The entrance to the Atwater Kent Museum

Philadelphia's city history museum, the Atwater Kent Museum (also known as the Atwater Kent Museum of Philadelphia) was created in 1938 when Philadelphia Mayor S. Davis Wilson and Frances Wistar, president of the Philadelphia Society for the Preservation of Landmarks, convinced inventor and radio pioneer A. Atwater Kent to purchase the historic Franklin Institute building and create a history museum for the City of Philadelphia. Philadelphia is a village located in Jefferson County, New York. ... 1938 (MCMXXXVIII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ... A. Atwater Kent 1873-1949 Arthur Atwater Kent was a thrifty New Englander born in Vermont, educated in Massachusetts who invented the closely timed ignition system, and operated Atwater Kent the worlds largest radio factory in Pennsylvania. ... The Franklin Institute is the memorial to Benjamin Franklin, that serves to perpetuate his legacy; the museum contains many of Franklins personal effects. ...

The museum building was designed by notable architect John Haviland and built 1824–26 for the Franklin Institute, founded in 1823 by Samuel Vaughn Merrick. The Atwater Kent Museum now houses more than 80,000 objects related to Philadelphia City History including an estimated 10,000 artifacts from the Historical Society of Pennsylvania art and artifact collection. The Franklin Institute is the memorial to Benjamin Franklin, that serves to perpetuate his legacy; the museum contains many of Franklins personal effects. ... Historical library and archive founded in Philadelphia in 1824. ...

Notable facts

• The Museum houses a collection of 321 Saturday Evening Post covers illustrated by Norman Rockwell and published in Philadelphia by the Curtis Publishing company.
• The Museum's main gallery features the world's largest map of Philadelphia.
• The historic building's design is loosely based on the design of the Greek monument of Thrasyllus.

There have been many publications called the Saturday Evening Post; several were/are local British newspapers. ... Norman Rockwell Norman Rockwell (February 3, 1894 – November 8, 1978) was an early 20th century American painter. ... Philadelphia is a village located in Jefferson County, New York. ... Thrasyllus of Mendes was an Egyptian astrologer, astronomer and mathematician who lived during the reign of the Emperor Tiberius, whom he served. ...

External links

• Atwater Kent Museum of Philadelphia official website
• Virtual Tour of Philadelphia's stop at the Atwater Kent
• Philadelphia department of recreation