January 12, 2026
Provided Courtesy/The Franklin Institute
After photos beneath the 20-foot-tall Franklin statue, visitors can explore interactive activities, live demonstrations and performances inspired by Franklin’s work.
"Ben’s Birthday Bash" takes place Saturday, Jan. 17, at the Franklin Institute, celebrating the 320th birthday of Benjamin Franklin with a mix of hands-on science, live demonstrations and interactive activities.
The event runs from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., with programming spread throughout the museum and inside the Benjamin Franklin National Memorial. Visitors can take photos beneath the 20-foot-tall Franklin statue before moving through games, experiments and performances inspired by Franklin’s work.
A new immersive multimedia show called Franklin’s Spark will debut during the celebration and play hourly inside the memorial. Highlights also include a live performance of “Happy Birthday” on the glass armonica, an instrument invented by Franklin, followed by a ball-pit ball explosion finale at 11:15 a.m.
Throughout the day, visitors can catch live electricity demonstrations tied to Franklin’s famous experiments, play Franklin-themed party games, and design their own birthday hats. Poor Richard’s Pursuit, a scavenger hunt, challenges participants to solve puzzles for a chance to win a copy of Franklin’s Fortune, a deck-building game. The Hamilton Collections Gallery will be open with several of Franklin’s inventions on display, and the National Park Service will host a pop-up focused on 18th-century printing.
Visitors are encouraged to dress in Franklin-inspired outfits, with creative interpretations welcome.
Saturday, Jan. 17 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The Franklin Institute
222 N 20th St.
Philadelphia, PA 19103
Included with museum admission
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