Benjamin Franklin House

Benjamin Franklin House Review

This architecturally significant 1730 house is the only surviving residence of American statesman, scientist, writer, and inventor Benjamin Franklin, who lived and worked here for 16 years preceding the American Revolution. The restored Georgian town house has been left unfurnished, the better to show off the original features—18th-century paneling, stoves, beams, bricks, and windows. Older children (under 16 admitted free) particularly enjoy the Student Science Centre, an interactive display of scientific experiments that contrasts historical and modern knowledge. There's also a glass harmonica (which Franklin invented while living there) and a scholarship center with a complete collection of Franklin's papers. On Monday you can take a guided tour focusing on the architectural details of the building.