Eastern State Penitentiary — Attraction in Philadelphia

I saw this while looking up things to do in Philadelphia and immediately added it to the to-do list during one of my upcoming trips.

I decided to go on an early Sunday afternoon. There is lots of street parking available in the immediate area...but its probably best to stick to the main streets (Fairmount and Corinthian Avenues...). Once you get into the side residential streets, the signs there mention "permit" which made me a bit nervous. I know some neighborhoods require residential permits to park on the streets and I didn't want to take the chance.

Admission prices were $21 for adults and $17 for childen. Children under 6 are free. (Online prices...not sure if was more at the ticket window)

After entering the front, you pick up your audio device. A small device with headphones that you can select various numbers marked throughout the penitentiary that will tell you a bit about that area or exhibit. I hope at some point, they would offer an app or online guide where you can use your own phone and earphones for this...the device provided is very dated and comes with wired over the head headphones which can get in the way if you are carrying items, a camera for example.

The penitentiary itself was great. While the audio device was cumbersome at times, the information provided throughout the self-tour was impressive. It is very well-paced and guides you through the main areas before letting you know the formal tour is over and your are free to explore. There are many smaller areas and exhibits throughout the penitentiary with wonderful little details about prison life at that time. A must for any history or architect buff.

One of the larger areas is the prison yard which leads into an indoor exhibit focusing on the impact of prison reform and overall effectiveness of the various prison philosophy. I like how they included something relevant to modern-times and its impact on today's society. It really stresse that we, as a nation, can do a lot better.

I usually get through museums pretty quick...reading the exhibits while taking lots of photos. This took me about 2 hours to get through most of the areas. There were certain areas I was less interesting in that I didn't read or listen to the entire description. So give yourself time if you plan to see everything...also wear comfortable shoes as there is quite a bit of walking.

There is a small gift shop toward the end of the tour with clothes, mugs, books...etc...what you'd expect to find in most gift shops.

There is also a bathroom trailer as you exit...very clean actually.

All staff I encountered were friendly and polite.

As for children...some older children may be interested in the history and stories of the prison...but there really isn't much "to-do" for younger children. The entire tour is on one level throughout the cell blocks, prison yard and other sub-areas...there arent any stairs except for one view from the upper cell block level.

The penitentiary is in walkable distance to the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Rocky Statue and Steps and surrounding park. There are also some nice eating options along Fairmount Avenue which leads right into the park...not a bad idea to make a day trip to include the penitentiary, food...

We came here as fans of spooky places and haunted investigation shows and left as better people. I seriously did not expect to find as profound and thoughtful a place as I did. Start with the history tour and you'll get your admissions worth, but if you stop there, you will miss out. Check the information on incarceration historical and current for some seriously thought-provoking, "There but for the grace of God" contemplation of how we treat those among us who, for many reasons, hurt others as well as meditations on the purpose of incarceration. Check out the powerful art exhibits that dot various cells; I am not an "artsy" person and I found them (some more than others, but that's kinda the personal purpose of art) moving and thoughtful. Talk to the staff and take some of the enrichment tours. Find the roles of faith throughout the prison experience. Learn the individuals who were there, from Al Capone and his "comfortable" cell to the possibly falsely accused Pep the Dog. Empathize for those lost to the prison while also being reminded of the very real lives many housed in the walls hurt. Or just walk the seemingly endless, sunny and shadowy halls, cold with historical tragedy, and think about how we impact those around us, and what we want that impact to be. I found ghosts on my tour, but they were the thousands of lives impacted by crime, our definition of crime, and the way we deal with the aftermath. The shadows I saw and voices I heard on my tour were far more substantial and meaningful than the mists and whispers I hoped to find.

We spent over three hours here, although you could go through in less than an hour, depending on your interest. Parking was convenient...we were in the surface lot next door for less than $20. Docents and staff were great, and the audio tour worked really well and easily allowed each member in my family to tailor their tour experience to individual interests. Use the bathroom before touring to avoid doubling back and save some time and moola for the awesome little store (how can you resist Pep's adorable face!) and to help support the efforts of a very rich historical site. We bought tickets online and got in with no wait, and the place is huge so we often found ourselves alone which makes it even more contemplative. Be ready to walk and know that the temps are dependent on the weather (it was 60 degrees on our visit and it was chilly enough for a coat inside the prison.) This is probably not a place for very young kids but twelve and up would definitely find something here, and no food regularly on site but good, local options across the street.

Visit this, man, and support their mission. This would be a must-see for me and, surprisingly, one of the most profound, thoughtful, and moving places I have ever been. And more than a little...

Eastern State Penitentiary is one of the most, if not, the most famous prison in the world. A road trip to Pennsylvania is incomplete without visiting this prison. This historic prison, one of the most photographed structure, has been featured in numerous documentaries describing the facts and the activities that happened in this prison. I was intrigued to check out this place and sure enough, got tickets for the guided tour.

There are daytime tours available from 10am - 5pm and nighttime tours as well (the timings of it I’m not sure). As soon as you arrive, they will verify your tickets and hand you the audio headsets for the tour. The entire tour is a one way 10 stop route and takes approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour depending on your pace and how frequently you stop to take pictures. There are several more additional audio clips along this journey which can significantly add more time in this exploration. The prison is huge with artifacts, art installations and video recordings depicting the prison life, from the perspective of both, the guards and the prisoners. Depending on the amount of audio clips that you listen to, this tour can easily stretch a couple of hours.

The prison, at this moment, and for the forceable future, will be preserved as a stabilized ruin. Some areas are restored to illustrate the prison cells and the general ambiance (Al Capone’s cell) which was a nice touch. There are a lot more areas that are restricted and frankly dangerous given the ancient structure and are behind barricades for obvious reasons. There are restrooms available and street parking outside for you to park. There are no food and drink services inside so plan accordingly.

Eastern State Penitentiary is one of the most photographed prison, and for good reason. The guided tour is filled with history and tidbits about the workings of this prison along with audio clips from the prisoners and the prison workers. The tour lasts about an hour and there are a few recreated cell blocks (and a few in ruins) and art installations along the tour for you to admire at. There is a lot to explore about this prison and anyone who is a fan of history or exploration in general would...