Franklin Court and Benjamin Franklin Museum

The Benjamin Franklin Museum and Franklin Court are unique and lesser known parts of the Independence National Historical Park in Philadelphia.

Franklin Court is bordered by brick houses on Market Street that contain a printing office exhibit, the Fragments of Franklin Court exhibit and a the a working branch of the U.S. Postal Service called B. Free Franklin branch. Benjamin Franklin owned these buildings during his life and rented them out.

The U.S.P.S. post office is located in one of the buildings on Market Street and is a working post office with limited services. The clerk will hand cancel a postcard or letter from this location with Postmaster Benjamin Franklin’s cancellation “B. Free Franklin.” Franklin was appointed postmaster of Philadelphia in 1737 and co-Postmaster General of the North American colonies for the British Crown until 1774. He then served as Postmaster General from 1775-1776 under the authority of the Continental Congress.

The printing office contains two reproductions of 18th century printing presses like those that Ben Franklin and his family would have printed on. There is also a typesetting area, bindery and Ben Franklin Bache’s (Ben Franklin’s grandson) newspaper office for The Philadelphia Aurora which Bache founded in 1790.

Two large white steel frame structures provide a visual representation of the outline of Benjamin Franklin’s home (larger one) and Ben Franklin’s grandson’s printing business. The buildings were later demolished to make way for commercial development, though the foundation of the house is still visible through observation windows.

The grounds also include several informational plaques on the walls of the interior of the Court and markers where 4 privy pits, a well and an ice pit were located in the 18th century.

The Court also houses the Benjamin Franklin Museum which is almost entirely under Franklin Court. The museum is operated by the National Park Service and has a small fee for entry. The museum highlights Ben Franklin’s life and times and his impact on the development of the United States.