The Franklin Institute
Walk through a two-story human heart — Philadelphia's hands-on science museum and a marquee rainy-day day trip.
222 North 20th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103 · ~40 min from Wilmington
Hours
9:30 AM – 8 PM
Show the week Hide the week
| Fri | 9:30 AM – 8 PM |
|---|---|
| Sat | 9:30 AM – 8 PM |
| Sun | 9:30 AM – 5 PM |
| Mon | 9:30 AM – 5 PM |
| Tue | 9:30 AM – 5 PM |
| Wed | 9:30 AM – 5 PM |
| Thu | 9:30 AM – 8 PM |
Last checked 2026-09-22
- Cost
- $29 (ages 18+) adult · $23 (ages 3–12); $25 (ages 13–17) child
- Best for
- All ages, sweet spot 5-13
- Indoor / outdoor
- Indoor
- Typical visit
- 3-4 hours
The Quick Version
- • Philadelphia's big hands-on science museum — three floors of exhibits, founded in 1824 as one of the oldest science-education centers in the country.
- • The icon is the Giant Heart: a two-story model of the human heart you walk through. It's been a Philly rite of passage since 1954.
- • General admission includes three floors of exhibits, live science programs and Fels Planetarium shows. Ticketed special exhibitions may cost extra; check current prices before booking.
- • Indoor exhibits, usually open daily 9:30 AM–5 PM; closed Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day.
- • Plan 3-4 hours. Parking is in the on-site garage (~$25, less for members).
Best Ages
All ages, sweet spot 5-13
Plan For
3-4 hours
Adults
$29 (ages 18+)
Kids
$23 (ages 3–12); $25 (ages 13–17)
What to Expect
The Franklin Institute is the science museum generations of Philadelphia-area kids grew up on, and the centerpiece is exactly the thing they remember: the Giant Heart, a two-story walk-through model of the human heart that's been an icon here since 1954. Climb through it once and your kid gets it.
Around it are three floors of hands-on exhibits — the kind where kids push, pull, build, and test rather than read labels. Your Brain is a giant explorable exhibit about how thinking works, complete with a neural-network climbing structure. The Baldwin 60000 is a massive steam locomotive that was rolled into the building while the walls were still going up — and you can climb aboard. The Foucault pendulum quietly demonstrates the Earth's rotation in the stairwell, and the Fels Planetarium (only the second planetarium ever built in the U.S.) runs astronomy shows under the dome.
The whole museum sits beneath the Benjamin Franklin National Memorial — a rotunda with a 20-foot marble statue of Franklin — which is worth a look on the way in. General admission includes the exhibit floors, live science programs and Fels Planetarium shows. Ticketed traveling exhibitions may cost extra; check the current offering before booking.
It's about 40 minutes from Wilmington and fully indoor, which makes it the marquee bad-weather day trip. Plan 3-4 hours, park in the garage, and go at opening on a weekend to beat the crowds.
Who It's Best For
The hands-on exhibits hit hardest for elementary and middle-school kids (5-13) — the science clicks and the interactives reward curiosity. Preschoolers love the Giant Heart, the big locomotive, and the run-around energy of the place even when the concepts are over their heads. Toddlers do fine in a stroller with plenty to look at. Older teens still find depth in the planetarium and the rotating special exhibitions. It's a true all-ages museum that's especially strong once kids are reading.
Highlights
The Giant Heart
All agesA two-story walk-through model of the human heart — a Philadelphia icon since 1954 and the thing every kid remembers. Climb through and listen to it beat.
Fels Planetarium
Ages 5+Astronomy shows under the dome in only the second planetarium ever built in the U.S. (1933). Included with general admission; check the current show schedule.
Baldwin 60000 locomotive
All agesA giant steam locomotive rolled into the museum while the walls were still being built. You can climb aboard — a hit with train-loving kids.
Your Brain
Ages 5-13A big, explorable exhibit on how the brain works, including a two-story neural-network climbing structure kids can crawl through.
Benjamin Franklin National Memorial
Ages 6+The rotunda over the entrance holds a 20-foot marble statue of Franklin (the memorial opened in 1938). A grand, free moment on the way in or out.
What to Skip with Little Ones
- • Trying to sit through a planetarium show with an antsy toddler — save seated shows for when they're ready.
- • Bringing a jogging or double-wide stroller into the special-exhibition galleries — they're discouraged for space; a single stroller is fine.
- • Going on a rainy school-holiday afternoon without an advance ticket and a plan — it gets packed.
Logistics
Admission
Adults
$29 (ages 18+)
Kids
$23 (ages 3–12); $25 (ages 13–17)
Under
Ages 2 and under free
General admission includes the three floors of hands-on exhibits, live science programs and Fels Planetarium shows. Ticketed special exhibitions may require a separate ticket. Buy online in advance and confirm current prices and exhibition access at fi.edu.
Membership tip: If you'll visit more than twice a year, family membership pays off and includes reciprocal admission at many science museums through the ASTC Travel Passport program — a real perk if you travel. Members also pay the lower garage rate.
Getting There
Parking
On-site parking garage at 271 North 21st Street — about $25 per vehicle, $15 for members.
The museum garage is the simplest option and is right there. Street and lot parking around Logan Square exists but fills on weekends and event days — the garage is worth the certainty with kids in tow.
Entrance
Main entrance at 222 North 20th Street, beneath the Benjamin Franklin National Memorial rotunda. Check in with your ticket and grab a map and the day's show schedule for the planetarium and any live demonstrations.
Parent Logistics
Strollers are welcome in the museum, and it's accessible by elevator between floors. Note the museum recommends against large toddler carriers, double-wide, and jogging strollers in the special-exhibition galleries due to space — a standard single stroller is the safe choice.
Restrooms on each of the exhibit floors.
Changing tables are available in the museum restrooms; ask at the desk for the nearest family restroom if you need more room.
Indoor — not a factor. Logan Square and the Swann Memorial Fountain are right outside for a green break before or after.
Food & Snacks
On-site dining (The Eatery) with kid-friendly options for a mid-visit meal. Confirm current hours/outlets at fi.edu; the surrounding museum district has more options a short walk away.
Snack strategy: Pack snacks and water — three floors is a lot of walking and kids will fade. The Eatery handles a sit-down lunch; the Logan Square area has more choices if you'd rather eat after.
Pro Tips
- ✓ Fels Planetarium shows are included with general admission. Check current special-exhibition tickets and the day's show schedule before booking.
- ✓ Arrive at 9:30 opening on weekends to get ahead of the crowds and field trips.
- ✓ Park in the on-site garage (271 N 21st St) — simplest with kids; members pay the lower rate.
- ✓ Membership includes ASTC reciprocal admission at science museums nationwide — worth it if you travel and visit twice a year.
- ✓ Lead with the Giant Heart and Your Brain for younger kids, then let them burn energy on the interactives.
When to Go
Best Time to Visit
School groups crowd weekdays before 2 PM, so the museum itself suggests weekday afternoons after 2 PM for a calmer visit. Weekends and school holidays are busy — arrive at the 9:30 opening. Being fully indoor, it's the museum to save for a rainy or bitter-cold day.
Seasonal Notes
Open daily 9:30 AM–5 PM except Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day. Check the daily schedule before visiting. Fels Planetarium shows are included with general admission; ticketed special exhibitions may cost extra.
Rainy Day?
This is a marquee rainy-day plan — fully indoor, three floors deep, and built for a full afternoon. The classic NCC bad-weather Philadelphia trip alongside Please Touch.
While You're in the Area
The Franklin Institute anchors Philadelphia's museum district. The Academy of Natural Sciences and the Free Library are steps away on Logan Square; the Philadelphia Zoo and Please Touch Museum are a short drive west for a two-day Philly trip.
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