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London: Architecture Tour of Benjamin Franklin House

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$15.93 /person
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About the activity

Explore the Georgian features of the House, its fascinating history encompassing Franklin’s long residence (1757-1775) and the comprehensive conservation project that saved it from dereliction

  • Free cancellation
    Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
  • Instant confirmation & Mobile tickets
    Receive your ticket right away. Use your phone or print your voucher.
  • Live guiding
    English
  • Valid
    1 day
  • Includes
    • Price includes entry to the House and an hour long tour with opportunity for questions at the end.
    • Children under the age of 12 enter for free.
    • We have a gift shop onsite where we encourage visitors to browse our souvenirs.
Highlights & Description

Highlights

  • We are the only remaining home of Benjamin Franklin, who lived her for 16 years
  • We are Grade I listed with remarkable original Georgian and Victorian features
  • Discover the Craven Street Bones and learn about surgeon Hewson's Anatomy school

Description

The Architectural Tour explores both the history of Benjamin Franklin and the House itself from the 1730s to the modern day conservation project which saw the House open in 2006.
Our tour leads you through the building, exploring who Benjamin Franklin was and why he came to London. As you travel through the House, our guide weaves the architectural history with Franklin's story, discovering Georgian food in our kitchen and Franklin's thoughts on the London diet. As we head upstairs, we learn about Margaret Stevenson, the wealthy widow from whom Franklin rented. In her parlour, you'll hear about the influential guests Franklin met with and discussed current affairs with, but also about Franklin's relationship with the Stevenson family and his own family.
We head to Franklin's Parlour, the floor he rented for 16 years, to hear about his experiments, his political beliefs and actions, as well as his eccentric personality. Franklin left London and the Stevenson family in 1776 when he returned to America to sign the Declaration of Independence, never to return to London.
Finally, we head to the Glass Armonica Room where guests are invited to try their hand at playing a tune on Franklin's instrument.

Tours last about an hour. Visitors are welcome and encouraged to take photos and ask questions!

Good to know before you go
  • Benjamin Franklin House is a five-storey townhouse with a staircase between each floor. The floors and stairs are uneven and sloping. There are handrails on all of the staircases and there is visitor seating in all of the historic rooms. Given the Grade I nature of the building and the different levels of the building, there is no wheelchair access. Restrooms are downstairs in the basement; there is no accessible restroom.
  • Carers are admitted free of charge and visitors with disabilities qualify for concessionary tickets.
  • Guide and hearing dogs are permitted in all areas of the House.
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Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the cancellation policy for this activity?
Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
2. When will I receive the confirmation of my booking?
You will receive an email notification right after your successful payment. If you don't see it in your inbox, check your spam or junk mail folder. When the payment is completed you have the option to download your ticket directly.
3. Are mobile tickets enough or do I have to print them?
Tickets don't need to be printed. You can show your ticket from your smartphone as a PDF.
  • Adults
    12-64 years
  • Seniors
    65-99 years
  • Children
    0-11 years
August 2025
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