When will Franklin Institute heart shut down, and what’s next for Philly icon?
The Franklin Institute in Philadelphia is temporarily shutting down its iconic Giant Heart walk-through exhibit on Monday, May 6, giving you little time to enjoy the exhibit in its present form.
Some of the institute’s heart will beat on, however, as plans are in the works for a new, modernized heart and human-body exhibit to replace the Giant Heartin the fall.
Franklin Institute's Giant Heart beating longer than 50 years
Many generations of museum-goers have stopped by the Franklin Institute to walk through the Giant Heart.
"Stroll through the iconic Giant Heart like people have done for over fifty years. Hear the sounds of an actual human heartbeat as you go through the chambers," read the Franklin Institute's description of the Giant Heart exhibit. "See live heart and eye dissections daily in our state-of-the-art demonstration space. How much blood is in your body? What does the inside of a human body look like?
"Watch video of a real beating heart undergo surgery, view hand-painted red blood cells lining the walls, and walk across the world’s largest map of Philadelphia as you gain insight into local public health issues."
Giant Heart replacement part of Franklin Institute's exhibit renovation program
The human-body exhibit replacing the current Giant Heart walkthrough will open in November, and is a part of the Franklin Institute's bigger transformation plan.
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"Opening November 2024, experience two all-new exhibits featuring our most iconic artifacts, the Baldwin 60,000 and the Giant Heart, all part of a multi-year re-imagination of our exhibit experience," read a portion of the Franklin Institute's transformation information website. "These exciting changes may result in the closure of specific galleries during your next visit. We can promise that with each closure comes something new and even more exciting upon reopening."
The Franklin Institute also created a video to inform people of the modernization plans:
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The Franklin Institute, at 271 N. 21st St. in Philadelphia's Parkway Museum District, is open daily from 9:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. General admission tickets are $25 for adults and $21 for 11 and younger.
Damon C. Williams covers trending and regional developments for PhillyBurbs.com. Support our journalism with a subscription.
This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Franklin Institute replacing Giant Heart walk-through exhibit
