“If Franklin were to mount a museum exhibition about himself,” writes Edward Rothstein in the New York Times, “it might very well resemble – in its variety, intelligence and pleasures – Benjamin Franklin: In Search of a Better World.” The exhibition, which just opened, will be on display at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia through April 30, 2006, and is part of a traveling celebration of the 300th anniversary of Franklin’s birth.

The book, published by Yale University Press and designed to accompany the exhibition, is illustrated by more than 265 color images of the artifacts on display, including portraits, manuscripts, drawings, maps, paintings, engravings, and a plethora of Franklin’s possessions, from teacups to printing equipment: it is a fitting commemoration of the visionary pragmatist.