The Franklin Institute
Maillardet's automaton in The Amazing Machine.
The Franklin Institute is a science museum and center of science education and research in Philadelphia. It is named in honor of Benjamin Franklin, and houses the Benjamin Franklin National Memorial. Founded in 1824, it is one of the oldest centers of science education and development in the United States.
The most recognizable part is the Franklin Institute Science Museum. Among other exhibits, the museum holds the largest collection of artifacts from the Wright brothers' workshop. Other notable exhibits include The Giant Heart and a Baldwin 60000 steam locomotive.
The Amazing Machine exhibit includes more than two dozen rarely displayed machines. A highlight is Maillardet's automaton, built in London circa 1800. It produces elaborate sketches and poems, and is believed to have the largest cam-based memory of any automaton of the era.
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