Category: Franklin Institute

My obsession with the Franklin Institute started with several class trips in grade school. I LOVED everything I saw there, as the mechanical and electrical exhibits all appealed to my nerdy self. Later in the early 1990s, Franklin Institute’s “Futures Center” took it to a new level, showing off the latest in computers, automation, and other modern technologies. I really wish they kept a smaller version of it as I absolutely LOVED the Futures Center, and often wax nostalgic about it. While I still love the FI and maintain a membership there, I often wish some of the older/other exhibits I remember were still on display, and that the office space in the upper floors was open as exhibit area as I remember it.

I started to hunt down pictures and memorabilia of the Futures Center, and found that while there is very little to be found (from the FC), I did find a lot of other memorabilia from times past, and learned the Institute has a storied history dating back to the mid 1800s! Since I found this stuff fascinating, I started collecting various “interesting” ephemera from all periods of the FI’s history, yet, still have found very little from the actual Futures Center.

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Franklin Institute Renovating Train Room!

After many many years of the train room more or less looking the same, it seems today 6/4/2019 the Franklin Institute announced it will be renovating the train room and making it a two story affair!

New article here: https://www.inquirer.com/arts/franklin-institute-philadelphia-locomotive-train-room-renovation-baldwin-60000-20190604.html?__vfz=medium%3Dsharebar

While it’s awesome to hear the place is finally getting some updates, I really hope they plan to include many actual hands-on exhibits like they’ve done in the past, and not limit them to touch screens. Kids need to feel the weight of a train part, or be able to handle and see perhaps modern technology in modern passenger and freight trains. They can play with touchscreens at home!

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NEW POST(er) – Franklin Institute Art Expo – 1937

Another awesome piece of Franklin Institute ephemera has been found – a booklet from an Art Expo held at the Franklin Institute from April to June, 1937. The expo was put on by the Graphics Arts dept the Institute had at the time, and was organized in part by Alexey Brodovitch, who also designed the poster below as well as the booklet/catalog for the event. (Alexey is also known as a founder of the current Philadelphia College of Art). The expo was focused on advertisement posters from both the US and around the world.

It amazes me that stuff like this still exists, 80+ years later. Granted there are books that are in the 100s if not thousands of years range, but for this stuff to randomly pop up is why I love collecting it so much, and provides a picture as to what a place I love was like well before my own parents were a twinkle in their parents eyes!

You can find a larger version of the poster above on the web site of the Library of Congress.

That said…enjoy a few pics from the NEW POSTER booklet:

(My Favorite)
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Franklin Institute Map from 1934

Recently came across this on Ebay and had to have it. Franklin Institute map and exhibit list from 1934 (going by the included Planetarium card with a 1934 schedule).

The crazy part of this map is the description of the basement, which has always been off limits as far as I remember. I would LOVE to see whats still down there!

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Franklin Institute W3TKQ QSL Card from 1958

Being a Philly native, I have fond memories of the Franklin Institute from class trips and family outings. Growing up in the 80s and 90s I remember there being a new-ish ham radio station on the 4th floor where the telescope still is. Sadly like many things there it’s long gone, but I happened to find and acquire this old QSL card from the original station in 1958!

I do collect some FI ephemera, especially looking for ANYTHING from when they had the Futures center in the 1990s. Hit me up if you have any!

The ham radio station at the Franklin Institute was a partnership with a local ham radio club called the Philmont Mobile Radio Club. You can read more about the history of the station on the site here: http://www.phil-mont.org/tfi-hist.html . On a side note, I’ve hung out with the guys at Philmont and even got my ham radio license via their monthly testing sessions. If you’re looking for a local club, they’re a good one to check out!

I purposely left the rear of the card off as I have to censor some of the data, but the operator at the time was Nelson Schurr, W3DYP who filled and sent the card.

Stay tuned for more cool Franklin Institute stuff!