RIMS 2017 in Philadelphia kicked off with an opening reception in The Franklin Institute. Hundreds of attendees from around the world gathered together to network over good food from local restaurants, educational exhibits open in the museum and musical entertainment.

The Franklin Institute was founded in honor of one of America's first scientists: Benjamin Franklin. The Institute features science exhibits meant to educate the public and create a passion for science, the way Ben Franklin would have wanted.

A portion of the museum was closed off for attendees to enjoy the opening reception. Food stands featured cuisine from local Philadelphia restaurants, sampling the wide array of cultures that inhabit the East Coast city.

The reception featured live entertainment that had the crowd of RIMS attendees on their feet and dancing.

Click through to see exclusive pictures from the RIMS 2017 opening reception, and make sure to tell us your favorite part of the reception in the comments below!

The Franklin Institute was closed off especially for RIMS 2017 attendees. Click to see what was going on inside!

The Benjamin Franklin National Memorial sits at the center of the museum's rotunda, where the heart of the RIMS 2017 opening reception took place. The 20-foot high marble statue was sculpted by James Earle Fraser and was fully restored in 2010.

The rotunda itself was designed by architect John T. Windrim and officially opened in 1938. Modeled after the Pantheon in Rome, it measures 82 feet in length, width and height.

An exhibit called “Your Brain” was among some of the Institute's 12 permanent exhibits that were open to RIMS attendees. Inside, guests learned about essentially the most important organ in the body in the musuem's newest and largest permanent exhibit.

Part of the “Your Brain” exhibit is a two-story tall neural network climbing structure with dynamic lighting and sound effects that are triggered by climbers' footsteps.

Can you spot the attendee who made it up to the second story?

Behind the rotunda, a DJ and musicians entertained RIMS 2017 attendees as they sampled fare from local Philadelphia restaurants.

Outside “The Giant Heart” exhibit, a “champagne fairy” hung from a chandelier as they poured champagne for guests who approached with an empty flute. Talk about high class service!

For real-time RIMS 2017 coverage, follow the @PC360_Risk Twitter. Check back tomorrow for highlights from the first full day at RIMS 2017!

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