The Franklin Institute Foucault Pendulum - Philadelphia, PA
N 39° 57.492 W 075° 10.376
18S E 485229 N 4423132
Mr. and Mrs. Richard L. Binder donated the Foucault pendulum at the Franklin Institute. It was installed on 15 February 1934. Eleven men held the 85-foot wire that holds the bob in order to prevent kinks from tangling it.
Waymark Code: WM6VGE
Location: Pennsylvania, United States
Date Posted: 07/23/2009
Views: 15
When the bob was held and the cable extended, they did so throughout a center city parade as they were guarded by mounted policemen. The pendulum is the centerpiece of the original museum. It is located in the grand stairwell which leads to all floors of the museum.
Anyone who has done the complete museum tour will definitely remember peeking over the third floor marble staircase and wondering what the heck that silver ball was doing down there and why it was moving. Who knew it was proving a fundamental scientific principle.