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The Franklin Institute, Philadelphia, PA
MuseumsFamily FavoriteRainy-Day Pick

The Franklin Institute

222 N 20th St · Philadelphia, PA

Why you should go…

Philadelphia's legendary science museum lets you walk through a two-story human heart, climb through a brain's neural network, and catch a show in the Fels Planetarium. Blockbuster touring exhibitions and live demonstrations keep it fresh no matter how many times you've been. It's the city's ultimate rainy-day insurance policy.

  • #science
  • #kids
  • #planetarium
  • #hands-on
  • #museum

Good to know

General museums guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • Check the special exhibition separately

    Touring shows usually carry their own ticket and their own opening hours, listed apart from general admission.

  • Look for the free window

    Many museums run community days, member evenings, or discounted late openings. It is worth a look before you pay full price.

  • Travel light through the door

    Large bags and backpacks often have to go to a coat check, and lines for it move slowly at opening.

  • Weekday mornings beat weekend afternoons

    School groups clear out by early afternoon midweek, while weekends stay busy from late morning on.

Maps and brochures

The Franklin Institute: moreThe Franklin Institute: brochureThe Franklin Institute: brochure

What's around here?

The closest stops to The Franklin Institute, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

  • Museums
    Local Gem

    Barnes Foundation

    $25–$50

    Renoirs and Matisses hung floor-to-ceiling exactly as Dr. Barnes arranged them, an art experience unlike any other.

    Steps awayMore like this

  • Museums
    Date Night

    Rodin Museum

    Under $25

    View Rodin bronzes, marbles and plasters, with The Thinker and The Gates of Hell, in a small museum and garden.

    0.3 mi awayMore like this

  • Stay
    Local Gem

    Sheraton Philadelphia Downtown

    $50+

    A large high-rise hotel in the Museum District, a short walk from LOVE Park, the Franklin Institute and the Art Museum.

    0.3 mi awaySwitch it up: Stay

  • Museums
    Local Gem

    Mütter Museum

    Under $25

    The famously strange medical museum of the College of Physicians, antique instruments, anatomical specimens, and Einstein's brain.

    0.4 mi awayMore like this

  • Sightseeing
    Iconic

    LOVE Park

    Free

    Pose with Robert Indiana's LOVE sculpture and watch the fountain in a small plaza facing Philadelphia City Hall.

    0.5 mi awaySwitch it up: Sightseeing

  • Sightseeing
    Iconic

    Philadelphia

    Free

    The birthplace of American independence, packed with Revolutionary War history, world-class museums, and a legendary food scene.

    0.6 mi awaySwitch it up: Sightseeing