Benjamin Franklin House, at 36 Craven Street in central London, can be hired for drinks receptions, lectures, networking events, private dinners, team meetings and project launches. Six rooms take between 10 and 25 guests each, and the whole house can be booked for larger events.
Seminars and company events
The venue offers an intimate alternative to modern event spaces, with a Grade I listed Georgian house as the setting. Event options listed in the hire guide are drinks receptions, conferences, photoshoots and team meetings, and the hire page adds lectures, networking events and private dinners. Gigabit internet and smart projectors are installed in each room, and the house has high-speed Wi-Fi and an AV system in each room. A dedicated member of staff is assigned to each event, and tea, coffee and water are provided as standard.
Organisers can book a single room or the whole house, or ask for a bespoke package. A private tour of the house, led by a senior member of staff, can be added for guests. Out-of-hours events before 10 am and after 5 pm are possible and charged extra.
Rooms and capacities
The hire guide lists six spaces with their size and capacity.
Franklin's Parlour measures 22.1 m2 and holds 25 standing or 20 seated. Franklin's Laboratory measures 15.6 m2 and holds 20 standing or 15 seated. The Courtyard measures 19.2 m2 and holds 25 standing or 15 seated. Margaret's Parlour measures 17.3 m2 and holds 20 standing or 15 seated. The Card Room measures 15 m2 and holds 20 standing or 15 seated. The Historic Kitchen measures 14.4 m2 and holds 20 standing or 10 seated.
These are small rooms, so the house suits small groups of up to about 25, or larger standing events spread over several rooms if the whole house is hired. Whole-house capacity is not published.
Catering
Food is provided by an external caterer. The hire guide shows sweet and savoury options and soft drinks and alcohol as extra costs, with staff charged per group of guests. Catering arrangements are agreed with the events team.
History and setting
Benjamin Franklin House is the only remaining home of Benjamin Franklin in the world. Franklin lived here for nearly sixteen years, between 1757 and 1775. About 80 percent of the house is still original, so guests walk the same floorboards and climb the same stairs. The house is a charity, registered number 276066, and runs a museum, education programme and tours alongside hire.
Getting there
The house is at 36 Craven Street, London WC2N 5NF, on a quiet road in the centre of the city. Enquiries and free site visits are arranged by emailing operations@benjaminfranklinhouse.org or calling 020 7839 2006. A virtual tour is available for those who cannot visit.
