he Robert H. Smith Scholarship Centre is located on the top floor of the House and serves as a hub for Franklin-related study in Europe, with a full set of the Papers of Benjamin Franklin – which were purchased through a gift from the US Embassy London prior to opening, an active internship programme for university students from the US, UK, and farther afield, and nearly 40 public events per year.

US, UK, and other scholars have access - using print and online services - to the nearly 40 volumes of Franklin's writings produced, with analysis by scholars based at Yale University, thanks to support from the US Embassy London.

The Scholarship Centre is named for Robert H. Smith, a great man, who believed in and supported the potential of Franklin's only remaining home. We held the inaugural Robert H. Smith Annual Lecture in American Democracy in association with the Eccles Centre for American Studies at the British Library, to honour Robert H. Smith, who was passionate about the roots and reach of American Democracy. On Monday 21 May 2012, 6.30pm speaker, distinguished diplomat Lord Hannay of Chiswick, former Minister at the British Embassy in Washington and former British Ambassador to the United Nations, will discuss ‘Some Thoughts on the Diplomacy of a Great Democracy by an Outside Observer.’ Tickets: £7.50/£5 Friends and concessions. Booking: info@benjaminfranklinhouse.org or +44 (0) 207 839 2006

To visit the Scholarship Centre email: education@benjaminfranklinhouse.org

key Scholarship Centre initiative is the annual Benjamin Franklin House Symposium in association with the Eccles Centre for American Studies at the British Library, which features leading speakers in fields such as science, politics, and business discussing issues inspired by Franklin's life and work.

Topics of previous symposia have included Franklin and the Media's Role in Global Affairs, Benjamin Franklin and the Human Genome, Benjamin Franklin Design and Innovation and Benjamin Franklin and the Globalisation of Science. Dr. Richard Horton, Editor of the Lancet, celebrated particle physicist Professor Brian Cox, and Paul Smith, Director of Kew’s Millennium Seed Bank, are all past presenters.

The 2011 Symposium featured a beautifully illustrated talk by award-winning historian Andrea Wulf, on the lives of the American founding fathers and how their attitude to plants, gardens, nature and agriculture shaped the American nation. Andrea is also our 2012 speaker.  On Monday 24 September, 6.30pm Andrea will tell the extraordinary story of the first global scientific collaboration set amid warring armies, hurricanes, scientific endeavour, and personal tragedy. Andrea will reveal the spirit of the Enlightenment and man’s quest to understand the world. Tickets: £8/£5 Friends and concession. Booking: info@benjaminfranklinhouse.org or +44 (0) 207 839 2006

Internships

The Benjamin Franklin House internship programme attracts students from American and British universities, and those across Europe and farther afield, helping them gain skills in education, marketing, and museum operations. Following a detailed induction, they gain exposure to all aspects of the House, including running the Historical Experience, working in the Box Office, and assisting the team.  They have completed projects like developing a trail of sites important to Franklin across Britain; designing and running special weekend family days; crafting exhibition proposals and budgets; translating House information materials into foreign languages; obtaining maps and other historical documents from local archives; researching responses to special enquiries; and writing articles for posting on the House website. We provide social opportunities allowing our interns, who represent different cultures and backgrounds, to engage with one another in informal ways, including open evenings in the House. Interns have an opportunity to express their talents during their tenure, including through special projects such as a photography exhibition held by a previous intern to showcase images relating to international relations.  For more information contact education@BenjaminFranklinHouse.org.