Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum — Attraction in Weston

UPDATE: I contacted Customer Service and no one picked up the phone I left several messages. No responds.

A total waste of money and time. We arrived at 11 am for an 11:30 tour, only to be told that tours start at 12 pm. We had selected the Criminally Insane tour, but it wasn’t available, so we opted for the North section instead. We were led down dirty, musty, moldy, and dark hallways with paint peeling off the walls.My daughter was sneezing and eyes watering from the dust and mild spores. She left the tour for fresh air. I asked for a refund but was told there were no refunds! At one point, a door was locked behind us! The patients’ rooms were filled with old furniture and other items, stored there in a mess. We felt like we broken into an abandoned building! The museum area was very unprofessional and extremely outdated. The walls were covered with paper clippings from social media, filled with misinformation about mental illness, medical conditions, and treatments. Sadly, the information randomly placed on the walls and was outdated and some of it was inappropriate, especially the pictures of famous people living with mental illnesses and health conditions. The posters looked like a school project. We were very taken aback by the lack of care for the presentation and preservation of the facility. The tour guide rushed through the script and did not know the answers to questions asked by guests. We were led to believe the tour was about the early history of the facility, staff, and treatment of patients during that time period. The facility has so much more potential to educate people on the history of facility over the 100 years, the changes over time in the treatment of mental illness, the changes in living conditions and more importantly a profession presentation about mental illness today and the advocacy for mental illness. The presentation needs to be updated to be appropriate for all demographics. The building should be restored properly so that one does not have to feel unsafe. We all left with headaches from the mold and dust, and the fear that we may have inhaled asbestos. We have been in my historical tours of hospitals, prisons and military installations that were clean and safe, with professional presentations. The visit was very disappointing… especially after a two drive. I can’t recommend this “ attraction “ I hope the owner and management restore the buildings and redesigns the presentation - as it’s important to educate people about the history behind it and the services it provided - and the reasons for it’s closure - not to commercialize mental illness...

It was a dark and stormy day…

Please forgive the cliche, but that’s how you would describe the weather the day we toured the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum (TALA). Absolutely perfect weather!

We had some time to kill, so we decided to take a couple of tours at the TALA, of which there are many to choose from. We intended to focus on the Paranormal Tour, which is 90 minutes long, but had almost a full hour before that tour would start. So, we opted to fill out time with the 45 minute historical tour.

Rose, our guide, was exceptional, and she knew the answers to all our questions, and never once said, “I’ll have to get back to you.” She was a fount of knowledge, and a delight to hang with. This tour focused on the origins of the hospital/asylum, the highlights of its darkest and brightest days, and what lead to it being abandoned, and later bought by private citizens for historical purposes. This tour was enjoyable, and we learned some astounding facts about life at the TALA, especially in the early years.

Our next tour was the Paranormal, which focused on the—unexplained. I’m not a hard “no” when it comes to the supernatural, but I’m not an easy sell, either.

Let me say this: if ever there was a building haunted by its past, this would be it! The tour almost completely avoided the history of the building, and focused on the more colorful historical accounts that lead to hauntings and ghost sightings. We toured every floor in this behind the scenes exposure, and we loved every moment!

To our delight, our guide, Alysa, greatly reminded us of Wednesday Adams, but was eager to answer questions and offer some interesting interpretations of the unexplainable.

We did NOT see any haunts, but there were rooms that were creepier than others, and I’m leaning toward reluctance if asked to spend the night by myself! They had a collection of photos snapped by tourists that were certainly compelling, to say the least.

The weather made our trip amazing, but Alysa made it legendary. Somehow, she seemed to possess the ability to anticipate blasts of thunder, and timed her deliveries with impactful timing!

If I could, I’d return on Halloween—but only if she could be our tour guide again.

#todaysdiscovery...

Visiting friends in Bridgeport and looking for an afternoon's entertainment and the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum tour was perfect.

The tour guide is the granddaughter of the man that purchased the TALA to save it. She shared everything in the first person, dressed in a nurses uniform which gave the tour the perfect touch. Her explanation of the reasons one might end up at the asylum were sad and amazing to hear. The experiments that were perpetrated on those left in the care were also like something out of a horror movie. I get that they were trying to find a treatment but then again, to continue what didn't work?

The architecture of this beautiful Kirkbride building is amazing. It's a gorgeous structure and goes on and on. High ceilings helped to keep our visit pleasant despite the heat outside. The guide explains exactly how the building was built for the treatment-sun/light and all.

The furnishings in some of the rooms on the upper floors helps you to see that life wasn't soft and cushiony with our modern lazy boy chairs and king sized beds. I'm a fan of the furniture and overall decor of the building.

There's supposed to be paranormal activity with several patients as well as possibly a nurse or 2. How sad to be born into the asylum as Lily was, only to live to the sweet age of 9 and die? Or their very own serial murderer, David I believe his name is. To say he had the pick of many as victims would be correct.

I may well have had my own paranormal moment when our group was on the doctor and nurses housing floor. I was standing in the hall looking towards the set of doors that takes you to the balcony like area. I was the only person out in the hall and no one was on the porch. The screen door opened as if inviting me out onto the porch. I'd like to think that it was the wind but it wasn't...