Franklin drawing electricity from the sky, ca. 1816. Benjamin West. Philadelphia Museum of Art, gift of Mr. and Mrs. Wharton Sinkler, 1958. Photo by Graydon Wood
In his day England's most celebrated painter, Benjamin West first met Benjamin Franklin in Philadelphia, years before he painted this dramatic image. This portrait was a study for a larger painting -- never completed -- intended for the Pennsylvania Hospital in Philadelphia.
The Ann Arbor District Library special exhibit, Benjamin Franklin: In Search of a Better World, celebrates Franklin's 300th birthday and allows the viewer to experience the life and adventures of an extraordinary man. Scientist, inventor, diplomat, humorist, philanthropist, and entrepreneur, Benjamin Franklin was one of the most influential and remarkable Americans of any generation. His name evokes many qualities - imagination and curiosity, hard work and ambition, wit and entrepreneurial ingenuity -- qualities that have contributed to the formation of an American identity and American values.
Benjamin Franklin: In Search of a Better World was organized by the Benjamin Franklin Tercentenary, Philadelphia, and the American Library Association Public Programs Office. The traveling exhibition for libraries has been made possible by a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities: great ideas brought to life.
The traveling exhibition is based on a major exhibition of the same name mounted by the Benjamin Franklin Tercentenary to commemorate the 300th anniversary of Franklin’s birth. The Benjamin Franklin Tercentenary is a nonprofit organization established through a major grant from the Pew Charitable Trusts to educate the public about Franklin’s enduring legacy.
Join us here as we celebrate Benjamin Franklin - the exhibit, the man, his ideas and his influence. Check out all our Ben Franklin events for a complete list of events and activities surrounding the exhibit.
The full exhibit text with image descriptions is available on-site in both Large Print and Braille formats. Use the links below to view or hear the full exhibit text in the following formats:
| PDF Version | Audio Version | Text-Only Version |
(Image: Franklin drawing electricity from the sky, ca. 1816. Benjamin West. Philadelphia Museum of Art, gift of Mr. and Mrs. Wharton Sinkler, 1958. Photo by Graydon Wood)