There will also be a special pop-up museum showcasing the prison's vibrant sports culture.
“Visitors will have the opportunity to see the original copies of the magazines Umpire and Eastern Echo written and published by those incarcerated at Eastern State University,” McCool said. “The exhibit will also include handmade tabletop games made by Eastern State inmates, including chess boards, chess pieces, and handmade cribbage boards.”
Kelly Sautner, president and CEO of Eastern State Prison Historic Site, said the spring break program will teach visitors about the history of freedom and incarceration in the United States and Philadelphia through the lens of criminal justice reform. He said it is in line with the mission of the nonprofit organization.
“This is a great place to learn all about the history of incarceration in America, but it also focuses on the justice system as a whole and criminal justice reform,” Sautner said. “Our team of educators are truly amazing and know how to involve all age groups in the right way so everyone feels welcome.”
When the prison opened in 1829, its purpose was to give those incarcerated a chance to repent, rediscover their inner light, and become productive members of society, she said. said. The maximum-security prison housed as many as 1,800 inmates at one time, including murderers, thieves, and some white-collar criminals. Both notorious gangster Al Capone and famous bank robber “Slick Willy” Sutton were prisoners.
