Eastern State Penitentiary
add photosAdmission:
$12.00 Adults
$8.00 Kids (Age 7 - 12)
$8.00 Students
$8.00 Senior Citizens
$54 City Pass Adult
$37 City Pass Kid
Private Tours & Group Rates:
Are available year-round for groups of 15 or more. See our Group Tour page for rates and complete information.
4 Reviews for Eastern State Penitentiary
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"Al Capone's Cell"
This is a good museum in the heart of Philadelphia that is still going through the restoration process. It is a guided tour and the tour guides are great and knowledgeable. During the tour you will get to see all of the different areas of the prison, including the cell blocks, guard towers, exercise yard, chapel, hospital, and administration building. The tour, which lasts about an hour, concludes with a visit to Al Capone's "cell" (or, Al Capone's Suite, as its known). If you tour Eastern State during cold weather, go prepared - because there is no heat, inside the prison will probably be colder than outside (however, they do stop for a free hot chocolate break halfway through the tour).
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"This was cool"
Fascinating! The Audio tourguide allows you to go at your own pace. I absolutely loved this experience. They say it is haunted - who knows. But, either way, it is worth it to come visit and learn about the prison and see the rooms and the grounds. It is fun and educational, but small children may not understand to the full spectrum. Spend time at each "section" and make sure to read the information posted around the building! It is super interesting!
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"Great Halloween Event"
My husband and I visited the ESP on our 5th year anniversary trip to Philly. We did the Ghost Tour of the prison, and it was GREAT!! If you like to be scared, and spooked, I highly recommend this!! The wait was quite long, but very worth it. The actors/players were very good, and the make up was excellent!
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"Don't miss"
When Charles Dickens visited the United States in 1842, there were two sights he didn’t want to miss: Niagara Falls and the Eastern State Penitentiary. It has been called the most influential prison in the world because its design was grounded on the nineteenth century’s most modern ideas about civic responsibility and criminal behavior. Instead of using physical punishment, this prison was designed to encourage solitude and penitence.
A nationally broadcast special on the History Channel and the New York Times have focused on the prison, and the number of visitors has tripled in recent years.
Al Capone did time here, as did “gentleman bandit” Willie Sutton. An operating prison for more than 140 years, until 1971, the building has been reopened as the Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site Society makes plans for its future. At present there are special art exhibits here, and sometimes dramatic productions. The building has been made safe for tours but has otherwise been left “as is.”
Visitors must wear hard hats and stay with tour groups. Most people won’t have to be reminded; the decaying plaster, dampness, and remnants of prison life make this a pretty eerie place—great for teenagers!
The Halloween Ghost Tours are very popular; call (215) 763–NITE. The gift shop offers T-shirts, posters, and books with a prison theme.
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