Field Trips: Eastern State Penitentiary

It’s time to visit a very old favorite, Eastern State Penitentiary.  This former prison (1829-1971), turned museum and historic site once housed notorious criminals as bank robber “Slick Willie” Sutton and Al Capone.

The prison is modeled after a hub and spoke plan.  Vaulted cell blocks resemble the church nave while the cells themselves were designed for isolation and penance.  Photographically, this destination offers architecture, decrepit walls, peeling paint, and crumbling sky-lit cells.  Visit the barber’s chairs (two of them), the surgery, medical wing,  and more.

Photography policy: https://www.easternstate.org/visit/site-rentals/photography-filmmaking

Check out the results from our past field trips in 2019 and 2015:
https://nvps.smugmug.com/NVPSGallery/Field-Trips/FieldTrips-2018-2019/Eastern-State-Penitentiary-April/
https://nvps.smugmug.com/NVPSGallery/Field-Trips/2014-2015-Field-Trips/Eastern-State/

Equipment:

• Tripods are permissible provided you have paid for the photography equipment pass with your admission.
• Wide angle lenses are ideal, but considering the narrow spaces, an ultra-wide will also work well for certain architectural shots.
• Comfortable walking shoes for walking. The interior is surprisingly long, but the facility does offer the occasional bench to pause.
• Buildings do not have climate controls so dress accordingly to the outdoor season.

When:

Saturday, September 24, 2022 from 10 a.m. to 2:00 p.m
*No rain date scheduled

Where:

2027 Fairmount Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19130

Driving time will be nearly 3 hours and will pass through tolls for tunnels through Baltimore and the JFK Memorial Hwy.  (non-MD E-ZPass tolls estimated at $3×2 + $8)

Our group will gather outside the main entrance across from OCF Coffee House (opposite to the corner at Fairmount Ave and N. 21^st St.) for some socializing.  Arrive early for a bit of coffee and pastries at the a fore mentioned coffee house. 

Once paid, we’re free to roam the facility.  Please consider joining us for lunch at 1pm.  We’ll decide on the location, which will be on Fairmount Ave within one block of the prison.

“Restrooms on site are limited to a three-stall restroom trailer with flush toilets and running water (located near the start of your tour) and two port-a-potties (located near The Big Graph at the end of the main tour route)” – https://www.easternstate.org/safety

Parking and tickets:

Free parallel parking on streets around the block that border Eastern State have a 3 hour limit.  Be sure to read the street signs as spots opposite the side bordering Eastern State are not free.  Do not anticipate parking in this zone for more than 3 hours (even if you find another spot on the block), you will get a ticket.

There’s also a parking lot in the adjacent block (between N.23^rd and N.22^nd Streets).  For $14, you can park here for up to 12 hours.

Admission tickets are $17 ($15 seniors, $13 students).  There is a $2 surcharge if buying your tickets in person.  Photography equipment pass (admission for your tripod): $10.   If we can muster 15+ members we can get $11 tickets ($10 seniors, $8 students) and $5 equipment passes. **

** If you are attending, please email fieldtrips (contact information can be found at Board Contacts) by Saturday September 10^h.  Steven will keep a tally on the members who have signed up and notify everyone via email on Tuesday September 13th if we have met the minimum requirements and who has signed up.  Only members on Steven’s list will be eligible for the discounted admissions on the day of the field trip.  If your name is not on the list, please contact Steven directly (instructions will be provided).

COVID precautions:

There are photogenic locations both indoors and out.  We are not anticipating huge crowds, but some indoor spaces are narrow so you may be in close contact with people outside your normal bubble.  With variants of the virus on the rise, you may want to carry a face covering just in case.

We hope you can join us!

Rena Schild and Steven Glintz
Field Trip Coordinators 2022-2023

* Photographs courtesy of Steven Glintz, Georgette Grossman, Jeff Hancock, Bill Millhouser, and Mike Whalen 

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