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The Benjamin Franklin National Memorial features a 20-foot-high marble statue of the Founding Father sculpted by James Earle Fraser. MikeParker at en.wikipedia.

Ben Franklin statue covered for museum expansion project

Tom Hoepf
Tom Hoepf

The Benjamin Franklin National Memorial features a 20-foot-high marble statue of the Founding Father sculpted by James Earle Fraser. MikeParker at en.wikipedia.
The Benjamin Franklin National Memorial features a 20-foot-high marble statue of the Founding Father sculpted by James Earle Fraser. MikeParker at en.wikipedia.
PHILA., Pa. (AP) – Benjamin Franklin is going undercover in Philadelphia.

KYW-AM reports the iconic 20-foot-statue of the Founding Father that’s in the central hall of his namesake Franklin Institute has been placed under a big sheet of plastic because of an expansion project.

The science museum is removing part of a wall to connect the main hall with a four-story addition, currently under construction next door and due to open next year.

Workers used an electric lift, ladders, scaffolding and even a long stick to get the massive white marble statue of Franklin under wraps on Tuesday.

Franklin Institute CEO Dennis Wint says the museum’s big Ben is a national memorial, so they’re making sure he’s protected.

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Information from: KYW-AM, http://www.kyw1060.com

Copyright 2013 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

AP-WF-08-20-13 1835GMT

ADDITIONAL IMAGE OF NOTE

The Benjamin Franklin National Memorial features a 20-foot-high marble statue of the Founding Father sculpted by James Earle Fraser. MikeParker at en.wikipedia.
The Benjamin Franklin National Memorial features a 20-foot-high marble statue of the Founding Father sculpted by James Earle Fraser. MikeParker at en.wikipedia.