The Franklin Institute was founded in Philadelphia in 1824, to celebrate the work of American inventor and statesman Benjamin Franklin. Today, it serves as a center for science education and awareness. The Institute just recently underwent a $10 million expansion.
Here are some photos from a recent visit:
The Franklin Institute.
The statue of Ben Franklin in the rotunda.
The multi-floor Foucault Pendulum in the stairway.
The new space science exhibit.
An Apollo space suit.
A Soviet water-cooled undersuit, intended for use on the Moon.
A piece of moon rock brought back by Apollo 15.
An iron meteorite found near Flagstaff, Arizona.
"The Rocket". Seven of these small steam locomotives were built in 1838 for the Reading Railroad. This is the only one remaining.
Model 60000 locomotive on display.
Interior of locomotive.
T-33 jet trainer on display.
Me in the cockpit of the T-33.
A restored Wright Brothers 1911 Model B Flyer.
Cutaway view of a Curtiss-Wright R-3350 turboprop engine.
This display consists of a human body that was frozen, cut into thin slices, and embedded in plastic for viewing.
The walkthrough model of a human heart. An icon at the Franklin Institute since the 50's.
A mounted giant neuron from a squid.