FRANKLIN NATIONAL MEMORIAL
The Benjamin Franklin National Memorial is located in the rotunda of The Franklin Institute Science Museum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Dedicated by Congress in 1976, Memorial Hall features a 20 foot high marble statue of Ben. Sculpted by James Earle Fraser, the statue weighs 30 tons and sits on a 92-ton pedestal of white Seravezza marble. Originally opened in 1938, Memorial Hall was designed by architect John T. Windrim and modeled after the Pantheon in Rome. The Hall is 82 feet in length, width, and height. The domed ceiling is self-supporting and weighs 1600 tons. The floors, walls, columns, pilasters, and cornices are made of rare marbles from Portugal, Italy and France.
Memorial Hall also houses many of Franklin's original possessions, including his composing table and several of his original publications. The electrostatic machine that he used to perform his scientific experiments is now on display in Franklin Gallery. A gift that he received while he was in Paris, a mystery clock, has been preserved. Even the odometer that Ben used to measure the postal routes in Philadelphia is displayed in Franklin Gallery.
Today, the Benjamin Franklin National Memorial administers the Bower Awards to honor excellence in science and industry. A bequest from the late Henry Bower, a chemical manufacturer, provided the means for these annual awards. The Bower Award for Business Leadership presents a gold medal to an American who has made substantial contributions to business. The Bower Award and Prize for contributions to Science is an international award which includes a cash prize as well as a gold medal.
The National Memorial's other activities include tours, publications, annual convocations, perpetuating the legacy of Benjamin Franklin, and studying the problems facing humanity.
Admission to the National Memorial is free.