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January 15, 2020, 10:00 am – January 21, 2020, 5:00 pm
The Right of Return x Represent Justice Experience
Standard admission. The Right of Return x Represent Justice Experience is a pop-up art experience hosted at Eastern State Penitentiary. The Experience will center on the voices and experiences of those who have been the most impacted by incarceration and uncover important truths about the United States’ history of oppression.
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February 4, 2020, 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Darnell Epps: The Qualitative and Collateral Benefits of College in Prison: The Case for Making Second Chance Pell Real for Everyone
Free. Reception to follow. Darnell Epps will discuss why Federal Pell Grants and state financial aid should be extended to everyone who is incarcerated, regardless of the length of their sentence. In doing so, he will highlight many of the arguments made in his recently published op-ed in the New York Daily News.
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February 15, 2020, 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
Member Saturday: Organized Crime | Prohibition Era
Members only. Registration required. Learn more about some of the 20th century’s most notorious lawbreakers and their experiences during the tumultuous prohibition era.
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March 3, 2020, 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
The Searchlight Series: March 2020
Free. Reception to follow. Speaker to be announced.
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March 21, 2020, 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
Member Saturday: Neighborhood Connections | Eastern State and Girard College
Members only. Registration required. Eastern State Penitentiary and Girard College have been neighbors for more than 180 years. Go behind the Girard College wall for a behind-the-scenes tour and discussion exploring the historical links between these two Philadelphia landmarks.
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April 7, 2020, 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
The Searchlight Series: April 2020
Free. Reception to follow. Speaker to be announced.
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April 18, 2020, 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
Member Saturday: Explore the Newly Preserved Soup Alley
Members only. Registration required. Join President and CEO Sally Elk to explore one of our most recent preservation projects, Soup Alley. Visit the site’s communal dining area for prisoners, and, for the first time, step inside a mess hall and enjoy an unobscured view of the main kitchen.
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May 1, 2020, 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm
Reception for the 2020 Season
Free. Eastern State Penitentiary hosts a changing series of exhibits and artist installations as part of its ongoing programming. Join us as we celebrate our 2020 season with an after-hours reception, free and open to the public! Visitors will be some of the first to view two new site-specific artist installations. Light refreshments will be served.
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May 5, 2020, 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
The Searchlight Series: May 2020
Free. Reception to follow. Speaker to be announced.
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May 16, 2020, 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
Member Saturday: Ron Johnson | Yard Out Fitness
Members only. Registration required. Join Ron Johnson to learn about his journey from incarceration to establishing a career as a certified personal trainer. Ron will discuss training his mind and body while he was incarcerated, and how these practices led to his current work as a personal trainer. Then, Ron will lead a light training session appropriate for all abilities. Please dress comfortably and for the weather.
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June 2, 2020, 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
The Searchlight Series: June 2020
Free. Reception to follow. Speaker to be announced.
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June 20, 2020, 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
Member Saturday: Meet the Artist
Members only. Registration required. Meet an artist with an installation at Eastern State and learn more about what it’s like to create site-specific art for the penitentiary. Have you ever wondered what inspires artists to install work here? Or are you curious about what their artistic process entails? Maybe you want to learn more about how the lack of climate control and overall conditions at the penitentiary affect their process.
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June 30, 2020, 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Wawa Welcome America: Free Museum Night
Free. Ticket required to guarantee entry; link to reserve tickets will be made available prior to the event. Explore America’s most historic prison at dusk! Free Museum Night admission includes “The Voices of Eastern State" Audio Tour narrated by actor Steve Buscemi, Hands-On History interactive experiences, history exhibits, and artist installations.
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July 7, 2020, 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
The Searchlight Series: July 2020
Free. Reception to follow. Speaker to be announced.
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July 18, 2020, 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
Member Saturday: July 2020
Members only. Registration required. Topic to be announced. This event is free for all members. Reserve free tickets online or call 215-236-5111 x224. Space is limited. Join us on the third Saturday of every month for a special members-only program.
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August 4, 2020, 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
The Searchlight Series: August 2020
Free. Reception to follow. Speaker to be announced.
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August 15, 2020, 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
Member Saturday: August 2020
Members only. Registration required. Topic to be announced. This event is free for all members. Reserve free tickets online or call 215-236-5111 x224. Space is limited. Join us on the third Saturday of every month for a special members-only program.
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September 1, 2020, 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
The Searchlight Series: September 2020
Free. Reception to follow. Speaker to be announced.
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September 19, 2020, 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
Member Saturday: September 2020
Members only. Registration required. Topic to be announced. This event is free for all members. Reserve free tickets online or call 215-236-5111 x224. Space is limited. Join us on the third Saturday of every month for a special members-only program.
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October 6, 2020, 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
The Searchlight Series: October 2020
Free. Reception to follow. Speaker to be announced.
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October 11, 2020, 11:00 am – 3:00 pm
Coffee with a Cop
Free. Eastern State Penitentiary is proud to partner with the Philadelphia Police Department for Coffee with a Cop. Join officers from the Philadelphia Police Department for an informal conversation—over coffee—about issues that matter to you.
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October 17, 2020, 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
Member Saturday: October 2020
Members only. Registration required. Topic to be announced. This event is free for all members. Reserve free tickets online or call 215-236-5111 x224. Space is limited. Join us on the third Saturday of every month for a special members-only program.
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November 3, 2020, 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
The Searchlight Series: November 2020
Free. Reception to follow. Speaker to be announced.
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November 21, 2020, 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
Member Saturday: November 2020
Members only. Registration required. Topic to be announced. This event is free for all members. Reserve free tickets online or call 215-236-5111 x224. Space is limited. Join us on the third Saturday of every month for a special members-only program.
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November 27, 2020 – December 20, 2020
Holiday Toy Drive
BOGO Admission for Anyone Who Donates. Donate a toy November 27 through December 20, 2020 in exchange for "Buy One, Get One Free" admission to Eastern State. One in 28 American kids has a parent behind bars. In Pennsylvania alone, there are approximately 81,096 children with a parent incarcerated in a PA state prison. How can we come together as a community to support families experiencing incarceration during the holidays?
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December 1, 2020, 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
The Searchlight Series: December 2020
Free. Reception to follow. Speaker to be announced.
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December 19, 2020, 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
Member Saturday: December 2020
Members only. Registration required. Topic to be announced. This event is free for all members. Reserve free tickets online or call 215-236-5111 x224. Space is limited. Join us on the third Saturday of every month for a special members-only program.
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