Member Events and Updates

For reservations or more information, please call the Membership Office at 215.448.1200, 9:00AM-5:00PM daily.

Just for Members

Member Sundays

When: 11:30AM, 12:45PM, and 2:00PM unless otherwise noted, on the dates listed below.
Cost: $7.50 per Child Member. Adult required to attend and assist children. Free parking* in included with advance reservations.

Advance reservations required. Space is limited—register early!

June 23 - Fish Dissection
Explore the internal and external anatomy of a fish through this hands-on dissection. Work with your family to identify the internal organs of the fish and make a fish scale print to take home. One specimen per family; adults must handle scalpels.

July 14 - Solar Viewing
This workshop is HOT! We will examine sunspots, look at the sun's surface through our Zeiss refracting telescope, and learn what makes our closest star so dynamic. Then explore ultraviolet rays, why we need to protect ourselves from them, and create a UV Detector to take home! Solar observing is weather permitting, though the workshop will run rain or shine.

August 11 - Kitchen Science
Explore cooking like a scientist with hands-on, taste bud-activating activities. Learn about the chemistry at work in your kitchen, try some edible experiments, and take home some "recipe cards" to build your own scientific cook book!

September 15 - Owl Pellet Dissection
Learn about the eating habits of this bird of prey with this fun dissection! Inspect the pellet then gently pull it apart to reveal its contents—the skeleton(s) of the owl's meal! Classify and reconstruct the bones and determine what the owl's meal consisted of. This dissection is perfect for the entire family, no scalpels required.

SAVE THE DATE!
October 6 - Observe the Moon
The moon will be high in the daytime sky on this date during World Space Week! Stay tuned for more details.

*Parking is first come, first served in The Franklin Institute's parking garage.


Other Events

The Franklin Institute is Expanding!

The Franklin Institute broke ground on the Nicholas and Athena Karabots Pavilion on Thursday, April 5, 2012. The building addition, scheduled to open in summer 2014, will enable us to engage more students in our effective education programs, secure our standing as the preferred destination for traveling exhibitions, and unveil a brand new cutting-edge core exhibit on the human brain. The lead gift from Mr. and Mrs. Karabots is a remarkable endorsement of the Institute's mission and we are grateful for their extraordinary support. Please look for additional information on this exciting project as we count down to its opening. Thank you for your continued membership and support. CLICK HERE for more information and updates.
The CONSTRUCTION CAM shows progress so far.


Night Skies in the Observatory

When: Thursday, June 13 - 7:00PM-10:00PM (Presentation at 8:15PM)
Cost: FREE for Members!

The Franklin Institute's Joel N. Bloom Observatory is open for evening public observing on the 2nd Thursday night of every month. On these special nights, The Franklin Institute invites the public to view celestial objects in the sky, like stars, planets, and if conditions are right, a galaxy or two, from five different telescopes. Night Skies includes a Fels Planetarium show and a lecture or presentation (appropriate for all ages) on an astronomical or space science topic. The Observatory is staffed with knowledgeable observers and free star maps are provided. Don't miss out on these "out-of-this-world" evenings! Schedule subject to change.

June's Theme: TBA

CLICK HERE for details.


Kitchen Science

When: Saturday, June 15 - 11:00AM-3:00PM
Cost: FREE for Members! No reservations required.

Join The Franklin Institute Educators and Executive Chefs from Frog Commissary once a month as we examine topics in Kitchen Science. These fun- and flavor-filled events will engage you in an exploration of food science through hands-on, tastebud-activating activities that help you understand the science behind food and cooking. During 2013, we will look at a new theme each quarter, with demonstrations changing monthly. Stop by each month and by the end of 2013 you will be a Kitchen Science expert!

June's Theme: High-Tech Kitchen
Molecules are taking over the kitchen this month! Explore food in the form of foams, gels, and powders with hands-on activities from 11:00AM-3:00PM outside the Franklin Foodworks.

CLICK HERE for information about other upcoming Kitchen Science topics.