2004 Annual Report Contents: 2 The Executive Message 4 The Science Museum 12 Center for Innovation in Science Learning 16 The Franklin Center 22 Financial Report 24 2004 Contributed Support Image: Fels Planetarium dome. 33 Board of Trustees c2c2 In the spirit of inquiry and discovery embodied by Benjamin Franklin, the mission of The Franklin Institute is to inspire an understanding of and passion for science and technology learning. —Franklin Institute Mission Statement An institution’s achievements are often measured in terms of revenue and attendance, but statistics tell only part of the story. The Franklin Institute’s ability to touch lives—influencing everyday decisions, directing careers and inspiring a life-long passion for science and technol- ogy learning—is the ultimate measure of its success. The Franklin Institute’s mission is the backbone of its exhibits, education programs, Web development, even The Franklin Institute Awards. More than ten years ago the Board of Trustees approved the Strategic Plan for 1996-2005 and launched a $50 million capital campaign to support the mission. The campaign raised a whopping $61.7 million; the Strategic Plan was revised and expanded to cover 2003-2008 and beyond. By the end of 2004, with six phases of its Strategic Plan completed, The Franklin Institute was already positioned for a different future. The Franklin Institute had undergone a renais- sance. Its future as a premier science education institution and destination attraction, a force in introducing millions to the excitement of science learning, had begun. 1 Executive Message Positioned for a very different future. In 2004 The Franklin Institute realized The success of Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition created a the full benefit of its successful $61.7 new template for the Institute’s revenue and attendance million capital campaign. With 100,000 square feet of new exhibits and visitor structure that will help advance our mission into the service areas, a new planetarium and next decade. refurbished theaters already in place, the Institute opened both Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition and The Giant Heart, Institute’s increased attendance and exhibits with broader demographic and attracting 1,028,586 visitors—the highest resulting modest budget surplus is geographic appeal, we expect that trend attendance in its history. Admission especially impressive at a time when to continue. To that end the Institute revenue grew 43 percent over the previ- museums nationwide are struggling to has scheduled Gunther von Hagens’ ous year, heightening national public maintain audience and balance their BODY WORLDS: The Anatomical Exhibi- awareness of the Institute and attract- budgets. tion of Real Human Bodies, opening in ing a record 12.5 million individual The Giant Heart: A Healthy Interactive October 7, 2005 and Tutankhamun and visitors to its Web site. Experience opened on October 1, The Golden Age of the Pharaohs, opening The success of Titanic: The Artifact contributing to the growth in attendance. in February 3, 2007. Exhibition created a new template for A Philadelphia icon for the past 50 the Institute’s revenue and attendance years, the walk-through heart is, today, Youth Education structure that will help advance our the centerpiece of a multi-generational The Institute is the beneficiary of many mission into the next decade. Previ- heart health and wellness experience, donors, both public and private, as ously, limitations on physical space made possible by the generosity and highlighted on pages 24 to 32. We are restricted the Institute’s opportunities foresight of many donors. Merck & Co., especially grateful to the Common- to schedule traveling exhibits. The Inc. and The Merck Company Founda- wealth of Pennsylvania for its strategic planning and campaign fund- tion provided a lead gift of $2 million; unwavering support, which this year ing enabled the Institute to renovate a other major supporters included The included a $699,000 operating grant, large percentage of its public space, Heart Center at Lankenau Hospital, the and to The Pew Charitable Trusts for its including Pepper Hall, which was made National Center for Research Resources three-year, $810,000 operating grant available for major new exhibitions and at the National Institutes of Health, and through its Philadelphia Cultural Leader- programs. This, combined with the the F.M. Kirby Foundation. Still other ship Program. Proceeds from Franklin expansive Upper Mandell Center special individuals and institutions contributed Family Funfest and The Franklin exhibit gallery, gives the Institute one of funding, equipment and/or professional Institute Awards Dinner, as well as the largest special exhibition spaces expertise. donations to the Institute’s Access of any museum in the region and room Clearly the Institute demonstrated program, enabled 20,805 students from to bring blockbuster educational that, given strong exhibits and low-income area schools to visit free of exhibits to Philadelphia. The expense programs, as well as good promotion, it charge. A total of 328,410 paid school associated with the 15,000-square-foot is possible to increase attendance to and youth groups visited at already Titanic exhibition necessitated an become the highest of any museum in reduced group rates. admission surcharge for Titanic and its the Commonwealth, and one of the Outreach initiatives such as Parent enlightening audio tour. By the time the highest of any science center in the Partners in School Science with the exhibit closed on January 23, 2005, a nation. With the facilities and support School District of Philadelphia, and total of 354,487 people had seen it. The services in place to accommodate larger Partnerships for Achieving Careers in 2 William J. Avery Dennis M. Wint Chairman President & CEO Technology and Science (PACTS)—our Recognizing Excellence In Appreciation career and leadership program for The Institute recognizes excellence On December 13, 2004, William J. Avery minority youth, are funded through every year by awarding its Benjamin stepped down as Board Chairman. His government, corporate and foundation Franklin Medals and Bower Awards to behind-the-scenes work on behalf of the grants. Together with fee-based world-class scientists and business Institute over the past six years has programs like Traveling Science Shows, leaders during a week-long celebration facilitated countless “miracles,” and his they extend science learning to diverse with academic symposia and public wise counsel helped steer the Institute audiences beyond the museum walls. programming. It is also important to through a highly successful capital acknowledge the Institute’s fine staff, campaign and to its current position of strength. The Institute and the commu- An Ongoing Process trustees and volunteers whose dedica- nity are so much richer for his years Strategic planning and the concomitant tion and hard work make the magic that of service. capital campaign have been fundamen- is The Franklin Institute. tal to the Institute’s many successes. In September 2004 Chief Astronomer With the first six new exhibits and Director of the Fels Planetarium completed by fall 2004, the Institute’s Derrick Pitts was named one of the “50 current Strategic Plan for 2003-2008, Most Important Blacks in Research Vision for the Future, calls for the instal- Science” by Science Spectrum and lation of five more permanent exhibits, Career Communications Group, Inc., exhibit upgrades, strengthening endow- for his life long work. Derrick, who ment and enhancing the Benjamin worked in the Planetarium as a student, Franklin National Memorial. is also a frequent guest media commen- Some initiatives mandated in the tator. Like his colleagues Dr. Dale Strategic Plan were less apparent to the McCreedy, who pioneered informal public. In 2004 the Institute began science education for girls, and Dr. replacing the roof, removing asbestos Wayne Ransom, whose professional where it existed, and pulling out radia- development programs for teachers tors—vestiges of the Institute’s have influenced the way science is antiquated steam heat system—as we taught in classrooms throughout the prepare for the installation of a new Commonwealth and beyond, Derrick HVAC system in the next phase of the has extended his knowledge of astron- plan. The Operations team’s ability to omy to millions of homes. handle portions of the renovations in- The Institute regrets the departure house and effectively coordinate with of two valued members of the Executive outside contractors enabled them not Staff, Kenneth E. Kirby and Rosalyn J. only to complete work on time and on McPherson, whose leadership helped us budget, but also to extend the scope of realize the “New Franklin Institute.” building improvements beyond those originally envisioned. William J. Avery Dennis M. Wint Chairman President & CEO 3 SCIENCE MUSEUM 4 The Franklin Institute’s renaissance was very apparent in the Science Museum. By October 2004, it had six of the eight planned campaign-funded exhibits, a new Digital Sky projec- tion system in the renovated Fels Planetarium, and inviting new public spaces. The 2004 Zagat Family Travel Guide named the Institute one of the 50 most popular attractions in the country—one of just seven museums nationwide. 5 Popular it was. 6 r it was. 7 Bustling with the success of Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition and The Giant Heart: A Healthy Interactive Experience, the Museum attracted 1,028,586 persons, an increase of 20% over the previous year. At year-end, three weeks prior to Titanic’s closing, 308,133 people had toured the exhibit. Visitors took advantage of extended weekend hours throughout the run of Titanic; between Christmas and New Years, a record 46,167 visitors came through the Museum. By closing date, the exhibit had captured the hearts of 354,487 visitors. Equally impressive were the 720,453 persons who came to see The Giant Heart and other exhibits (excluding Titanic) in the course of the year, signifying an increasing interest in Institute offerings as a whole.