Located at 36 Craven Street, an unassuming little side street, visitors will find the only remaining house in which Benjamin Franklin lived. Franklin lived here for 16 years, between 1757 and 1775. During his time here as America’s chief colonial agent, Franklin lobbied Parliament on issue related to colonial taxation. Built in 1730, this Georgian boarding house was empty and derelict by the 1980s. The Friends of the Benjamin Franklin organization was granted the freehold to the site and began restoration efforts. It holds a Grade I architectural listing for its extensive original fixtures, including fourteen fireplaces, ceilings, paneling, shutters, floors, and central staircase. The museum opened to the public on Franklin’s 300th birthday in January 2006.
The “Historical Experience” tours seeks to utilize this space by blending live performances, sound, lighting, and visual projection in order to bring the history of this home alive. The tour begins in a small seminar room outside of the home’s original boundaries. There are several display cases filled with bones that were found during conservation. They were remnants of an anatomy school that was run by the husband of Polly Hewson, daughter of Franklin’s landlady. A guide begins by welcoming the visitors and introducing a short film that plays on a projection screen at the front of the room. This film is very informative and sets the scene of Franklin’s time at the house in the context of the looming American Revolution.
At the conclusion of the tour, the audiences makes their way back downstairs by following a similar route. It is shocking to see the rooms that you just witness so much history in. They are bare, with no artifacts at all. The rooms feel smaller and lifeless. It is amazing that the museum has found a way to utilize a small space and create an engaging experience with no historical items. For me, this is a model that all small house museums should at least consider. Even if this model was not adopted for the entire museum, many small house museums would benefit from the introductory video at the beginning. By having a seminar room with an informative presentation, the audience is immediately aware of important background information that is vital for deeper understanding of exhibits and presentations. I certainly think that the Rosenbaum House could use this aspect of the Franklin House’s overall method of delivery.
The “Historical Experience” tours seeks to utilize this space by blending live performances, sound, lighting, and visual projection in order to bring the history of this home alive. The tour begins in a small seminar room outside of the home’s original boundaries. There are several display cases filled with bones that were found during conservation. They were remnants of an anatomy school that was run by the husband of Polly Hewson, daughter of Franklin’s landlady. A guide begins by welcoming the visitors and introducing a short film that plays on a projection screen at the front of the room. This film is very informative and sets the scene of Franklin’s time at the house in the context of the looming American Revolution.
At the conclusion of the tour, the audiences makes their way back downstairs by following a similar route. It is shocking to see the rooms that you just witness so much history in. They are bare, with no artifacts at all. The rooms feel smaller and lifeless. It is amazing that the museum has found a way to utilize a small space and create an engaging experience with no historical items. For me, this is a model that all small house museums should at least consider. Even if this model was not adopted for the entire museum, many small house museums would benefit from the introductory video at the beginning. By having a seminar room with an informative presentation, the audience is immediately aware of important background information that is vital for deeper understanding of exhibits and presentations. I certainly think that the Rosenbaum House could use this aspect of the Franklin House’s overall method of delivery.
I enjoyed this museum more than all of the others that I visited. That is a remarkable statement when you consider the funding, space, and staff that the Franklin House has in comparison to places like the British Museum. Even when compared to John Soane’s Museum, with all of its artifacts, in my view, it still tells a more compelling story.