Philadelphia's "Giant Heart" to reopen in new Franklin Institute exhibit
It's been a rite of passage for students all over the Philadelphia region for years — a walk through the "Giant Heart" at the Franklin Institute.
Behind an accordion wall, the new "Body Odyssey" exhibit is coming to life.
"We really timed this to go with our 200th anniversary. It's the most iconic piece of our collection and our experience," Abby Bysshe, chief experience and strategy officer at the Franklin Institute, said.
The 8,500-square-foot space takes guests on a journey through the human body — from mental health to gut health. After six months of lying dormant, the beloved "Giant Heart" is back and beating.
"People weren't happy it was down, but the buzz was created as soon as we closed them down. Because I think people were ready for something new, something engaging, something even more relevant and that's what we've created," Larry Dubinski, president and CEO of the Franklin Institute, said.
For two years, the team behind "Body Odyssey" has worked to create the sensory, interactive and technology-driven exhibit. Guests can take a turn at robotic surgery. Then, head over to the dissection space, before running through "the Heart of Philadelphia."
"I grew up in the Philadelphia area so this is such a core memory of my childhood. To bring in the context of a new story of where science is going in the future while maintaining that connection to the memories that people hold so carefully is really an honor," Dr. Jayatri Das, Chief Bioscientist and director of Science Content, said.
This is not the only new exhibit opening. Take a walk downstairs to find the Hamilton Collections Gallery.
"It brings our vast array of collections — over 40,000 pieces, many of them out for the public to see for the first time," Dubinski said.
On display is the iconic 350-ton Baldwin 60,000 Locomotive among hundreds of pieces from the institute's collection. The exhibit cost $12 million.
"No matter if you're interested in transportation, manufacturing, early energy … Benjamin Franklin, these collections are now there for visitors to engage with and learn more about," Dubinski said.
Both exhibits open Saturday morning. The first 200 guests on opening day will get free admission.