We spent today at the American Philosophical Society Museum. The APS was founded by Benjamin Franklin in 1743. The Library has been collecting books and manuscripts since then, with a focus on science. We spent much of the morning talking with museum professionals about the work they do, and then we walked over to the Library. The Library is usually open only to scholars, but the librarian invited us into the room where they keep books from Benjamin Franklin’s personal library.
One of the things the librarian shared with us was an early example of fake news. When Benjamin Franklin was in Paris trying to negotiate peace at the end of the Revolutionary war, he created a fake newspaper, which suggested that the British had been involved in horrible, bloody acts of violence in America. He hoped it would convince the British people to urge their leaders to stop the war.
We talked a bit about the connection between history and science. Much of the collection at the APS involves the history of science — Charles Darwin was a member! But we also learned that there is a great deal of science behind restoring and preserving the documents and artifacts that end up in exhibits. We were lucky enough to chat with a number of people who are working on a new exhibit called Mapping America, including curators, conservators, educators and the woman who coordinates everything. (She was late because she had to run around and get insurance for an artifact they borrowed from another museum.)
The APS has a membership that includes some of the most distinguished people in the world: musicians, writers, scientists, anthropologists, etc. The average age of members is 70. People have to be invited to become members.
