Franklin Institute Electricity Exhibit

On Thursday our Museum class visited the Franklin Institute. Our visit mainly focused on the Electricity Exhibit. The Electricity exhibit is fairly new at the Franklin. We were able to meet an employee who worked on the exhibit. Kristin was able to give us a lot if interesting information on the exhibit as it stands today. I found it really interesting how she explained to us how different parts of exhibit were tied to the next area. For example there was a area about hoe electricity in the body works which was a introduction into the human body section of the museum. It is a very interesting idea to design your exhibit with other exhibits the museum also holds in mind.

The electricity exhibit had some very cool and different times of interactive tools to engage visitors. There were two particular things that stood out in my mind. the first was the podium where if you touch it you could get a small electric shock. It was intriguing to me although I did not touch it. Many other people did and it seemed like they couldn't get enough they had touch it again. What better way would there be to learn about electricity but to feel it? The other part of the exhibit I really enjoyed was the interactive games, there were a couple that caught my interest. In on of them we were finding different ways to meet the energy demands of our town by using coal, nuclear, wind or solar energy. In addition to meeting the energy demands you had to make the citizens happy and make money too. That activity seemed to hold the attention of many of us.

Although the exhibit had many interesting exhibits. I wonder what knowledge many visitors leave the Franklin with. Its a memorable experience but is it learning. I feel like for many it can be but there are some of us who get caught up in the coolness or the interactive aspects of a exhibit and lose site of the goal. I feel like it comes at a price but its a price museums have to pay to stay relevant. Although I was surprised to find that in our readings many young people do no like interactivity in the museum but I am not so sure because it was very in engaging to our particular group and I would say we are relatively young.

The Electricity exhibit made me feel youthful. I felt like a little kid running to the next exciting activity. I am sure it has that effect on many of the visitors at the Franklin and its probably part of the allure. unlike many other museums its not so stuffy, you feel kind free like more things can go there. I feel like that makes visitors feel more comfortable. At the Franklin you don't see guards everywhere you see a few employees but frankly they aren't that interested in policing you.

I see the Franklin as a museum that engages visitors of all ages, frankly there is something for everybody. It is a very interesting place at least the kind of place everyone should see once. I think the Franklin fulfilled the mission a lot of museums seek to fulfill today to be current, engaging, relevant, and to present knowledge at the same time.