It's very important that people in the region feel the Franklin Institute and other attractions are worth the trip and worth showing off. Our current building was built in 1933 for the purpose of establishing a new type of science museum with a hands-on interactive science experience. We've always had a period where we could renew. This is another one of those because science is changing so very rapidly. The Heart was built in 1954 of papier-mache and chicken wire, and it is now covered with fiberglass to make it sturdier.
People love the Heart.
People have gotten married in the Heart. The first exhibit of the new campaign, debuting Friday is the Sports Challenge, followed by KidScience next spring. It's geared for younger children, kindergarten through fourth grade, and their parents. The typical Franklin Institute exhibit is for children 8 and older. KidScience will help parents teach youngsters about the environmental sciences, such as earth, water, light and wind.