Overview

Prohibition made it illegal to brew beer or distill liquor, so America’s unquenched thirst for alcohol demanded an underworld solution. The Mob filled the void, smuggling spirits into the country and producing moonshine from hidden stills.

This exhibit tells the stories of bootleggers, rum runners and the government agents who tried to take them down. The centerpiece is a working still producing moonshine so you, too, can have a taste of this formerly forbidden engine of American commerce.

Hours

Daily

9 a.m. – midnight

Distillery access is restricted to ages 21 and over after 5 p.m.

Click here for early closures.

Special Edition Moonshine

 Look out for The Mob Museum’s Cinn-City Special Edition Moonshine. We blend the subtle spicy-sweetness of Ceylon cinnamon with the bolder heat of Saigon cinnamon to create an infusion featuring the flavors that have made cinnamon prized throughout human history. Available in The Underground.

Distillery Tours

Take a journey through Prohibition with The Mob Museum’s new Distillery Tours that involves sampling a variety of distilled spirits. Participants will have the chance to explore The Underground, learn about Prohibition and its impact on a variety of liquor. During this 30-minute experience, participants will be educated on the historical origins of Prohibition and gain insights into the drinking culture that existed before the 1920s era. The tasting experience includes moonshine, vodka and our Jamaica ginger infusion. The tour encourages visitors to develop an appreciation for the flavor of moonshine, especially since our moonshine is as authentic as it can safely get. We make it with 100% corn, and bottle it at 50% ABV. The Underground Distillery Tour takes place daily at  2 p.m. and 5 p.m.

Must be 21 and over to participate.

Gallery

Police arrest a suspected bootlegger whose car crashed during a chase. Visit The Mob Museum Prohibition microsite to learn more. Courtesy of Library of Congress.

Prohibition agents destroy a bar during Prohibition. Courtesy of National Archives.

Prohibition-era flask.

Unlike our Carrie Nation temperance movement hatchet on display on the third floor, this hatchet is representative of the anti-Prohibition cause.

Moonshine, gin, rum and vodka – part of The Mob Museum’s new line of spirits.

During Prohibition the only way to legally obtain alcohol was through a doctor’s prescription. Alcohol was used as a “treatment” for a variety of ailments, including headaches, nausea and even diabetes.

Rather than shut down, many breweries, distilleries and vineyards manufactured alternative products during the 13 years of Prohibition.

Coast Guard members with rifles along the deck facing a small rum-running boat in 1924. Courtesy of Library of Congress.

Stills such as this five-gallon version were used to make alcohol on a smaller scale during Prohibition. This part of the still is where the fermented mash was heated up over a fire.

This elixir advertised that it “Gives relief from pain.” Although it has alcohol in it, it skirted Prohibition by claiming to be for external application only.

Events