Where-To-Go Wednesday - Burlington County Prison Museum

What: Burlington County Prison Museum

Where:128 High Street
            Mount Holly, NJ

Who: Tweens and Up


Me - The Burlington County Prison Museum was interesting. We walked around the museum and learned about the history of the museum. We learned about some of the prisoners that were kept there. We also learned about some of the wardens that worked there. One of the wardens was killed by a prisoner. The had a giant key that used to actually be the key to the prison. There were drawings of a couple of a prisoners that were executed. A son of one of the wardens drew it, and he actually brought it in to his school for show and tell. We got to see different kinds of cells. There was a model of ship that a former prisoner had made out of objects that could be found at the prison. Over all, if you're interested in prisons, history,  or the history of the county of Burlington, you might find it fascinating.


Mom - The Burlington County Prison Museum is located in an actual former prison. It operated from 1811 through 1965. When we visited we were given a private tour, but there is a new audio tour that anyone can take which covers basically the same information. If you prefer, you can walk around the museum without listening to the audio tour, but it is a lot more interesting to know what you are looking at and learn some of the history of the prison and the people who were housed and/or worked there. The audio tour does cost $3.00 extra but admission to the museum is only $5.00 for adults, $3.00 for seniors and military, $2.00 for students and free for 5 and under so it is still not that much even if you do pay for the audio tour.  At the museum, you will learn about what life was like at the prison. You will see different cells including a solitary confinment cell. You will learn about former prisoners including Wesley Warner. You will learn about some of the wardens who worked there including William Harry King, the only warden ever killed at the prison. You will also see artifacts from the prison like drawings and writing left on prison walls by former prisoners, objects that belonged to former prisoners, objects that belonged  to former wardens, and furniture that belonged to the wardens like the wardens' desk. Although, it may sound a bit creepy to visit a former prison, it is actually quite fascinating.  I would not recommend a visit for very young children or children or adults who would be so bothered by the idea of a visit to a former prison that it would give them nightmares. However, for anyone that is not especially sensitive to places, there is not anything you will see at the prison museum that it especially bothersome and there is nothing that should stop from you wanting to visit and learn about this unique venue.


For more information visit http://prisonmuseum.net/index.html?current=one&sub=none

And that's our view. Tune in tomorrow for Theater Thursday.