2016 Events at Benjamin Franklin House
House 10th and Franklin 310th Birthday Celebration
Sunday 17 January, 5-7pm
A celebration of Benjamin Franklin’s 310th birthday and the 10th anniversary of
the opening of Benjamin Franklin House to the public as a dynamic museum and
educational facility. A celebration with supporters and friends, with cake and
bubbly for all.
Benjamin Franklin House - Rothermere American Institute Lecture:
American Isolationism as Seen from the Most Local of Places
Monday 8 February, 6.30pm
Harmsworth Visiting Professor of American History, Kristin Hoganson,
reconsidered the myth of American isolationism by uncovering hidden histories of
one of the seemingly most local of places – the U.S. heartland – in one of the
seemingly most local of times.
Family Day: Float Ben’s Boat!
Tuesday 16 February, 11am
Benjamin Franklin crossed the Atlantic Ocean eight times in his life, charted the
Gulf Stream, and investigated canals. He was clearly a man who loved the sea, and
as a child wanted to work on a ship. Using the materials provided, children
constructed a model boat Franklin would have been proud to sail – one that stays
afloat and hold as much weight as possible!
Frankly Speaking! A Benjamin Franklin House Debate Competition in
collaboration with the US Embassy in London
LOCATION: Benjamin Franklin House and US Embassy London, 24
Grosvenor Square, London W1A 2LQ
Thursday 10 March, 9am-5.30pm
To encourage tomorrow’s thinkers today, we proudly hold an annual Benjamin
Franklin Fellowship Debate Competition for upper secondary school students, in
collaboration with the US Embassy London. The winner will join students from
across Europe and the United States at the Benjamin Franklin Transatlantic Fellows
Summer Institute in America!
To book call +44(0)207 925 1405 or email [email protected]
Benjamin Franklin House, 36 Craven Street, London WC2N 5NF
www.BenjaminFranklinHouse.org
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Annual Fulbright Lecture: Of Faith and Works
Monday 4 April, 6.30pm
The origins of charitable deeds are firmly rooted in religious traditions. Of Faith and
Works will explore the contours of the relationship between faith, broadly construed,
and work, both paid and unpaid, in the charitable sector. Dr. Patrick Harman serves
as the Executive Director of the Hayden-Harman Foundation. He is currently a
Fulbright scholar at Durham University.
£5/£3.50 for Friends and Concessions
Benjamin Franklin in London
Thursday 28 April, 6.30pm
Benjamin Franklin House Author in Residence, George Goodwin, will speak about
Franklin’s life on Craven Street and provide a short reading from his new book,
‘Benjamin Franklin in London. Guests will also enjoy an Architectural Tour of the
House. Ticket includes refreshments.
£20 adults/£15 for Friends and Concessions, London Historians Members
London Small Historic Houses: Behind the Scenes
LOCATION: Stephens House and Gardens 17 East End Rd, London N3 3QE
Tuesday 3 May, 6.30pm
Wondering how to start your museum career? Join representatives from London Shh!
and special guests from the sector to learn more about careers in museums and
network with heritage professionals.
RSVP Required - please contact Benjamin Franklin House
2016 US Benjamin Franklin House Robert H. Smith Lecture in American
Democracy - Benjamin Franklin: American Democracy and Innovation
LOCATION: New-York Historical Society, 170 Central Park West, New York, NY,
United States
Wednesday, May 11, 6.30pm
How did one of America’s most inventive and dynamic founders influence the
development of American democracy? Best-selling author Walter Isaacson discusses
how in his pursuit of innovation Benjamin Franklin shaped American national
character and left an enduring Enlightenment-era legacy. Walter Isaacson, President
and CEO of the Aspen Institute, is the author of several best-selling biographies,
including Benjamin Franklin: An American Life.
$44/$32 for N-YHS members and House Friends - please contact Benjamin
Franklin House
Museums at Night – ‘Candle Lit’ Architectural Tours
Thursday 12 & Friday 13 May, 7pm & 8pm
The atmospheric rooms of Benjamin Franklin’s only remaining residence will be the
feature of this night-time architectural tour, highlighting the original features of our
Grade I listed Georgian townhouse in evening light.
£5/£3.50 Friends and Concessions
To book call +44(0)207 925 1405 or email [email protected]
Benjamin Franklin House, 36 Craven Street, London WC2N 5NF
www.BenjaminFranklinHouse.org
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Science On Stage
LOCATION: The British Library Conference Centre, 96 Euston Road, London
NW1 2DB
Friday 20 May, 10.30am
School children will take part in fun and informative sessions which highlight what
became of Franklin’s most important investigations. Special guests will capture
children’s attention with experiments that pop, illuminate, and crackle, showing how
Franklin’s 18th century explorations have led to some of today’s most important
technologies. Suitable for Years 3-6.
Free – school booking required
2016 UK Robert H. Smith Lecture: The Intimate History of Democracy and
Money in America
LOCATION: The British Library, The Terrace Restaurant, 96 Euston Road,
London NW1 2DB
Tuesday 24 May, 6.30pm
The American political system in 2016 is awash in billions of dollars, a situation
that may well compromise the country’s democratic aspirations. How did this
happen? Cambridge University’s Gary Gerstle takes us back to America’s origins
and reconstructs the strangely intimate and symbiotic relationship of democracy
and money across the whole of the nation’s history.
£10/£8/£7 - booking via the British Library: 01937546546 and www.bl.uk
Franklin’s Singing Bowls: An Evening with the Glass Armonica
Monday 6 June, 6.30pm
In 1762, Franklin premiered his new musical invention, the glass armonica which
had been devised a year earlier at 36 Craven Street. Mallory Horrill, Front of
House and Marketing Supervisor, will demonstrate how ethereal sounds are
produced from rotating glass bowls which have inspired compositions by Mozart,
Beethoven, (JC) Bach, and more recently, rock musicians like Jarvis Cocker and
Damian Albarn.
£5/£3.50 for Friends and Concessions
Annual Science Fair
Tuesday 14 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 end-of-year gathering where prizes will be awarded!
Free – school bookings required
Independence Day Party
Monday 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. As a
founder of the United States, Franklin was the only statesman to have signed all
four documents that created a new nation, including The Declaration of
Independence, the Treaty of Alliance with France, the Treaty of Paris, and The
Constitution. The first of these was signed on July 4, 1776, an annual US holiday.
£8/£5 Friends and Concessions
To book call +44(0)207 925 1405 or email [email protected]
Benjamin Franklin House, 36 Craven Street, London WC2N 5NF
www.BenjaminFranklinHouse.org
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Concordia Concert
Thursday 21 July, 7.30pm
We will be hosting an evening in keeping with Franklin’s love of 18th century music
in association with our Craven Street neighbours, the Concordia Foundation, which
serves young musicians. Join us for a programme of music for flute and guitar with
Flauguissimo Duo.
£20 including refreshments
Family Day: Festival of Archaeology
Tuesday 26 July, 11am
As part of the Festival of Archaeology, 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.
Suitable for 7-14 year olds.
Free, but donations welcome! – Advanced booking recommended
Family Day: Children’s Summer Fete
Location: Leighton House Museum, 12 Holland Park Rd, London W14 8LZ
Saturday 6 August, 11am - 4pm
Our annual Summer Fete will take place in collaboration with special guests from the
world of heritage, and will include activities for all the family. The Fete will be held in
the lovely gardens of Leighton House Museum so bring a picnic!
Free, but donations welcome! – Advanced booking recommended
Franklin and Climate Change
Monday 12 September, 1pm
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.
£5/£3.50 for Friends and Concessions
Open House London
Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 September, 10.30am-4pm
Open House London is the capital’s largest annual festival of architecture and design.
This annual event allows 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.
Free – half-hourly tours run on a first come first served basis
To book call +44(0)207 925 1405 or email [email protected]
Benjamin Franklin House, 36 Craven Street, London WC2N 5NF
www.BenjaminFranklinHouse.org
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The Kite and Key
Monday 26 September, 6.30pm
Join Education Manager, Stephen Wilson, for a lecture and live demonstration
exploring the science and speculation behind Franklin’s infamous and muchmythologised ‘kite and key’ experiment, said to have been conducted to prove that
lightning is an electrical phenomenon. For science novices and Franklin fans alike.
£5/£3.50 Friends and Concessions
Family Day: Hallowe’en at Benjamin Franklin House
Tuesday 25 October, 4-5pm
Children will be entertained by 18th century scary stories told by Polly Hewson and
ghastly games!
Free, but donations welcome! – Advanced booking recommended
Presidential Debate
LOCATION The British Library Conference Centre Auditorium , 96 Euston
Road, London NW1 2DB
Friday 28 October, 6.30pm
Just prior to the American Presidential election, we will host a debate featuring
representatives of Republicans Overseas and Democrats Abroad on the best person
to lead the United States in the years ahead.
Booking via the British Library: 01937546546 and www.bl.uk
Museums at Night - Craven Street Bones
Saturday 29 October, 6.30pm
In 1997, a chance discovery during conservation sparked an investigation at Benjamin
Franklin House: how did human skeletal remains of up to 10 individuals come to be
buried under the basement floor? Historian Braena Sykes will explore the answer to
this question and reveal the darker side of the 18th century’s pursuit of knowledge.
£5/£3.50 Friends and Concessions
Put your stamp on it: Ben Franklin and a dreaded Act, 250 years on
Wednesday 16 November, 6.30pm
Benjamin Franklin House Director, Dr. Márcia Balisciano, will show that while
Franklin did not initially realise the furore the Stamp Act would cause, he played an
important part in its repeal. Looking back on it today, she will argue it was a
catalyst for the eventual American Revolution.
£5/£3.50 Friends and Concessions
To book call +44(0)207 925 1405 or email [email protected]
Benjamin Franklin House, 36 Craven Street, London WC2N 5NF
www.BenjaminFranklinHouse.org
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Annual Symposium in association with the Eccles Centre: 30 Years of
Bloomsbury
LOCATION: The British Library Conference Centre, 96 Euston Road,
London NW1 2DB
Monday 21 November, 6.30pm
Nigel Newton, an entrepreneur and publisher like Benjamin Franklin, looks back
over the thrills and spills - the key moments in the story of the publishing house he
started 30 years ago. Among Bloomsbury Publishing’s best known authors are J. K.
Rowling and her Harry Potter books, Khaled Hosseini with The Kite Runner and
Michael Ondaatje’s The English Patient.
£10/£8/£7 - booking via the British Library: 01937546546 and www.bl.uk
Thanksgiving Dinner
LOCATION: Clothworkers' Hall, Dunster Court, Mincing Lane, London EC3R
7AH
Thursday 24 November, 7.30pm
An American Thanksgiving feast with all the trimmings will take place at magnificent
Clothworkers’ 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.
Contact Benjamin Franklin House for further details and to book
Annual Friends and Neighbours Christmas Party
Thursday 8 December, 6.30pm
Celebrate the festive season with friends of the House and our Craven Street
neighbours. In the great British holiday tradition, enjoy a mince pie, and a glass or
two of homemade mulled wine!
Free – RSVP to [email protected]
Family Day: Children’s Christmas Party
Saturday 10 December, 10.30am
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 Christmas
crafts to make and take home! Suitable for 5-11 year olds.
Free, but donations welcome! – Advanced booking recommended
To book call +44(0)207 925 1405 or email [email protected]
Benjamin Franklin House, 36 Craven Street, London WC2N 5NF
www.BenjaminFranklinHouse.org
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