Benjamin Franklin House London, England

Comment by Holly Hayes [admin] on May 16, 2013

I joined one of the "Architectural Tours" (offered every Monday) of the Benjamin Franklin House in October 2012, and enjoyed it very much.

Upon arrival at the front door I was shown to the back of the house, where I paid my admission, then I was conducted downstairs to a smallish but pleasant basement room to wait for the tour to begin.

There were plenty of things to occupy me while I waited - a brochure with information about the house, a glass case displaying artifacts related to Franklin's time in London (including his well-worn leather wallet), and some bones recently discovered under the house!

The tour itself was small (about a half-dozen people, most of whom were Americans), fairly short (given the modest size of the townhouse) and pretty fast-paced, which is just the way I like my tours! Most importantly to me, we were allowed to take photographs and not reprimanded for occasionally lagging behind in the previous room.

The tour began with a short talk in the basement, then continued up to the main floor and second floor. Our guide was a shy but knowledgeable student (most of the other staff seemed to be students as well). She did a great job of explaining what Benjamin Franklin's life was like here, and what changes had been made to the building during its various uses since his time.

The house itself is mostly empty of furnishings, unfortunately, but is nicely restored and atmospherically creaky. The wooden rails of the staircase are especially lovely. One room has a replica of a unique musical instrument that we were encouraged to try out for ourselves.

The Benjamin Franklin House has an excellent website with current information on tour times. "Historical Experience" tours are offered as well, and much more often than the Architectural Tour I joined. It is conveniently located right next to Charing Cross Station.