222 North 20th St, The Franklin Institute, Philadelphia, PA 19103
Phone: 215-448-1200 or 215-448-1308
Open All Year
Overview. Originally opened in 1938 to honor Benjamin Franklin, renowned patriot, statesman, inventor, writer, and publisher, Memorial Hall, located in the rotunda of the Franklin Institute, houses a 20-foot-tall statue of Franklin. The seated figure was sculpted by James Earle Fraser of white Seravezza marble, and weighs 122 tons. The hall itself was designed by John T. Windrim, who modeled it on the Pantheon in Rome; its floors, walls, and columns are fashioned from rare French, Portuguese, and Italian marbles. What to see and do. In addition to the impressive statue of Franklin, the memorial exhibits many of his personal effects, including scientific instruments, original publications, his printing table, and the odometer he used to measure Philadelphia postal routes. A mystery clock, received as a gift when Franklin was in Paris, is also on display. The memorial is open daily, from 9:30 AM to 5 PM Sunday through Thursday, and to 9 pm Friday and Saturday. It is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Day, New Year's Day, and Independence Day. After you visit the memorial, be sure to take in the exhibits at the Franklin Institute Science Museum, located in the same complex. There is an admission charge to enter the science museum.
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