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 roup Visits
Group visits are welcomed at Benjamin Franklin House, and there are a variety of different ways for your group to uncover the historical, architectural and scientific importance of this Grade 1 listed building and its inhabitants, including Benjamin Franklin and surgeon & anatomist William Hewson. Every group is catered for individually, so please contact us to discuss your specific requirements.
General Information
A group visit costs just £6 per person (normal admission £7), and usually includes the Historical Experience and a further talk or demonstration. You will find details of some of the things we can offer on the following pages.
We can accommodate groups of up to 30, although larger groups will be divided into two sets during their visit. Usually group bookings will take place Wednesday—Sunday afternoons, although out of hours bookings are possible at an additional cost.
The Historical Experience presents the excitement and uncertainty of Franklin’s London years using the rooms he inhabited for nearly sixteen years as staging for a drama which seamlessly integrates live performance, cutting edge lighting and projection technology. With its ‘museums as theatre’ approach, it stands alone among London attractions. The main character is Polly Hewson, daughter of Franklin’s landlady who became a ‘second daughter’ to Franklin, who accompanies visitors around the House, as they experience a sense of the complexity of the man and the times in which he lived: food, health, botany, and daily living in the basement kitchen; social and personal relationships, musical inventions and political tension on the ground floor; scientific work, political triumphs and woes, and a hurried return to America in the face of the looming War of Independence on the first floor.
Architectural & Conservation Tours
For those groups for whom the architecture of this historic building, rather than necessarily its inhabitants, is of primary interest, we can arrange a standard tour of the House with a knowledgeable guide. The guide will be able to point out some of the more spectacular original features and provide information on the lengthy conservation project of a building that was facing dereliction, and the 300 years of its history, including Franklin’s residence, Hewson’s anatomy school, and what became of the House after Franklin’s time.
The Glass Armonica
Franklin invented the Glass Armonica in 1761, after seeing Edmund Delaval play water filled wine glasses in Cambridge in 1758. Franklin’s Armonica, capable of creating more harmonies within the actual melody, consisted of 37 bowls mounted on an iron spindle, which could be turned by means of a foot-operated treadle, and played with moistened fingers. Mozart, Beethoven, and many others composed works on the Armonica, although by the early 19th century, suspicion that the ethereal music could drive performers mad caused a decline in the instrument’s popularity. In a demonstration of our working Armonica, you will get the chance to play the instrument yourself.
The Lightning Experiment
In London, Franklin continued his innovative work in science. On the banks of the Thames at the bottom of Craven Street he demonstrated his kite and key experiment proving lightning to be an electrical phenomenon, while St. Paul’s Cathedral was the first building inBritain to have a Franklin lightning rod. Using a Tesla Coil to zap our model church, this exciting experiment provides a visual demonstration of Franklin’s invention. A demonstration of the work Franklin carried out at Craven Street, with chemist Joseph Priestley, testing the effect of canal depths on ships is also available.
William Hewson & The Craven Street Bones
One of the more grisly finds during conservation of 36 Craven Street were a number of human and animal bones, excavated from what would have been the House’s garden. In just one square metre of ground, more than 1,200 human and animal bones were discovered. Forensic archaeologists confirmed that these remains dated from the 18th century, and it was assumed they were the remains of dissections carried out at Hewson’s Anatomy School, run from the house from 1772 (after he had married Polly Stevenson) and his death in 1774.
18th Century Medicine & Anatomy Schools
This talk takes Hewson’s Anatomy School as a starting point to discuss medical research and surgery in the 18th century. Private anatomy schools flourished in this period, but in order to provide corpses for dissection, all surgeons had the same recourse… to the Bodysnatcher!
Forensic Archaeology
In Forensics at Franklin’s participants learn the definition of and uses for archaeology and forensics while uncovering the secrets of primitive surgery. As archaeologists for the day, participants must analyze bone fragments found at Craven Street and employ the techniques of modern forensic investigation, describing their evidence and what each piece reveals.
Private Evening Visit
For a really exclusive evening, why not enjoy a private viewing of the House? These can be arranged at any time after 5:30pm, and will include the Historical Experience and/or a talk or demonstration, with refreshments provided. Costs may vary, depending on the size of your group and the time required, but should be no more than £15 per head. Please contact us to discuss your requirements.
Room Hire
The House is a delightful venue in which to hold a drinks reception, sit-down meal, meeting or event. With a variety of rooms available, including beautiful Georgian parlours, a seminar room, and an outside terrace, hire costs start at just £250, depending on the time of your booking and requirements. Please contact us to find out more information or discuss a booking.
For further information email info@benjaminfranklinhouse.org
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