Meet the Real Benjamin Franklin

You know about Ben Franklin's famous experiment with a kite, a key and some lightning, but did you also know about his rebellious youth? That he pioneered wind surfing and invented swim fins? That he helped found the nation's first hospital, was an environmentalist and charted the Gulf Stream to assist in ocean travel?

In many ways Benjamin Franklin is the founding father nobody knows – misunderstood because of the sheer breadth and diversity of his accomplishments. Discover the adventures of this extraordinary man and the many ways he has affected our world.

Take a walk through the highlights of the exhibition

Find out where Benjamin Franklin: In Search of a Better World is now.

*Photos courtesy of the Benjamin Franklin Tercentenary, photography by Graydon Wood