Ushuaia Maritime and Prison Museum
Spent some time at the Museo Maritimo y del Presidio de Ushuaia – The prison at the end of the world, now an interesting museum of Ushuaian life and maritime history.
The first male prisoners started arriving in 1896 and in general most convicts were military prisoners or later on, had life sentences or were repeat offenders, perhaps the equivalent of deportation? Prisoners worked in and outside the prison, a free labour source essentially. This included re-building the original wooden prison in stone from 1902. Workshops were steadily added over time and included a bakery, the first printing press plus only hospital in the area, telephone and electricity supply for the whole town. They built roads, bridges, buildings and branched out into forestry…this led to the establishment of the southernmost train and railway in the world, begun in 1910, to bring the logs the 25km approx. to the town.
The prison closed in 1947 and the facilities given to the navy who built a base in 1950. It was all declared a National Historical Monument in 1997 and is the popular museum of today.
The prisoners train locomotive and coach – the southernmost trainline in the world 
The prisoners train used the Decauville system – narrowest gauge for freight trains in the world 
Traction engine / mobile steam boiler, used at the saw mill, towed there by oxen 
Prison with a view at least 
One of the prison pavilions left in original condition…pretty spooky 
Gather there’s been some upgrades since
Last supper in Ushuaia
The quintessential backpacker meal: pasta, a locally brewed beer, quite strong – helps to brave the cold, and a little Jack.
Leaving tomorrow to head back to Buenos Aires to travel north. Patagonia has been an awesome and epic and magical experience. If I was to have only one regret it would be that I don’t have time to take a last minute discounted trip to Antarctica. Perhaps another time…