Philadelphia - Sept 2022

Mutter Museum and Eastern State Penitentiary - Sept 24, 2022

We had 10am timed-entry tickets to the Mütter Museum, so we were able to sleep in a little. We passed this art on the way. 

Then we started the walk to the Mütter Museum at The College of Physicians of Philadelphia. There were others there before they opened. They came out to open and then closed the door back. We were like should we go in or not ready for us yet. Then he came back and said that they were open :). This museum did not allow pictures because it was specimens of real people and some with of their real names. I was worried this would be too disturbing for me, and we learned that lots of things can go wrong with the human body. It does give one a lot to be thankful for. Some was disturbing, but I just looked away. It was also interesting. It was definitely different than anything else than we have visited. The Medical History Library was open the day that we were there -- on weekends. Medical researchers used to have to reserve a time to visit and use it. Though we were not allowed to touch the books; they had some interesting ones and pages open in cases to read. Very interesting. 

After the museum, we had lunch at Gyu-Kaku, a Japanese cook your food at the table grill. I was leaning toward the filet, worried it would take 20ish minutes to cook, and the waitress noted that nothing took that long to cook -- about but 1 to 2 minutes. She recommended the hanger steak, and it was very good. We also had the spicy pork (it was very spicy in my opinion), and calamari. We cooked, eat, cooked, and eat. 

Next, we walked to the Eastern State Penitentiary. We also had pre-purchased tickets for this; they worked any day/time. We got audio tour headset where was an initial tour, and then additional places that you could go and enter the number to hear after (there were many of these). On weekends in the morning, they had human tour guides, but we were there in the afternoon. Below is Travis with the door to pass food to inmates. This prison was a new concept at the time of all solitary confinement, so all cells were one person, the food hole to not be able to see out into the hall, a small window for light in the cell, and a small outdoor yard to see daylight, but bricked all around to not see anyone else. Later, the solitary confinement was removed; at that time, there was a solitary punishment for bad behavior, would be assigned for so many days, and was very rough on the inmates.  

The hall wings were numbered; they started as one story and later wings were built with two stories, as you can see in the model. 

A second story view. They have not restore all the prison, and it sounds like they do not plan to.

At the end of the main audio tour, we were outside to what was later the baseball diamond, after solidary was removed. This board showed that the USA imprisoned more people than any other country, with the left showing countries with capital punishment and those without on the right. The other side showed the increase of imprisonment over time. Inside there was a special display, showing old newscasts of former presidents from Reagan, Bush Sr., Clinton, and  Bush Jr. talking about the need to imprison more criminals. Then later Obama changing the direction to less imprisonment. 

We went around and listened to audio tour segments; we learned about the kitchen and food (though not restored to see it), the underground/dark punishment solitary confinement later used, Al Capone's cell (arrested for an unlicensed gun or guns), death row hall with double bar rows to give the guards one more level of protection, some prison art in cells, the underground tunnel, and this is the medical wing, not restored yet, so they noted that we would have to come back when they are complete.  

Next up Valley Forge...

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