Critical Acclaim
Here are some examples of what people have said about the exhibition "Benjamin Franklin: In Search of a Better World":
"This exhibit is breathtaking. It is engaging, as is evident from observing visitors walking through the spacious chambers of the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia and eavesdropping on their comments. This exhibit has them abuzz. But it is more than engaging; it is notable in a number of ways."
-- Gary Nash, Professor of History Emeritus, UCLA and Director, National Center for History in the Schools
"I was most impressed with the way the exhibition team was able to integrate recent scholarship about Franklin into a format that was both educational and entertaining. I thought the sections that engaged younger audiences were particularly effective."
-- Brent Glass, Director, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC
"If Franklin were to mount a museum exhibition about himself, it might very well resemble -- in its variety, intelligence and pleasures -- Benjamin Franklin in Search of a Better World. Almost no aspect of Franklin’s enterprise is left untouched. One walks through the 8,000 square feet of this exhibition astonished at the fecundity of Franklin's imagination and the range of his inventions. Something is reproduced, too, of his practical and playful spirit."
-- Edward Rothstein, The New York Times
"If you think that this exhibition is a collection of old artifacts and paintings dealing with Franklin, you’re right. However, this exhibition is a lot more than that. It's cool, hip, and it's a lot of fun. There are over 40 interactive devices -- all available in three languages -- English, French and Spanish. Franklin would have liked that. He probably also would have liked that his life is recapped not only with items from his day, but with all of the modern hi-tech gizmos that we modern folks seem to depend on and enjoy."
-- About.com, Philadelphia
"Just when you thought you knew everything there was to know about Benjamin Franklin, Founding Father, along comes this amazing exhibition...And a whole new universe of Franklin traits and talents and accomplishments is laid out before your very eyes."
-- Bonnie Squires, Main Line Times, Philadelphia
"The exhibit's 8,000-square-foot space offers plenty for the knowledgeable and the novice, for children as well as adults, and for visitors with short and long attention spans alike. A few exercises will convince you in a matter of minutes that the good old days of the Enlightenment weren't really all that good -- for the rich or poor -- and that Franklin was well advised to seek something better than the 18th-Century's status quo."
-- Dan Rottenberg, Broad Street Review, Philadelphia
"Benjamin Franklin: In Search of a Better World is Philadelphia’s brilliant exhibition and effort to promote their most famous-and enduring-adopted sons."
-- Mark Seddon, “Comment is Free,” The Guardian, London
"It now looks as though the show -- Benjamin Franklin: In Search of a Better World -- which opened Dec. 15 and closes today, will draw about 200,000 visitors, 58 percent from the Philadelphia region and 42 percent from farther afield, according to figures provided by the [National] Constitution Center. There has been nothing like it in memory. No history exhibition in Philadelphia has even come close to those numbers."
-- Stephen Salisbury, Philadelphia Inquirer
"In a room at the Ben Franklin exhibit in Houston, Texas, there is a giant pair of spectacles. The giant glasses are made of hundreds of tiny tiles put together to form an image of Franklin in his fur cap. If you tilt the spectacles a certain way, you will see yourself in the reflection. Visitors are then asked a simple question: Do you see yourself in Franklin. Most will have to say yes, because there is something for everyone in the Ben Franklin: In Search of a Better World exhibit at the Houston Museum of Natural Science in Texas."
-- Scholastic.com
"Thanks again for creating such a great exhibition. Our volunteers still definitely reference "Franklin" as a general favorite of the last few years!"
-- Jodi Schoemer, Director of Temporary Exhibitions, Denver Museum of Nature and Science
"Get ready for something unexpected! Do you think that Benjamin Franklin: In Search of a Better World is going to be a dry and boring history exhibition about a famous dead white guy? Think again!"
-- Tower Ledger, Denver
"On behalf of...the Atlanta History Center team, I just wanted to let you all know that we had a great opening yesterday, with more than 650 happy visitors of all ages, more than 50 membership sales. An article on the exhibit ran on the front page of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution Living section Wednesday, July 4 (2007)."
-- Hillary Hardwick, Vice President of Market Communications, Atlanta History Center
"Become inspired by Franklin's life-long desire to improve the work around him and appreciate the wit, genius and wisdom of one of America's favorite founding fathers."
-- ArtsCard, Atlanta
"Your exhibit worked on so many levels: historical; visual; conceptual; narrative. The attention to detail was extraordinary (and very noticeable to this longtime producer of historical/cultural documentaries)."
-- Jill Janows, Former producer, WGBH, Boston
"This exhibit is breathtaking. It is engaging, as is evident from observing visitors walking through the spacious chambers of the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia and eavesdropping on their comments. This exhibit has them abuzz. But it is more than engaging; it is notable in a number of ways."
-- Gary Nash, Professor of History Emeritus, UCLA and Director, National Center for History in the Schools
"I was most impressed with the way the exhibition team was able to integrate recent scholarship about Franklin into a format that was both educational and entertaining. I thought the sections that engaged younger audiences were particularly effective."
-- Brent Glass, Director, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC
"If Franklin were to mount a museum exhibition about himself, it might very well resemble -- in its variety, intelligence and pleasures -- Benjamin Franklin in Search of a Better World. Almost no aspect of Franklin’s enterprise is left untouched. One walks through the 8,000 square feet of this exhibition astonished at the fecundity of Franklin's imagination and the range of his inventions. Something is reproduced, too, of his practical and playful spirit."
-- Edward Rothstein, The New York Times
"If you think that this exhibition is a collection of old artifacts and paintings dealing with Franklin, you’re right. However, this exhibition is a lot more than that. It's cool, hip, and it's a lot of fun. There are over 40 interactive devices -- all available in three languages -- English, French and Spanish. Franklin would have liked that. He probably also would have liked that his life is recapped not only with items from his day, but with all of the modern hi-tech gizmos that we modern folks seem to depend on and enjoy."
-- About.com, Philadelphia
"Just when you thought you knew everything there was to know about Benjamin Franklin, Founding Father, along comes this amazing exhibition...And a whole new universe of Franklin traits and talents and accomplishments is laid out before your very eyes."
-- Bonnie Squires, Main Line Times, Philadelphia
"The exhibit's 8,000-square-foot space offers plenty for the knowledgeable and the novice, for children as well as adults, and for visitors with short and long attention spans alike. A few exercises will convince you in a matter of minutes that the good old days of the Enlightenment weren't really all that good -- for the rich or poor -- and that Franklin was well advised to seek something better than the 18th-Century's status quo."
-- Dan Rottenberg, Broad Street Review, Philadelphia
"Benjamin Franklin: In Search of a Better World is Philadelphia’s brilliant exhibition and effort to promote their most famous-and enduring-adopted sons."
-- Mark Seddon, “Comment is Free,” The Guardian, London
"It now looks as though the show -- Benjamin Franklin: In Search of a Better World -- which opened Dec. 15 and closes today, will draw about 200,000 visitors, 58 percent from the Philadelphia region and 42 percent from farther afield, according to figures provided by the [National] Constitution Center. There has been nothing like it in memory. No history exhibition in Philadelphia has even come close to those numbers."
-- Stephen Salisbury, Philadelphia Inquirer
"In a room at the Ben Franklin exhibit in Houston, Texas, there is a giant pair of spectacles. The giant glasses are made of hundreds of tiny tiles put together to form an image of Franklin in his fur cap. If you tilt the spectacles a certain way, you will see yourself in the reflection. Visitors are then asked a simple question: Do you see yourself in Franklin. Most will have to say yes, because there is something for everyone in the Ben Franklin: In Search of a Better World exhibit at the Houston Museum of Natural Science in Texas."
-- Scholastic.com
"Thanks again for creating such a great exhibition. Our volunteers still definitely reference "Franklin" as a general favorite of the last few years!"
-- Jodi Schoemer, Director of Temporary Exhibitions, Denver Museum of Nature and Science
"Get ready for something unexpected! Do you think that Benjamin Franklin: In Search of a Better World is going to be a dry and boring history exhibition about a famous dead white guy? Think again!"
-- Tower Ledger, Denver
"On behalf of...the Atlanta History Center team, I just wanted to let you all know that we had a great opening yesterday, with more than 650 happy visitors of all ages, more than 50 membership sales. An article on the exhibit ran on the front page of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution Living section Wednesday, July 4 (2007)."
-- Hillary Hardwick, Vice President of Market Communications, Atlanta History Center
"Become inspired by Franklin's life-long desire to improve the work around him and appreciate the wit, genius and wisdom of one of America's favorite founding fathers."
-- ArtsCard, Atlanta
"Your exhibit worked on so many levels: historical; visual; conceptual; narrative. The attention to detail was extraordinary (and very noticeable to this longtime producer of historical/cultural documentaries)."
-- Jill Janows, Former producer, WGBH, Boston
