On Sunday, Jan. 22, from 1 to 4 p.m., the Terre Haute Children’s Museum will celebrate Benjamin Franklin’s birthday with a number of special activities and presentations, including a special appearance by Ben Franklin!

Benjamin Franklin, who was born Jan. 17, 1706, became famous for being a scientist, inventor, statesman, printer, philosopher and economist, and during the Benjamin Franklin Birthday Celebration, museum guests will get to learn about some of his many accomplishments. The Celebration will feature presentations by a number of community members and organizations and a number of hands-on experiments and activities for kids of all ages, coordinated by students from the Indiana State University Center for Mathematics Education.

Like everyone else, Benjamin Franklin was affected by weather; but unlike most people of his time, he tried to explain the reasons for various weather-related phenomena, and even discovered some ways to predict the weather. During Sunday’s event at the Museum, WTHI Chief Meteorologist David Wire will be on hand to talk about how Franklin used observation to help explain weather and talk about some of the weather prediction tools that are used today.

Franklin's interest in the scientific culture of the 18th century drew him into many positive acquaintances and associations. It was his friendship with Dr. Thomas Bond that inspired him to assist in the founding of Pennsylvania Hospital, our nation’s first hospital. During the Birthday Celebration event at the Museum, representatives from Union Hospital will teach guests about making healthy choices in exercise and nutrition.

In addition to helping start our nation’s first hospital, Franklin also started many other things. He started the first fire department, and representatives from the Terre Haute Fire Department will be on hand to share information about fire safety. He also established the first public lending library in America, and representatives from Cunningham Memorial Library at Indiana State University Library will engage guests in a number of hands-on activities. Franklin was also the first postmaster general, and the United States Postal Service will have information available regarding the postal service’s history and how barcodes have helped streamline mail sorting processes.

Franklin ISU Networks Financial Institute Networks Scholars will also be on hand to provide a brief lesson on how to “read” important information on US paper currency, offer some quick fun exercises on counting money and share some of the unique security features on the new $100 Ben Franklin bill. There will also be events and activities related to Franklin’s role as a printer, publisher and journalist.

At 3:30 p.m., Ben Franklin will make an appearance at the Museum to talk about his many accomplishments! Franklin will be played by Bob Fischer, an accomplished math teacher and math coach at Honey Creek Middle School.

The Benjamin Franklin Birthday Celebration is free for members of the Terre Haute Children’s Museum and free with museum admission for non-members. Admission to the Terre Haute Children’s Museum is $7 for adults and children 2 and older. Admission for children up to 24 months is free.

The Terre Haute Children’s Museum is located at the corner of 8th Street and Wabash Avenue in downtown Terre Haute. For more information about the Museum, visitwww.thchildrensmuseum.com, email  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , or call 812-235-5548.

For information about the ISU Center for Mathematics Education, visit http://coe.indstate.edu/cme/.

The Terre Haute Children’s Museum and the Indiana State University Center for Mathematics Education are preparing for another fun-filled session of their popular “Go Figure” program! The unique math program is designed for third, fourth and fifth grade students, and for the past two years, it has helped students gain enthusiasm and excitement for mathematics.

“Go Figure” is a five-week math encouragement and enrichment program, and each week of the program has a different theme, allowing students to see the math in fun things like design, weather, airplanes and crime scene investigation!

The program, which will be facilitated by Indiana State University student docents, will take place every Saturday, from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., beginning Jan. 28 and ending Feb. 25, at the Terre Haute Children’s Museum, 727 Wabash Ave. The program receives support from the Wabash Valley Community Foundation.

The goals of the program are to create a sense of excitement about being math savvy in everyday life, to encourage students to pursue more challenging math classes as they enter middle school and high school, and to inspire students to begin thinking about the importance of careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). Students with varying ranges of mathematics experience and achievement are encouraged to participate.

The cost to attend all five sessions is $40 for members of the Terre Haute Children’s Museum and $50 for non-members. Class size is limited. To register, or for more information, contact Rachael Nickel by email at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or by phone at 812-235-5548. The registration form can also be downloaded online at http://thchildrensmuseum.com/images/stories/GoFigure_Spring12.pdf.

The Terre Haute Children’s Museum is located at the corner of 8th Street and Wabash Avenue in downtown Terre Haute. For more information about the Museum, visit www.thchildrensmuseum.com, email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , or call 812-235-5548.

The Terre Haute Children’s Museum has announced that it will be open on Monday, Jan. 16, Martin Luther King Jr. Day. From 10 a.m. to noon, the Museum will be open to members only, and from noon to 6 p.m., the Museum will be open to the public.

During the Martin Luther King Jr. Day event, Museum guests will have a chance to participate in a variety of winter crafts and activities, and most are free with Museum admission. Guests will also get a chance to learn about the life and legacy of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. through educational posters and a scavenger hunt.

Admission to the Terre Haute Children’s Museum is $7 for adults and children 2 and older. Admission for children up to 24 months is free. Members of the Terre Haute Children’s Museum are also admitted for free. For more information about the Martin Luther King Jr. Day activities, and other events coming up at the Museum, call 812-235-5548, email info@terrehautechildrensmuseum.com, or visit www.thchildrensmuseum.com.