PRINTER'S NO. 1988
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE RESOLUTION
No. 374
Session of
2024
INTRODUCED BY SAVAL, FONTANA, HUGHES, HAYWOOD, VOGEL, COSTA,
CAPPELLETTI AND MILLER, NOVEMBER 13, 2024
INTRODUCED AND ADOPTED, NOVEMBER 13, 2024
A RESOLUTION
1 Recognizing the year of 2024 as the "Year of The Franklin
2 Institute" in Pennsylvania.
3 WHEREAS, The General Assembly celebrates the 200th
4 anniversary of The Franklin Institute, one of the nation's
5 oldest and most renowned science museums; and
6 WHEREAS, The Franklin Institute was founded February 5, 1984,
7 by Samuel Vaughan Merrick, a 22-year-old who was in the
8 manufacturing business and William H. Keating, a young chemistry
9 professor at the University of Pennsylvania, along with 28
10 others; and
11 WHEREAS, The Franklin Institute was initially opened to honor
12 the legacy of Benjamin Franklin, whose immense contributions to
13 science and many other areas of study inspired countless
14 generations of scientists; and
15 WHEREAS, The museum has become a symbol of scientific
16 progress, a leader in informal science education, a hub for
17 community engagement and a valued partner to schools and
18 families across the region; and
 1 WHEREAS, The Franklin Institute achieves its mission to
2 "inspire a passion for learning about science and technology"
3 through its exhibits, museum experience and education programs
4 by making STEM (science, technology and mathematics) accessible
5 and inspiring generations of Philadelphia children to pursue
6 careers in the sciences; and
7 WHEREAS, Today, The Franklin Institute is one of our
8 country's leading science centers, Pennsylvania's most visited
9 museum and a cornerstone of Philadelphia's arts and culture
10 community; and
11 WHEREAS, As The Franklin Institute looks ahead with great
12 anticipation to its third century, the museum continues to
13 embody the spirit of inquiry, discovery and passion for which
14 its namesake was known; and
15 WHEREAS, The Franklin Institute remains committed to
16 advancing our collective understanding of our world and fueling
17 our imagination of all it can be; therefore be it
18 RESOLVED, That the Senate recognize the year of 2024 as the
19 "Year of The Franklin Institute" in Pennsylvania; and be it
20 further
21 RESOLVED, That the Senate encourage all who live in and visit
22 this Commonwealth to celebrate the contributions and
23 achievements of The Franklin Institute; and be it further
24 RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be transmitted to
25 The Franklin Institute in recognition of its 200th anniversary.
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