12/27/2025
Historic Happenings at the Franklin Historical Museum for January 2026
Through January, the SPECTACULAR, FRANKLIN IN MINIATURE CONTINUES ON DISPLAY
It took thousands of hours of research and precision modeling to create three large, models of the center of Franklin, circa 1932, clustered around the railroad tracks that connected the community to nearby towns and faraway cities. The models are an exact representation of the structures that once existed from just west of the present-day Del Carte Conservation land to beyond the present day Mill Store (image above).
The models include hundreds of structures in 1:87 scale (HO scale), tiny motor vehicles and people and an as yet unknown number of tiny pigeons(!), all modeled from photographs and architectural plans, where available, by master modeler Scott Mason.
For this special Free event (DONATIONS ENCOURAGED), the Museum will be open during its regular hours, 10-1 on Saturdays and 1-4 on Sundays and at other times by arrangement.
Sunday, Jan. 11 – The ‘Second Sunday Speaker Series’-- “Dissecting the Dioramas”
Award winning historian Joe Landry will begin the talk at 1:15 with a deep dive into the backstory of some of the important structures illustrated in 3D in the Franklin in Miniature exhibit. He will explore the history that is still visible as well as some of the prior structures and enterprises that had already been swept aside by ‘progress’ in 1932. The second part of the presentation will feature, master modeler, and historian, Scott Mason, discussing the painstaking effort that went into creating his exact models – both the research and the craft work.
January is Ben Franklin Month in Franklin, honoring his birth month, connections to Franklin and Diverse Interests and Accomplishments. Most of the events this year are at the Franklin Public Library
▪ The January Community Concert at Franklin United Methodist Church features Vera Meyer on the glass armonica, Sat. Jan 10, shortly after 1 pm. This event is co-sponsored by the Franklin Historical Museum with funding from the Franklin Cultural Council. What is a glass armonica? It is a musical instrument invented by, you guessed it, Ben Franklin! Free. Donations welcome.
Check out this short video by Ken Burns: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57-JQlwRDqc.
▪ Special Events for Adults--The Franklin Stove: An Unintended American Revolution, Saturday, Jan 10 at 4 pm. As part of the town’s annual Ben Franklin Month, Harvard Professor Joyce Chaplin will be at the Franklin Public Library to discuss her new book, The Franklin Stove: An Unintended American Revolution.
Kirkus Reviews said: "Historian Chaplin focuses on Benjamin Franklin’s multiple renditions of an innovative stove to examine the intersection of scientific inquiry, race, class, politics, and economics at a time of climate change and resource depletion―a period, she underscores, not unlike our own.”
This event at the Franklin Public Library is co-sponsored by the Franklin Historical Museum with funding from the Franklin Cultural Council.
▪ Special Events for All Ages--Live Reading of the Franklin Autobiography, Thursday, January 15 @ 9:30am-7:30pm…. A tradition returns home! Join us for a live reading of Ben Franklin's Autobiography at the Franklin Public Library. Everyone is welcome to read, listen, and comment on the life of our favorite Founding Father.
▪ Franklin as Composer w/ Metro-west Symphony Orchestra, Saturday, January 17 @ 11am --Benjamin Franklin: statesman, entrepreneur, scientist… composer?! Yes, our beloved Ben even dabbled in composing his own music. Join us to explore this aspect of our namesake with the help of the Metro-West Symphony Orchestra at the Franklin Public Library.
▪ Ben Franklin Birthday Bash, Saturday, January 17 @ 2pm Join us as we celebrate the birthday of Ben Franklin himself! Music, games, and more at the Franklin Public Library.
The Franklin Historical Museum is located at 80 West Central Street, Franklin. The museum is open Saturday mornings from 10AM-1PM (except as noted above), Sunday afternoons from 1:00PM-4:00PM, and, experimentally, Thursday from noon to 5pm. Questions? Contact Alan Earls at 508 560 3786. Visit us online at https://www.franklinmuseum1778.or
Official Website: https://to.pbs.org/3p9drjq | developed a musical instrument that he called the armonica (after the Italian word for...
