Benjamin Franklin House The West End

This modest house southeast of Trafalgar Sq is where American statesman Benjamin Franklin lived from 1757 to 1775 as he tried to broker peace with Britain and (unsuccessfully) avert war. Visits are by guided tour only, which depart at noon, 1pm, 2pm, 3.15pm and 4.15pm Wednesday to Sunday (architectural tours on Monday only). Because the house is effectively empty – there are only a few items associated with Franklin on display – the tour is conducted by a costumed guide playing Polly Stevenson, daughter of Franklin’s landlord Margaret. Billed as 'museum as theatre’ it’s all a bit plodding and overly dramatic, though the introductory film is quite instructive. About the most interesting things in the house are the human bones discovered during conservation work in 1998 and on display in the basement. Apparently Polly’s husband, William Hewson, ran his own anatomy school from here in the late 18th century