SPECIAL EXHIBITION CELEBRATES BEN FRANKLIN’S 300^TH BIRTHDAY
The Franklin Institute Hosts First Stop On International Tour

Philadelphia, May 14, 2004 — On January 17, 2006, the world will celebrate the 300^th birthday of universal historical icon, Ben Franklin. At the heart of B. Franklin 300, a national commemoration organized by the Benjamin Franklin Tercentenary Commission, is the internationally traveling exhibition, Benjamin Franklin: In Search of a Better World, on display at The Franklin Institute Science Museum from October 6, 2005 through April 15, 2006. 

The exhibit recreates Dr. Franklin’s 18^th-century experience with 250 original Franklin artifacts—the largest collection ever assembled for viewing, including scientific instruments used in ahead-of-his-time experiments. Hands-on activities, multi-media presentations and immersive environments explore who Franklin was and what he accomplished. Audiences will leave the exhibition with a better understanding of the ordinary man whose extraordinary mind, scientific discoveries and monumental diplomatic achievements still impact the
world today.

After debuting in Philadelphia, Benjamin Franklin: In Search of a Better World will make stops in four other American venues and in Paris, where Franklin made his home for many years.

The B. Franklin 300 commission seeks to recognize Dr. Franklin, the first of America’s founding fathers to reach his 300^th birthday, as an appropriate model for distinctive American identity and introduce him to a new generation. Visit www.benfranklin300.com for a complete listing of Franklin-related events.

The Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC), Philadelphia’s regional tourism marketing agency, is a private, non-profit organization dedicated to building the region’s economy and positive image through tourism and destination marketing. For more information about travel to Philadelphia, call the new Independence Visitor Center, located in Independence National Historical Park, at (800) 537-7676, or visit www.gophila.com.

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Note to Editors: For photos of Greater Philadelphia, visit the photo gallery of www.gophila.com/pressroom

June 2004

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