Philadelphia

‘Hear your heartbeat': New exhibits, upgrades to old favorites coming to Franklin Institute

The Franklin Institute in Philadelphia is currently undergoing some changes ahead of its November opening to celebrate 200 years

NBC Universal, Inc.

A beloved museum in Philadelphia is transforming in celebration of its bicentennial.

Several brand-new exhibits are coming as well as a collections gallery that's two stories at the Franklin Institute when it opens in November.

Two of the new exhibits will surround the fan-favorite Giant Heart as well as the Baldwin Locomotive.

The President and CEO of the Franklin Institute, Larry Dubinski told NBC10 that the Giant Heart is decades old. This upgrade will keep the heart the same, but the paper mache creation has been "fiber-glassed over."

"It has been cleaned up a little bit," Dubinski said. "It will also have an exhibition in it which you're going to hear your heartbeat coming from the Giant Heart."

The transformation at the Franklin Institute has been an 18-month project that has taken several years as museum leaders worked to reimage the experience for visitors.

The Giant Heart closed back in May of 2024 as the museum began the procedure.

The Hamilton Collections Gallery and the Body Odyssey are both scheduled to open on Saturday, Nov. 23.

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