Philadelphia Public Art @philart.net
Landmark: Franklin Institute
Named for Benjamin Franklin.
Budd BB1 Pioneer Aircraft
Budd Company,
1931 (installed 1935)
* actual airplane
* Originally labeled as "The Pioneer". The sign was changed to the current title some time between 2017 and 2021. Changed here 7/4/2022.
* inscription:
(from the old sign)
First stainless steel airplane built in 1931
by the Edward G. Budd Manufacturing Company of Phila.
to demonstrate the practicality of its "shotweld" process
of fabricating stainless steel subsequently employed by
the Budd Co. in building heavyweight railroad trains.
The Pioneer was flown approximately 1,000 hours
in the United Staes and Europe.
* In front of the Franklin Institute.
Southwest corner, 20th and Winter and the Parkway.
* 39.958490,-75.172440 [map] [nearby]
* On the Parkway and Pennsylvania tour
* See also:
+fi.edu article about this piece
+wikipedia.org's Budd Company page
Benjamin Franklin National Memorial
James Earle Fraser,
1938
* Statue of Benjamin Franklin
* big
seated person,
chair
* Free, but not always open. Check times.
The last picture is of a reference from the mural at 24th and Chestnut.
* Interior.
Franklin Institute.
West side of 20th, South of the Parkway.
* 39.958200,-75.173000 [map] [nearby]
* On the Parkway and Pennsylvania tour
* Exhibits: Favorites
* See also:
+official page for this piece
+wikipedia.org's James Earle Fraser page
+ushistory.org's The Electric Ben Franklin
Grumman Lunar Module
Grumman Spacecats,
1976 (installed)
* spacecraft
* visible through the fence
* inscription:
(from the web, not visible from the street)
Grumman Lunar Module (LM) Restoration Team
A group of Grumman Aerospace Corporation retirees and employees volunteered their time and labor to rebuild this spacecraft.
The LM restoration team dubbed themselves "The Spacecats" just for this project.
Another example of their versatile restorative skills—a U.S. Navy/Grumman F4F Wildcat,
a World War II fighter airplane—is already on permanent display in the Smithsonian Institution's Air and Space Museum, Washington, D.C.
* South side of the Franklin Institute.
North side of Race, East of 21st.
* 39.957760,-75.173795 [map] [nearby]
* On the JFK North tour
* See also:
+fi.edu page about this piece
+wikipedia.org's Grumman page
Shimmer Wall
Ned Kahn,
2013
* big
abstract reflective surface
* inscription:
The Shimmer Wall continuosly
changes its appearance a it responds to the environment.
As breezes blow and wind gusts the wall
dynamically adapts and provides a vivid and captivating
portrait of nature at play powered only by the moving air.
The installation is a network of 10,824 five-inch
aluminum squares individually hinged to move freely.
The metal also dramatically mirrors the sky, using sunlight
and moonlight to brighten the changing canvas.
* South Wall.
Franklin Institute.
North side of Race between 20th and 21st.
* 39.957660,-75.173060 [map] [nearby]
* On the JFK North tour
* See also:
+nedkahn.com
