reviews)
Recent Reviews
A R
a month agoThis is a neat little museum in honor of Ben Franklin. It's five dollars to enter, and we spent about 30 minutes walking around and looking at all of the exhibits. It's definitely a worthwhile attraction to visit, although I'd recommend pairing this visit with stops at other historical attractions in the area.
Stig's Inferno
3 months agoThis small museum has some fascinating insights into the brilliant mind and extraordinary life of Benjamin Franklin. There are several artifacts showing the diversity of efforts and events of his lifetime, his inventions, his quotes and writings, and more. It took about 45 minutes to walk through and read most of the displays. The entrance fee is $5. If you come on Sunday, the printing press next door is active so you can see how Benjamin Franklin and his team would have produced their newspapers and other publications.
Nikki L
5 months agoThis museum is a great way to get a thorough understanding of Benjamin Franklin within a couple hours. My middle-school aged kids found plenty to do to be entertained, and they learned quite a bit. My elementary-school aged child loved the hands-on stuff and made some rubbings of a few "please touch" displays. I'd recommend about 1-1.5 hours for adults, maybe 2 hours for eager-learning children. Also, it is free with a fourth grader and their Every Kid Outdoors pass!
Ryan De La Luz
9 months agoNot super busy, and very affordable entry. Quaint little museum that covers the life of Benjamin Franklin, workers are very friendly, and the exhibits are amazing. Walking through the whole museum took my wife and I less than an hour, not very big, but information packed. Great stop!
Quahog
9 months agoNice little museum in an historic courtyard. Easy access and well staffed. Less a display of artifacts, although there are some, more a review of his life and philosophy. Nice way to spend an hour or two. We give it four clams on the coveted Five Quahog Rating Scale