Editor’s note: This article was initially published in The Daily Gazette, Swarthmore’s online, daily newspaper founded in Fall 1996. As of Fall 2018, the DG has merged with The Phoenix. See the about page to read more about the DG.
The last weekend before Halloween means all manner of macabre activities and possibilities abound both on and off campus. On campus you can see pieces in both the List and Kitao Galleries, attend the ghost play “The Woman in Black,” and, of course, participate in the Costume Contest at the Parrish Pre-Party. Off campus, Philadelphia is also getting ready to celebrate one of the most popular holidays of the year.
by Miles SkorpenHere’s a trick: visiting a cemetery by going six feet under. Laurel Hill Cemetery on Ridge Avenue offers underground museum tours focusing on the architecture and historical details of this nearly two hundred year old garden cemetery. The site boasts gorgeous sculpture and an eerie setting, the perfect spot to get in the mood for Halloween.
Now a treat: consider the Philadelphia Art Museums’s exhibition “Tesoros/Treasures.” The exhibition is made up of a collection of pieces from Brazil, Peru, Paraguay, Ecuador, Colombia, Chile, Uruguay, Bolivia, Argentina, and Mexico dating from 1492-1820. From glittering goldwork to feathers and precious stones, the exhibit highlights the richness and resources of Latin America as it was just as the Europeans began colonizing the New World.
While you’re in the city, you may as well catch some thrills. Now through the 30th, Halloweekend on the Waterfront provides all manner of diversions including the haunted tall ship “The Gazela,” open air movie screenings, and going ghost hunting on “The Olympia.” Of course, for those interested in the classic haunted house experience, one need look no further than Eastern State Penitentiary’s haunted house, and thanks to having just finished midterms, you’ll probably find your threshold for terror is significantly higher than usual. You can also consider visiting the Penitentiary, established by the Quakers roughly two hundred years ago, during the day to marvel at the architecture and history of the site, which housed hundred of criminals including Al Capone.