The museum is comprehensive as it houses numerous subjects in the old jail/prison. We went through the Maritime Museum, Prison Museum, Old Time Ushuaia Museum and an art gallery all for $50 pesos each ($13 USD).
Maritime Museum
I had no idea (until now) that Ushuaia had been designated as a Penal Colony for 580 convicts. The construction of the prison started in 1902. The building of the prison (by the convicts) went on until 1920. In 1920, the prison has 5 pavilions with 79 exterior facing cells each. The jail houses more than 600 convicts at one time.
In the museum, each cell contained interesting facts, figures and photos of the prison, the inmates and how they essentially built the city of Ushuaia. They developed the first press, telephone, electricity and fire station in Ushuaia. The also built the streets, bridges, buildings and the railway in 1910. In 1947, the President ordered the closure of the jail and installations were transferred to the Navy and the Naval Base was set up in 1950.
The convicts arriving in Ushuaia
A tad chilly in the prison
The "untouched" wing of the prison
The Art Gallery...each cell was its own art piece.
Yup, that's a suitcase on the floor with dirt in it...???
After our visit to the museum, we hit up a small pizza and empanada joint near the museum. Lizzie has been enjoying her "submarino's" around Ushuaia...each place very different in presentation and flavor. This place happened to have their chocolate bars in the shape of a submarine!
Hot milk + chocolate bar = hot chocolate
Lizzie and I at our fave restaurant - Placeres Patagonico
Enjoying a Beagle Fuegian Ale brew
