The Franklin is the only international stop for this world-premiere exhibit!
Dates
April 4 – September 7, 2009
Location
The Franklin
20th Street and the Benjamin Franklin Parkway
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The Experience
The Franklin hosts an exclusive world appearance of Galileo, The Medici and The Age of Astronomy. This is your only chance to see this special exhibit, which celebrates the 400th anniversary of Galileo’s astronomical discoveries as well as the International Year of Astronomy.
Galileo explores the extraordinary impact of Galileo’s work on science and the world, told through artifacts, drawings and several of Galileo's personal effects loaned from the Istituto e Museo di Storia della Scienza in Florence, Italy.
Galileo’s work will be featured alongside artifacts of the Medicis, the ruling Florentine family known for its unparalleled advocacy of art and science.
The Telescope
The exhibit’s highlights include one of only two existing Galileo telescopes.
Officially invented in 1609 in The Netherlands, it was Galileo who made the telescope famous in 1610. He greatly improved the invention’s magnification capabilities and was the first to train it on the stars for scientific purposes.
Some of Galileo's most important astronomical discoveries were greatly aided by this telescope — including sunspots, Jupiter's four largest satellites (the Galilean moons named in his honor) and the phases of Venus.
Galileo in Philadelphia
One could argue that Galileo Galilei would have felt right at home in Philadelphia, a city famous for its art museums, strong Italian roots and scientific discoveries (kite and key, anyone?).
While visiting Philadelphia for the exhibit, make sure to extend your stay to peruse the produce at The Italian Market, visit the Japanese Garden at The Philadelphia Museum of Art and explore fossils at The Wagner Free Institute of Science and other science museums.