Annual Benjamin Franklin House Science Fair
Tuesday 25 June, 11am

Science Fair allows children to develop skills associated with scientific enquiry, helping them become autonomous thinkers and creative problem solvers. They are encouraged to develop their own responses to problems Franklin considered at Craven Street, such as how to get more heat from less fuel. Young
people create and display their own experiments at in-school Science Fairs, with winning entries going forward to this special gathering. Suitable for Years 3-6.

Tickets: Free – school bookings required

The Men Who Lost America
Monday 1 July, 12pm

Author Andrew O’Shaughnessy will discuss his new book about British command during the Revolutionary War. In 1781 the British Empire suffered its most humiliating defeat in a war they should have won. Blame has traditionally been cast at the feet of incompetent British military commanders and political leaders whose arrogant confidence and out-dated tactics were no match for the innovative and determined Americans. But this is far from the truth. Andrew O’Shaughnessy is the Saunders Director of the Robert H. Smith International Center for Jefferson Studies at Monticello and Professor of History at the University of Virginia. See here for more details about the book, and purchase a copy here.

Tickets: Free. RSVP to info@benjaminfranklinhouse.org

Independence Day Party
Thursday 4 July, 12-2pm

Join us for a celebration of Independence Day at Benjamin Franklin House. Enjoy cake and a glass of bubbly in the world’s only remaining Franklin home.

Tickets: £8/£5 Friends and concessions

Lady Reid Lecture – Franklin and Climate Change
Monday 15 July, 12pm

The term ’climate change’ refers to any significant change in the measures of climate lasting for an extended period of time. This may include changes in temperature, precipitation, or wind patterns. House scholar Lady Joan Reid will explore how Franklin's eighteenth century thinking touched on
climate change.

Tickets: £5/£3.50 Friends and concessions

Festival of British Archaeology: Bones in the Basement
Saturday 27 July, 11am

Children will explore the House’s fascinating archaeological history. They will discover why human bones were found in the basement and the story they tell about the history of medicine. Led by House Education Manager, Stephen Wilson.

Tickets: £5 per child, free for adults

A Musical Evening: Franklin's Glass Armonica
Monday 5 August, 6pm

In 1762, Franklin premiered his new musical invention, the glass armonica which had been devised a year earlier at 36 Craven Street. Ethereal sounds are produced from rotating glass bowls which inspired compositions by Mozart, Beethoven, (JC) Bach, and more recently, rock musicians like Jarvis Cocker and Damian Albarn. House Operations Manager, Sally James, will talk about the fascinating history of the glass armonica and perform excerpts from pieces written for the instrument.

Tickets: £5/£3.50 Friends and concessions

Annual Symposium in association with the Eccles Centre for American Studies: The Rediscovery of Wisdom
LOCATION: British Library, Eliot Room, 96 Euston Road, London NW1 2DB
Monday 9 September, 6.45pm

According to Rory Sutherland, Vice-Chairman of Ogilvy & Mather and Technology Correspondent for The Spectator, “recent advances in the social sciences, Darwinian psychology and behavioural economics point to one conclusion: a lot of very clever dead people were right all along.” Rory’s starting point will be Franklin’s
maxim: “There are two ways of being happy: We must either diminish our wants or augment our means - either may do...it is for each man to decide for himself and to do that which happens to be easier."

Tickets: £7.50/£5 Friends and concessions

Open House London Weekend
Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 September, 10.30am-4pm

Open House London Weekend celebrates the city’s incredible architecture. This annual event invites the public to cross the threshold of some of London’s most interesting buildings, including Grade I, 1730s Benjamin Franklin House. Half-hourly guided tours will take place throughout the day.

Tickets: Free – half-hourly tours run on a first come first served basis

Lady Reid Lecture – Franklin and the Dissenters
Monday 7 October, 12pm

House historian, Lady Reid, will conclude her 2013 lecture series with a thought provoking talk about Franklin and religion. Many of Franklin's London friends were dissenters from the state church's 39
Articles. Who were they, and how did they influence Franklin’s middle years? Find out the answers to these questions and much more.

Tickets: £5/£3.50 Friends and concessions

18th Century Toy Workshop
Tuesday 29 October, 11am

As the days get shorter and the nights draw in, discover how Georgian children entertained themselves through long winters. Discover the past and make 18th century toys, such as whirligigs, cup-and-ball, optical illusions, and paper dolls! Suitable for 5-11 year olds.

Tickets: £5 per child, free for adults

Thanksgiving Dinner
LOCATION: The Butchers' Hall, 87 Bartholomew Close, London EC1A 7EB
Thursday 28 November, 7.30pm

An American Thanksgiving feast with all the trimmings will take place at London’s famed Butchers' Hall. Roast turkey (and stuffing and vegetables and of course pumpkin pie) will be a highlight.
Franklin, in addition to suggesting the turkey become one of America’s national symbols, practised cooking it as part of his early work on electricity.

Tickets: £75 Adults/£35 children

Annual Friends and Neighbours Christmas Party
Wednesday 11 December, 6pm

Celebrate the festive season with our Craven Street friends and neighbours. In the great British holiday tradition, enjoy a mince pie and a glass or two of homemade mulled wine!

Tickets: Free for Friends and Craven Street Residents– RSVP to info@BenjaminFranklinHouse.org

Children’s Christmas Party
Saturday 14 December, 11am

With Christmas just around the corner, children will discover the magic of the holiday – 18th century style – with crafts and treats. Sing along to festive classics such as ’Silent Night’ and ’Jingle Bells’ with accompaniment on the Glass Armonica, Franklin’s musical instrument. Enjoy mince pies and deck the halls with a Christmas wreath to make and take home! Suitable for 5-11 year olds.

Tickets: £5 per child, free for adults