Every museum trip has two personalities: 🔍 One who reads every plaque. 🚶‍♀️ One who’s already three exhibits ahead. And somehow, they always come as a pair. So… which are you? Tag your opposite museum wanderer below. 👀

Pi Day is just around the corner… or should we say circle? 🥧 Celebrate 3.14 with Pi-themed fun for all ages: 🌌 Pi in the Sky Tonight show 🔢 Pi digit challenge + a sweet reward from Federal Donuts & Chicken 🧠 Brain Awareness activities 📅 3.14 | 11AM – 3:14PM 🎟️ Free with admission

THANK YOU from the bottom of our Giant Heart! 🫀 Because of you, we’re honored to be named one of the Top 10 Best Science Museums and Best Planetariums in the nation for 2026 by USA Today 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards. 🏆 Discover what earned us a spot in the Top 10. We can’t wait to welcome you! 🚀

Look up! 👀✈️ Our 1911 Wright Model B Flyer now lives in the sky of our Atrium! Suspended overhead, this legendary aircraft is one of the most intact original Wright airplanes in the world and a true symbol of the dawn of flight. Come experience history from a whole new angle. ✈️ FI Cat. #2885

The thrills start now! 🎢The world premiere of Universal Theme Parks: The Exhibition is here! This Presidents' Weekend, be one of the first to experience the artistry, creativity, and technology that turn ideas into groundbreaking global attractions. Secure your tickets: https://bit.ly/49lKHLR

You are so close to stepping inside the creative and innovative world of theme parks through the lens of Universal’s fan-favorite attractions! 🌎 Universal Theme Parks: The Exhibition opens this weekend! 🎟️ Grab your tickets today: https://bit.ly/402RSmK

2026 is a momentous year, and today we celebrate our 202nd year! 🎂 In celebration, we debuted Franklin’s Spark, a 120-degree, multi-sensory dome experience that brings Ben’s spirit of curiosity to life on an unprecedented scale. Feel the spark for yourself inside the memorial!⚡

Picture yourself at this world premiere exhibit 📸 Universal Theme Parks: The Exhibition is days away from opening, and it’s your chance to pose with your favorite character costumes. 🎟️ Don’t miss out! Grab your tickets now: https://bit.ly/3Z9pHST

Snow… on fire?! 👀❄️🔥 When calcium carbide meets water, it releases flammable acetylene gas (aka a snowy science explosion!) We're open & bringing the heat all weekend long! Catch Fox in our Combustion or Liquid Air Show & leave this fiery science fun to our pro science performers!🧪

#OnThisDay: 72 years ago, the iconic Giant Heart welcomed its first visitors on January 29, 1954. 🫀 ⬇️ See the Giant Heart through the years! 📸: FI Cat.# PR188.10, FI Cat.# PR704.1, and FI Cat.# PR188.5, Photographer Joseph J. Barton

Buckle up! This ride is about to launch! 🎢 Step inside the creative world of theme parks through the lens of Universal’s fan-favorite attractions. Universal Theme Parks: The Exhibition is racing into TFI on Feb. 14! Secure your tickets now: https://bit.ly/3Y4eNNG

See this balloon pop explosion! 👀🎈💥

Did you know TFI members get exclusive early access and save with special pricing on Universal Theme Parks: The Exhibition? 👀 Members can explore the world premiere one day early on Feb. 13, plus enjoy tons of year-round perks. Join or renew today: https://bit.ly/4bHc4Sa

Happy Birthday, Ben! 🎂 No better way to celebrate Benjamin Franklin’s 320th Birthday than by honoring the spirit of inquiry and discovery, and inspiring a passion for learning about science and technology! Thank you to everyone who came out to celebrate his big day!

We know we’re #1 in your Giant Hearts, now help us make it official! 🫀 TFI has been nominated for Best Science Museum and Best Planetarium in the 2026 USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards. 🏆 🗳️ Vote DAILY through 2/9: https://bit.ly/45SPOkw

We’re officially 1️⃣ month out from uncrating the world premiere of Universal Theme Parks: The Exhibition! Get ready to explore the stories, creativity, and thrills behind Universal’s most iconic attractions. Don’t miss your chance to be there when it all opens on Feb. 14: https://bit.ly/449dP6l

Our namesake just got his own starter pack ⚡️ This Saturday, Jan. 17, from 11 AM- 3 PM, celebrate Ben’s Birthday Bash like it’s 1706! 🎉 Don't forget to dress like Ben! https://bit.ly/49z507p 👓: FI Cat. #6160 ⚡Rod: FI Cat. #740 Glass Armonica: FI Cat. #80-1 👔: National Museum of American History

Ever seen a combustion show in action? 🔥 The reactions say it all—it's a must-see! Get ready to be amazed as things heat up! We break down the three essential ingredients needed for any combustion reaction in this fiery show. Think you know all three? 🤔 Catch a show and see if you’re right!

🚨 New Show Alert: Encounters in the Milky Way! 🌌 Narrated by Pedro Pascal, this show takes you on a time-traveling adventure through the cosmic forces shaping our galactic neighborhood. Fels Planetarium, presented by PNC Bank, is free to enjoy with general admission.

You’re Invited to Ben Franklin’s Birthday Bash! 🥳 This electrifying celebration is packed with hands-on fun, games, music, and a few surprises you won’t want to miss! 🎉 Join the party: https://fi.edu/en/events-calendar/20260117/bens-birthday-bash

Happy New Year! 🎊 We’re gearing up for a year packed with memorable moments, discovery, and fun. Make 2026 one to remember, start planning your visit to The Franklin Institute today!

2025 went out with a bang! 💥 Thank you for exploring, experimenting, and making memories with us all year long. We’ll be closed on New Year’s Day (1/1/26), but we can’t wait to open the doors to a brand-new year of curiosity, discovery, and science fun! ✨

Looking for something fun to do this holiday break? Of course, TFI is the place to be. Seasonal Science is full steam ahead now through Dec. 30. Start planning your visit today: https://fi.edu/en/events-calendar/20251220/seasonal-science-holiday-programming 🚨 Reminder: We are closed on Dec. 31.

The science fun doesn’t stop! Fox is here to show you how to make festive Jingle Slime right at home. We can’t wait to welcome you back on Dec. 26 as Seasonal Science continues through Dec. 30! Plan your visit: https://bit.ly/4psWf5U 🚨 Reminder: We are closed Dec. 24–25, 2025 and Jan. 1, 2026.

Today we celebrate Wright Brothers Day ✈️ OTD in 1903: Orville and Wilbur Wright made history with the first successful powered flight. See the original 1911 Wright Model B in Franklin Air Show. Though the exhibit departs on Jan. 5, stay tuned for where the plane will soon land in the museum.

Ben’s getting a fresh shine for 2026! ✨🧼 The twenty-foot Seravezza marble seated figure just got a light cleaning as we spark up an electrifying year ahead.⚡ Until then, stop by the free-to-visit Benjamin Franklin National Memorial and stay for the hands-on science fun. 📸: FI Cat.# 6288 B

Your TFI Holiday Gift Guide is here! 🎁 Our Sci Store is stocked with this season’s most-loved finds. Swing by (no ticket needed!) and discover something perfect for everyone on your list. In a rush? Visit our website to gift tickets to our traveling exhibit or a membership: https://bit.ly/4iRpFYN

Celebrate the season with hands-on fun and fan-favorite experiences! 📅 Dec. 20–30 🏗️ Creation Station is BACK! Build, stack & create! 🆕 Planetarium Show: Reason for the Seasons ❄️ Live Science Shows with a Holiday Twist! 🎁 Shop our Sci-Store & gift a membership! 🚨We are closed on December 24 & 25.

#ICYMI: We’re bringing the theme park world to life with Universal Destinations & Experiences' Jaws, Illumination’s Minions, The Secret Life of Pets and Sing, SUPER NINTENDO WORLD™, Jurassic World, DreamWorks Animation’s How to Train Your Dragon, Universal Monsters, and more. https://bit.ly/4odFqtZ

Nothing beats an evening of science, stars, music & great company. 🔭⭐ Huge thanks to everyone who joined us for Science After Hours: Celestial Sips—and to Chief Astronomer Derrick Pitts for guiding our journey through the universe as we raised a glass to the cosmos. 🌌 Here's to staying curious!🥂

This Giving Tuesday, help us IGNITE a lifelong love of science and technology! 🔥 Gifts to the Franklin Fund power everything we do, including supporting 150 students in our intensive PACTS and STEM Scholars programs. DONATE TODAY: https://bit.ly/4odadqT

Give the gift of Universal Theme Parks: The Exhibition—the world premiere exhibit that takes guests inside the imaginative, innovative world of themed entertainment. It's easy with a Franklin Institute gift certificate! https://bit.ly/48dgxZt

To all of YOU who explore with us year-round, we’re so grateful. 🧪🍂 From our staff and performers to our scientists, scholars, and the amazing community that supports us—you’re the (Giant) heartbeat of this place. ✨🫀 We’re open Friday (11/28) and all weekend for second helpings of science fun! 🥧🦃

🚨 We’re extra thankful this year—for our Live Science Shows and YOU! To celebrate, we’re giving away exclusive Kyle Confehr x Sci Store merch during surprise live science demos all weekend long (Nov. 28-30)! 👀🎁 Don’t miss your chance to see science live—and maybe snag some exclusive goodies! 🚀

Explore the wonders of the night sky with Chief Astronomer Derrick Pitts at Science After Hours: Celestial Sips (21+). 🥂 Enjoy live music plus a full lineup of out-of-this-world programming to keep the night glowing!🔭 📅: Friday, Dec. 5 🎟️: https://bit.ly/4mXAiK0

We are clearing the runway! ✈️ After years of soaring fun, Franklin Air Show will soon make its final descent as we make room for a sunnier experience. Visit the exhibit today before it is cleared for departure on January 5, 2026.

Our friends at the United States Mint may be moving on from the penny, but Ben Franklin’s wisdom continues to make perfect cents. 🪙 #DYK: Franklin never actually said, “A penny saved is a penny earned.” He did, however, write in the 1737 Poor Richard’s Almanack: “A penny saved is two pence clear.”

It’s a celebration of cosmic proportions, and you’re invited! ✨ Join us for Science After Hours: Celestial Sips on December 5, where craft cocktails, rooftop stargazing, hands-on science, and celestial vibes collide. 🌙🍸 Explore featured programming & secure your tix ⬇️ https://bit.ly/4mXAiK0

Set your clocks back this Sunday! ⏰ Benjamin Franklin didn’t invent Daylight Saving Time—he just wanted to save candlelight in 1784. Watch time in motion at The Franklin Institute’s Foucault’s Pendulum and use your extra hour for hands-on science! 🌍🫀

🎃 Happy Halloween! 👻 There’s no better way to celebrate than by exploring the science behind... of fear! Our Chief Bioscientist, Jayatri Das, breaks down why we fear — and how our brains react when things get spooky. 🧠💀 Feeling brave? Step into our Your Brain exhibit to put your fears to the test!

Tickets are NOW on sale for the world premiere of Universal Theme Parks: The Exhibition, opening February 14! 🎢 The all-new exhibition takes guests inside the imaginative, innovative world of themed entertainment through the lens of Universal’s fan-favorite attractions. https://bit.ly/4n73yOC

🎃 Spooky Science Day is officially wrapped up like a mummy! The science today was fang-tastic! 🧛 A spook-tacular shoutout to all our guests! 👻 Your costumes were un-boo-lievably good! 🕸️ Happy Halloween!

🎃 Some pumpkins were definitely harmed in the making of this video… and you can join the fun on Oct. 25 for Spooky Science Day! 👻 🎟️ Free with general museum admission: https://fi.edu/en/events-calendar/20251025/spooky-science-day

🛩️ #FunFact: In 1933, Amelia Earhart and Orville Wright visited TFI to celebrate the opening of Aviation Hall! Today, you can see a model of Earhart’s red, record-breaking Lockheed Vega 5B, nicknamed “Little Red Bus,” in our Hamilton Collections Gallery. 📸: FI Cat. #7820

🏀 Think you’ve got game? This #NationalSportsDay, hit the turf at SportsZone to explore the science behind your best plays! Use motion-tracking tech, test your speed, and discover how physics and physiology shape every move. 💪⚙️

🧠 Just like glial cells support your brain behind the scenes, we’ve been hard at work giving the Your Brain exhibit the upgrades it deserves and it’s officially reopened! Experience refreshed interactives, new art installations and a space designed to spark curiosity and convos about Your Brain.

Thanks for making Fright @ Night a scream! 👻 We hope you had a scary good time. 🦇 Next up: Celestial Sips—where cocktails meet constellations. 🌙🍸 🗓️ Friday, Dec. 5 | 7:30–11:30PM | 21+ 🎟️ Reserve your spot: https://bit.ly/4mXAiK0

A Supermoon Is Coming Tonight! ✨🌕 🌓 In our new blog post, we break down the science behind it, explore optical illusions, and even suggest a couple of measurement experiments to try yourself. 👉 Read it here: fi.edu/en/blog/october-2025-supermoon-explained #SuperMoon #FranklinInstitute

Let’s make this postseason electric! ⚡ Go Philadelphia Phillies! ⚾

The Franklin Institute extends its deepest condolences on the passing of Dr. Jane Goodall, a visionary whose work left a lasting impact on science and the world. In 2003, she was honored with the Benjamin Franklin Medal in Life Science for her pioneering studies with chimpanzees.