Franklin's Kite Experiment (debated)

Benjamin Franklin is popularly credited with the 1752 kite-and-key experiment demonstrating the electrical nature of lightning; the story is associated with Franklin’s activities in Philadelphia and is a centerpiece of his public persona. Historians dispute some details of the traditional account and whether the experiment occurred exactly as popularly described. The Benjamin Franklin Museum at Franklin Court interprets Franklin’s electrical experiments and the broader documentary record about his life.