Reviews of Ohio State Reformatory (Museum)

100 Reformatory Rd, Mansfield, OH 44905, United States

Average Rating:

DESCRIPTION

You will be able to see all the feddbacks of real people who purchased the products and services of Ohio State Reformatory (Museum) near to the state of Ohio.

At the present the business gets a score of 4.6 stars over 5 and this score was based on 977 reviews.

You must have seen that its rating is practically the best one, and it is founded on a very large number of scores, so we may think that the assessment is very accurate. If people have bothered to rate when they are pleased with the service, it works.

You know that we don't usually stop to give reviews when they are good and we usually do it only if we have had a problem or incidence...

This Museum is included in the category of Museum.

Where is Ohio State Reformatory?

REVIEWS OF Ohio State Reformatory IN Ohio

scott music

Amazing piece of history that offers an exinmate as a tour guide!!! Great tour!! Worth every penny.

Jerry Christensen

Our visit brought back a lot of memories. We were involved in ministry there circa 1970. We visited the chapel where we had put on a concert of Christian music for hundreds of inmates.

Katrina VanHorn

A good place to go if you enjoy self guided tours. There are some places that are not for those with a fear of heights. That aside, a great location for those who love local history.

Kayla Skidmore

Incredible haunted experience. 10/10 would visit again. I really want to see this place in the day time. (If doing the blood prison thing, it really is worth it to upgrade to the lightning pass if you can. Regular ticket holders were waiting 3.5+ hours just to get in.)

Nick&Sarah Barkan

So fun to walk around the old jail. Museum was interesting and informative. We Did the self guided tour with a audio device.

Damien Williamson

Building tours through the dark halls of the condemned. 200+ to my knowledge died with in the walls.I have a uncle that stayed there in 1989, (it closed in 1990) he has told me horror stories of this place. People complain about the weather, well you should have dressed better. people complain about the long lines at the haunt. well crowd control of 10,000 faces to scare, the actors do get tired. and let see you scream for 8 hours. sign up for the 2019 season 18+ to do so, and must have a clean back ground. Put your money where your mouth is! We where 5th in the state out of 200 or 300 haunts (something like that). and that was with 58 actors. I know this i was in charge of solitary and their was times i was the only haunter to run around for 8 hours and both floors , but i did it. we had dog the bounty hunter went through with his wife and football players from the nfl. They had a blast in there. Nice that they have 24/7 places up the highway. nothin' like eating ihop pancakes after a haunt! They have to space the groups out, so if one group slows down it might take longer. prevents a "traffic jam". #Airforce1 #Shawshank #Tango&Cash much more. I did hear before we started the haunt last year, stallone was filming escape plan 3 there. #Hollywood . anyways, people complain/ nit pick. like oh you got a touch pass but complain they did not do much when you where all like "don't touch me". then you get the drunks stumble around and the "tough guys" like this is not scary, no it's entertainment duh, and if i want to scare you i would show you your next bill/taxes! true fear is personal...

Ashrit Shetty

If you visit this place make sure to get the really awesome guided tour!

JLA JR

Did the self guided tour. Lot's of interesting things to see.

Paul Mcguire

Staff wasnt in charachter didnt even try to scare just talked. Not worth the money.

Doris Evans

Hands down best tour guides. Will absolutely be returning for even more exploring.

Tim Apple

Total awesomeness all around, professional staff with tons of knowledge on the history of the prison. Great time and an awesome experience will definitely return again in the future. The facility seemed well maintained in the areas that needed to be as well as well preserved in the other areas. Beautiful building with an architectural design that was a wonder if it's era. Pictures do not do it the justice that is deserved, as you will see when you turn onto the street it is located on.

Megan Case

Super interesting even without the guided tours. You get to see an amazing amount of the jail. Sadly, there is a decent amount of graffiti. Worth the $12 (unguided tour) cost per person.

Nicole Lynn

Michael was great! Having someone giving the tour who spent time there when it was a functioning facility gives an inside viewpoint. Loved the stories he had to tell.

Hannah Staten

It was awesome. I liked that we could tour it on our own

robpenabel

One cannot visit NE Ohio without taking a tour of this creepy and amazing place. The movie "Shawshank Redemption" was filmed on location at the prison and there are bits of memorabilia throughout the building. There are guided tours, audio tours and self guided tours on offer daily, at a cost of around $8 per person (self guided). I believe they do close to the public for a few months during winter. There is an interesting little gift shop located in the foyer and plenty of photo opportunities.

Andrew Hordern

Highly recommended for fans of The Shawshank redemption, with many locations from the movie. Recommended for non-Shawshankers to see the historical prison cell structures.

Shubham Garg

If you are Shawshank fan, this is a must visit. We took a self guided audio tour. It took us about 2.5 hours to do the whole thing but had to rush things towards the end. Add a short visit to Mansfield downtown to see other landmarks from the historic Shawshank Redemption.

Angelina Godfrey

I went to the blood prison thing it was great but buy the lightning pass had to wait out in the cold from 6-11:30ish on normal admission has great actors, looks so real and best haunted place i been to i think i even caught a ghost but could be my imagination

Penny N.P.

I have to say this is my favorite place on earth. The amazing architecture is absolutely stunning. The overnight ghost hunts are so much fun.

J Burns

Very interesting for people who are interested in prison, history, and film

Michaela Kelley

I went here with my grandma and cousins, we went on the Hollywood tour abt the Shawshank Redemption. It was amazing, the place is so historic and cool. We heard stories abt the inmate's, we got to see solitary confinement and Andys tunnel, we got to go in the cells, it was a really fun time

The Rev

I love visiting this place. the building is beautiful, yet very creepy at the same time. strongly recommend to anybody.

Steve B

I absolutely loved the self guided tour of this building. There is so much history and so much inside that is left untouched. If you happen to have an interest in the paranormal then this is a MUST visit site. You get to walk into cells. See how solitary confinement worked and see the old hospital inside. Make this part of your Ohio trip.

Andrea Ortiz

Really neat and fun experience. Not stroller friendly. I would definitely go with the tour so you can get more information. Also they have a Groupon that will give you a discounted rate.

New Patriots of America

THIS PLACE IS AMAZING. WOW!

MEGA going to Vlog

Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhh good

Catherine Quintiliani

Rita Hayworth And The Shawhank Redemption.

Kelly Kalusha

Awesome place to visit well worth the drive!

Emily Gage

I saw a ghost the first time I came of a tall, older woman wearing a dress. It was a shadow, but a. I was the only one in that area b. The light wouldn't be able to achieve that. c. I look nothing like that. It was an amazing place to see. Be careful of the ceiling. Paint falls from it.

Jeremiah Wallace

Had the most amazing time and the money is very well spent!! Good place to get a jump scar and a great sideshow!! Will be returning.

Blueskull 98

Great amazing place had a really great time will definitely recommend to everyone

neilo510

Will definitely go back for the "normal tour". The building is absolutely amazing from what i could see at the time. This escape from blood prison thing they have going is not worth the money at all unless you get there early. Went on 10/21 late at night and counted about 20 actors through the whole thing. There is major room for improvement with the size of this place and all the nooks and crannies to be hiding in. go early and pay the $20 if you must. don't waste the $ on the speed pass.

Wyatt Nason

Best place I have ever been so far. Really cool information. Really neat facts.

Dawn Martynowski

It is a fun place to go for a haunted prison attractions.

Bryant Maclean

Even tho I went for the blood prison haunted house it was an awesome time

Meesha Sparrow

Lines are 2-3 1/2. Fast pass is worth it. Spend a nice length of time within the prison. Arguably the best haunted house I’ve been through. The prison itself is creepy alone and realizing people really lived sentences there is astonishing. Cells as high as the celling. Paints chipped so bad it looks like the titanic submerged in the sea. Spiral narrow staircases to the cells seem impossible to climb. Happy I had the experience.

Miss Rötten

I miss the electric chair but we did the self guided tour and it was super fun! Informative and a little spooky. Best time you'll ever have in a prison.

Megan Torres

Amazing place to visit and super interesting! I loved the self guided tour because it allowed me to take my time and decide what I wanted to see. My only complaint would be that its really hot in there, so wear something light!

Anna Salvati

Such a cool place! Its cool to see where the Shawshank Redemption was filmed and also to experience the history of such an imposing prison. The architecture is gorgeous, hiding a more sinister place inside. Guided and self guided tours are offered as well as the opportunity to ghost hunt! During October, its turned into a haunted house.

Mike Schwartz

We were here for the Halloween attraction, Escape from Blood Prison. This is a great attraction! I’ve never been in the prison for a regular tour, but I imagine it would be well worth it! It’s an amazing place!

Christopher White

From what I understand, the guided tour was even better, but the self-guided tour was exceptional in and of itself. It's worth every bit of the $15 fee they charge for admission. I was surprised how much access they grant for anyone who's willing to wander its creepy, labyrinthic corridors. For those seeking the Hollywood/Shawshank connection, you won't be disappointed. They do a great job of playing up that as aspect.

Jeanie Lowman

Very glad we went. Guide was very informative and entertaining. Architecture alone is worth seeing. Want to go back and do the Behind the Scenes tour! Well worth the time.

Micki

If you're a fan of Shawshank Redemption then this is the place to visit! The building is fascinating...old and great architecture. There is a $10 entrance fee that goes to preservation group.

Ron Smith

Awesome place

moe muntaser

Usually blood prison is a good haunted house and when you add the touch pass it's even better but I went the 2nd night they were open this year and it was the biggest waste of money. There were no actors in sight and when I asked an employee while waiting in a line where are all the actors they told me they were on a smoke break which I guess all the actors went at once because there were plenty of times there was one or no actors. I messaged blood prison on Facebook to tell them about my disappointing trip and instead of an apology or any type of reply they left me on read.

Colin McCoy

Fun place to go for events. I worked there for 4 years. Exciting and beings back memories of the good old days.

Tammy Vance

I loved this! I have wanted to go to it for so long. The self guided tour was very reasonable. There were a lot of stairs you had to take if any one elderly is going that cannot climb stairs. All in all an awesome experience! I can't imagine doing the haunted tour at Halloween!

Rls Rls

Went to the haunted house part. Wasn't really happy with the price changes that wasn't really even close to what was on the site listing. But put a group together of 20 gased our personal bus. Drove over an hour to get there. The line was supper long 4 hour wait, didnt help it was cold raining and snowing. Get in side, walked through the first 15 minutes and never even made my wife jump. More of a cool place to walk through then a hunted house. They had some good actors and good lines. Just not really many scare traps like most hunted places have. For over 600 dollars and over half our group couldn't handle standing four hours in 30s temp. with snow and rain. They seat on the bus and waited. Two are sick from being out so long in it. Sorry but it was the biggest waste of time & money. Seemed like more of them getting your money then good serves. Our local hunted hall is way better maybe just not as cool of a building. Very disappointed

Amy Tiedemann

We had a great tour. I'd just suggest going during a warmer time of the year. It was very cold.

Liz Buckley

It was everything that we had hoped for except the audio "sticks". We had a hard time hearing through the audio sticks. I would love to go back and get a guided tour. There was a group on a guided tour and I learned so much just from passing by them and listening.

Jessica DeLong

The only prison you'll call "beautiful." Tom Clark is an amazing tour guide.

Jason Lautzenheiser

Great history and staff is awesome. Tours are very interesting or you can take a self guided tour at your own pace.

Tim Liber

We got to the prison at 630. The line wasn't very long so we bought the $30 general admission. We thought we made a good choice and we even concerned we might get in before sunset. Boy, were we wrong! They must have sold a ton of $50 speed passes after we got in our line. Our line came to a screaching halt. At one point we did not progress for an hour. We started our tour 4 HOURS after we arrived. Standing in 40° windy weather. The Reformatory made a fortune selling OUR place in line over and over again and were not concerned about us. NOT HAPPY!

A Jacks

Awesome experience! Won't disappoint....be prepared to walk/not for handicapped folks. Watch out fort the Tier 6 level..not for the faint of heart.

Paul Byrum

A fantastic historical site. A great insight into crime, punishment and reformation in Ohio. This is must see spot.

Makala Morrow

Being in the prison was cool but we went for the blood prison “haunted house” last night and it was not scary. I’ve been to my fair share of haunted houses and this didn’t compare in the slightest. I’m a very jumpy/easy to scare gal but this did not do it for me. It was a lot of walking around...turning corners and not seeing anything scary for the most part. I was a little disappointed.

Kelly Watson

Went here on Nov 22nd, great tour and great staff. The only problem I had was the tour wand you get in order to tour by yourself. The volume buttons didnt work and it was hard to hear, but that didnt stop me and my family from seeing the awesome sights.

she redden

Incredible place to visit. Definitely a great lesson in history for children. It will take at least 2 hours to walk through the entire place. We will be going back since I am sure we missed a few things.

JEFF V

Absolutely Awesome. Luckily this building was saved from demolition, but sat for about 6 years with heat or electricity, and it shows. It is in rough shape, but very cool. It is massive, plan at least 2 hrs of walkimg around. You basically have access to the whole prison except the yard as they built a new prison back there. 12 bucks a person for a self guided tour makes it affordable also. Definitely worth a visit!

Jack Butler

Had a lot of fun visiting and taking the Behind the Bars tour! Our tour guide Kyle had family ties to the area and facility for several generations and gave us lots of details. Overall a great time even if you haven't seen any of the five movies filmed at the prison. The architecture alone can hold your attention for hours!

Sarah Harbaugh

Even though some of the rooms were under restoration, it was still a really great experience for anyone who loves The Shawshank Redemption or architecture. There were quite a few stairs, but even my handicapped mom could do the stairs just fine. The only part that I didn't like was when you were at the cell block and looked down it made me have a panic attack from how high up we were. But we easily just walked faster and moved on. Overall it was a fantastic experience.

Jen McCall

I drove 3 hours round trip for a tour that lasted all of 20 minutes. The tour doesn’t even include any of the “haunted” sites in the prison. I paid extra for an audio wand to at least learn about the history, but the audio wand didn’t work. The worker in the museum shop was too busy on her cell phone to offer a refund when I returned the audio wand. The whole tour was about Shawshank and I couldn’t care less. Very disappointed.

Jody B

My daughter and I had an amazing time on our self guided tour. Definitely coming back for a guidied tour. Highly recommend touring!

Thomas Lytle

I took a self-tour in the winter and enjoyed it despite nearly freezing to death. The Reformatory is visually stunning from the outside and creepy on the inside. It was almost like taking a step back in time. I felt it was totally worth checking out for the historical awe. Just make sure you do one thing- dress for 20 degree colder weather because that is how much colder it is down in the deeper parts of the building.

R.J. McClelland

Went for the Escape from Blood Prison experience and loved it. The staff is great and the building was amazing. I'll definitely be back both for the Halloween event and the general tour. Highly recommend the touch pass.

Michael Quintana

Cool tour very enlightening and informative and creepy at the same time

Steven Evans

Really cool historical place to see. Nice staff, crazy place full of crazy stuff. To my memory handicap accessibility is minimal.

Jane Boyce

Excellent and fascinating tour with former inmate, Michael Humphrey!!

Ricky

This review is for the 'blood prison'. Not impressed and not worth the hour drive. The line was ridiculous, was there at 6:00 when the prison opened the line had maybe 200 people in it and that took OVER two-and-a-half hours. Unnecessary. Then the prison itself once inside was uneventful. I was more interested in the prison itself. I will return for the tour of the prison, but will not wait that long of a line again for the 'Haunted, Blood Prison'.

Guilherme Duarte Garcia

Great place to spend an afternoon. Our guided tour was very informative. Make sure to bring a jacket if you come in the winter, as it can be very cold inside (cell blocks).

Brittany Cox

So we stopped in, and did the self guided tour. It's nice having "free range" and being able to take your time and see things at your own pace. (Within limits, from my understanding you get to see more with the guide) my only "meh" is not getting to know certain facts. the audio wands, are great and all, sound was loud and clear with some really great information ranging from Hollywood, to historical to paranormal, but there are so many things I saw throughout the tour and had questions! And on a self guided tour, you cant get them answered. It was definitely nice though, right now they are doing renovations. But alot of it also looks like its original, which makes it that much more worth it to see in my opinion. Definitely has a paranormal vibe/feel to it. I'd recommend it. I'd do it again, as much as a self guided tour sounds intriguing, I probably would do a guided if given the option.

Phil Reale

If you thought about going you should! Some sections are closed right now because of Halloween

Lauren Maiman

Such a cool place. I could spend hours here!

bob price

Better then your ex's house . Lol , but for real it's a really great experience. And 100x better then being a convict inside with no way out. Paranomal , sure it will get ya

Jeri Phelps

Amazing architecture! Audio tour was informative but I'm guessing you probably get more 'stories' from the guided tour. We didn't want to wait three hours for the next one. Crazy to think of all the people it held and how incredibly small the cells were. I had a little trouble in the actual cell blocks because you enter them on the 6 tier! And for a girl afraid of heights, it was disconcerting. No facility for wheelchairs. I saw a girl carrying her sister's chair up and down! Fortunately she was somewhat mobile. No air conditioning, of course, so I was sweaty by the end! Overall I enjoyed it!

David Downey

I attended a Halloween season event in which you go through encountering many jump scares and general creepiness. The production was very high with a lot of thought and work put into the experience. The architecture and history of the building made it much more engaging than other 'haunted house' events.

Kristen Lee

Amazing Place. So much history. Did the self guided tour with the wands so we could explore at our own pace.

Jerry Greif

I've toured this place five times I just can't get enough of it. If you've seen the Shawshank movie this is a place you have to go to, you'll love it. They keep working on this place and making improvements making each time you tour it a little better. You'll also want to do the Shawshank Trail while you're in the area lot of nice things to see around Mansfield. I could spend weeks riding my motorcycle around the roads around Mansfield it's beautiful.

kelley williams

All around awesome

Melissa Rhodes

Would have been better if they didn't send so many people through at a time, when you are in the back half of the group you don't get any jump scares! But it still good, awesome props, fantastic actors!

Andrew Latshaw

I love photographing here! Tours are great, the staff awesome and friendly! Seeing the history and feeling the atmosphere is unlike anywhere else!

Michael Nunley

Love this place!!

Bailey Jackson

Awesome ghost tour, Although I would have liked more time to take pictures.

Terry Sneary

Always a fun visit. Ink in the Klink is a blast

Adam Ward

Michael & JD, former inmates, were amazing tour guides. The facility is incredible to witness and experience. A must do!

Haeden Wolfe

ran a 5k and went through an envoking walk through of the prison- interesting for everybody not just history lovers

Glenna J

We did he self tour with audio guide. There was a lot of information not only about the Shawshank Redemption movie but also facts about the prison when it was in operation. I wish they would’ve made a deal with movie makers get more of the props used in the movies especially Shawshank but I guess they didn’t know at the time that it would have such a following. I am glad we took the tour and recommended it if you like looking in old places.

William

What an interesting experience. 10/10 would accidently close box and scare other patrons again.

Chuck Mound

This place is Majestic from top to bottom. Really hard to believe this place was an active prison back in the day. The people who have saved this place have done a great job of preservation and education. Everyone is really nice and willing to help make your experience great. The top level of the prison is amazing. A must do. As stated on the Haunt Hunters App, make sure your batteries are fully charged. 3 cameras failed with full charge...take the ghost tour and see what happens.

Drew Poinsette

Must go back for the night time tour. I didn't pay much attention to the Hollywood stuff but the rest of the history was exciting and haunting. Very much recommended!

David Wright

Beautiful area, the building is full of hot and cold spots, you're able to walk through 90% of the prison. Great place to take children! The only issue is that if you need assistance walking or wheelchair you're limited to where you go. A lot of walking and cramped areas that are crowded.

Heylea Allan

Pretty cool experience. During the day the atmosphere doesn’t seem all too scary. I suggest if you’re wanting to feel that ghostly experience to go later in the day. Rooms were very empty and i guess i just expected a little more. Kinda felt like wandering at some points. Neat place but there’s no reason to go a second time in my opinion. Beautiful scenery though! Love the pics i got! Interesting but at the same time not as spooky as i expected

Sicilia P.

The place was a lot of fun to see on a self-guided tour. The option of an audio wand to get small tidbits of information around the facility was nice, but was $5 extra. Definitely worth the price though, the place is huge. Definitely dress according to weather, it'll be 10x colder inside than outside during the winter months, from my experience. There are specific areas where you can't take pictures (facing the actual functioning prison nearby) so if you're going to take a load of photos, keep that in mind. Otherwise, I'd give this place a 10/10 if I could.

Andrew Clark

Architecture was amazing ,A lot of information and helpful staff.renovations are taking place ,it will enhance the experience when completed .Private donations is what keeps this place going ,so please help.

Tammy Logue

Was worth the 3 hour drive!!! Can't wait to go back and do the nighttime ghosthunt!! Our tour guides were awesome and so informative. Highly recommend the Behind The Scenes Tour!! Worth the extra money. So glad this place was never torn down!

Lana Tovornik

Excellent tours. Astoundingly beautiful building. Very reasonable tour prices. Great, easy, day or overnight trip from Pittsburgh area. Lots of great eating and drinking places in Mansfield too.

Safe House BnB

The Ohio State Reformatory (Shawshank Prison) is one of the coolest landmarks in all of Ohio. My BnB hosts people from all over the country that come to Mansfield with the primary purpose of touring this reformatory. I have yet to meet a person that didn't have a great experience there. Whether you're a history buff that appreciates architecture, a fan of The Shawshank Redemption or even someone interested in paranormal phenomenon, The Ohio State Reformatory is the perfect destination. The prison is beautiful and well-manicured on the outside. Admittedly, the interior is crumbling in a few spots, but isn't that the purpose of going to a place like this? The inside is what provides the location with the distinct character that lends itself to the stories that you hear. One of the best things about the reformatory is the people. You can tell that the employees and volunteers take a ton of pride in contributing to the success of the prison. Furthermore, every time I've visited, everyone working is smiling and super-friendly. I applaud management for finding and retaining such high-quality people. Personal tip: If you're doing a self-guided tour, I highly recommend spending the few more dollars for the audio tour. You'll get a device on which you'll enter a code for each area of interest which will allow you to hear more details than provided on the plaques. This also allows you to look around at what is being described rather than having your eyes occupied with reading something.

Jonathan Wahl

I went on my first ghost tour at OSR. Having never been on a ghost tour before, I have no frame of reference, however the experience was interesting. I won't go into extreme detail, but I cannot say with certainty that I saw anything paranormal. The overall feeling of the place is heavy. It kind of wore on me, whether it was the knowledge of the history of the place, actual spiritual activity, or both, the place has a real presence to it. I did have an olfactory (smell) experience. It was when I went into the shower room. It still smelled damp, as though it had more recently (than the 28 years of it having been out of use) been used. I recommend the ghost tours for anyone who's into getting spooked. The staff is very professional, and the place is gargantuan.

Jonathon Hritz

Beautiful Architecture, a piece of History right here in Ohio. If you've never seen it, make the trip. Completely worth experiencing at least once.

Marc Burdiss

It is cool because it’s an old prison. It is cooler because they filmed the Shawshank Redemption here. Used a Groupon to get a reduced rate and explored for about 2 hours with the unguided tour. There are movie props from Air Force One and Shawshank still in place.

Michael Tillack

They have opened more areas and added more to see. Improved from 2017. Nice

Daniel Mauricio Ramos Ríos

This place is so beautiful and unique. If you are in Mansfield, this is a place you should visit. I highly recommend the tours. Keep warm because is very cold!

Weston Kincade

Great and horrifying place to visit. I like how they entertained movie history and the real history of the reformatory.

Jason Brunn

Pretty cool trip, self guided was fine, would be worth a tour guide.

Kaitlynn Books

Got scratched by something 3 lines down back some ghosts are friendly . :( besides that really fun to explore and look at all the cool places.

Robert Williams

Absolutely beautiful and very informative

David Montiel

Great

Lori Stall

If you are into history, this is a place to visit. Did the self guided tour and took us about 75 minutes. Well worth the trip.

Piergiorgio Semestrali

At the historic (and ultra-scary) Ohio State Reformatory building, a haunted house experience will be posted from late September through early November

Kelly Baranowski

Awesome from the outside. Was training at Richland penitentiary (shares the same parking lot). Couldn't go on a tour... Sylvester Stallone and 50 cent was filming a movie there!

Alesha Tucker

We went in December. You can walk most of the building and there are some pretty cool areas to see. If you go when it is cold make sure to dress warm. Pretty icy in there. They have a little shop area and I bought a few items. Went with another couple and had a great time reading about all of the history and about Shawshank Redemption.

Sam Boyd

Great time at the murder mystery dinner. Perfect atmosphere for the roaring 20's theme. Will be back to tour the prison with the family!

Leslie Malone

Hard to see from the highway. Did the self guided tour. Took lots of pics. Saw shadows in some of the pics. You definitely "feel" the place. Worth the time! Incorporate your trip with Ink in the Clink and you will have an unforgettable time! Enjoy!

Ling Ling

Very interesting place to visit. Took my daughter with me and she has a 6th sense and told me that she felt a very strong presence while we were there. It was a definitive MUST visit if you are a Shawshank Fan or just into random history.

Sunny Flyer

Ten stars!! This is a must see. I can't get enough of OSR! The history of the building and the people that lived and worked there is amazing. Wear comfortable shoes! The building is very large and there are a lot of steps. If you have not been here yet, add it to your list of things to do!

Dylan Shonkwiler

If you don't believe or don't "encounter" anything it's a unique building to say the least.

Darla Rupp

Fascinating. We paid for the self-guided tour with the listening devices. We only got 2 for the group of 5 of us. It would have been best to get one per person. I think I would have enjoyed the guided tour, as well. Definitely allow 2 hours or more. we walked or stood the whole time. That is something to take into consideration. Great tour for the money. $70 for the 5 adults + 2 of the listening devices.

Emily Hood

If I could give this place more stars I would! We were on our way back from Cleveland and decided to stop off. We took the "Inmate Tour" and it was well worth the price! Michael Humprhey was the absolute best tour guide ever. His stories were fascinating and left us wanting to hear more. The prison itself is a extraordinary look back into other times but also a cool place to visit if you've ever seen any of the countless movies filmed there (especially Shawshank Redemption).

Greg Sipe

The 4 is all about the facility. It's awesome. Not awesome was waiting 4 hours from 8:15p-12:15a. Touch pass was worth every penny, but the scare factor was quite low. I found myself looking for scares. Still, worth at least once.

Shelly Jordan

We thoroughly enjoyed the Inmate Tour! Mr. Michael did an excellent job telling about some of the history and his stay there. He went above and beyond. They have done some beautiful restoration work also. To me it was very emotional to walk through there and think of all the tragedies that happened through the years. We are going back!

Nora Rock

This place is amazing! There is so much spooky history here and it is very beautiful. It you get the chance to explore, you can find some pretty cool things like the x shadow directly in the middle of the building and art on the cell walls from the prisoner's. This place was really life changing and if you are looking for a fun field trip or a day out, I highly recommend coming here!

Willow Rose Sierra

This place was HUGE! We started out with about 40 people, most of which this was their first time ghost hunting, altho this was supposed to b for experienced ghost hunters. But it was big enough that you can conduct your investigation without too much ado! After many pictures and videos, I have posted the BEST ones on my FB I SPI Ghosts group page! Put this place on your ghost hunting bucket list and take a GOOD pair of walking/hiking shoes!

Todd Freeman

Had a great time and learned a few things on the way. I would recommend the guided tour and then go back through at your own pace. Give yourself about 4 hours so you have time to see everything. Hope you enjoy, and Good bless!

JC FANG

Awesome! Worth to visit!

Jennifer K

I’ve been here before to take other tours and today I came back to take the Inmate Tour. This was the best one, in my opinion. Michael and JD were our tour guides. The stories of their time in Mansfield was incredible. Hearing directly from them gave life to the prison. I no longer see it as a place where movies and videos were shot. It was a living, breathing prison and actual people were there. Every time I visit, I learn about a new aspect of the building and its history. Its an incredible building, amazing history, and interesting people to tell its story.

Kristopher Crawford

It is a beautiful, old building with friendly staffers. I would definitely suggest visiting it wether you're doing so for the paranormal, movie or historic aspects. BE WARNED... There's a lot of walking and a ton of stairs. If you have a difficult time walking for a very long time, it may not be for you.

Kathy Catania

Very surreal experience!

illum 74

I try and make 2 trips here a year. Love it!!!!

Rodney Bynum

This prison is a very goid place to take the family and have fun the downside is there are a lot of areas that are xlised off for the tour but it is a cool experience we recommend the guided tour its very educational and it takes maybe 1.5 hours

Steve

Really fun time walking around here inside and out. Definitely recommend checking it out if you can! There's a cool gift shop at the end with some reformatory merchandise to bring home as well.

Honeybun Farms

Pretty cool experience. One and done sort of thing. Note to future visitors. Prison does not having heating or air condition sue to it's old age. So dress accordingly for the weather. (My leggings and North Face did not help me at all, lol.) Price was reasonable.

victoria vopata

We enjoyed ourselves for the haunted house/Mansion. It was totally awesome. I would love to go again very soon.

Deanna Wedow

We bought the tickets from Groupon and did the self guided tour. The building is beautiful. I can't imagine how much work goes into taking care of it. It took about 2 hours to go through the whole building. Even though I researched the history of the prison when we go back I'd like to have a guided tour. I'm sure there are many stories I haven't read or heard yet. Definitely an amazing historical building to visit. It is worth paying the full price because the money goes back into the restoration of the building. We didn't see or feel anything spooky.

Barb Noffsinger

Enjoyed murder mystery dinner. Have done 2 ghost hunts. This is a unique place and is a place everyone should visit.

Billie McCormick

A HAVE TO GO experience. Definitely going back. I went with a friend months ago and it was amazing. You can wander wherever you want throughout the entire Reformatory. They have great employees, a ton of cool info for almost every room, and a neat gift shop. Super cheap and totally worth going more than once. I highly recommend going if you like spooky historical stuff. They even allow you to "ghost hunt" with your own equipment.

miah collins

We rent-to-own self-guided tour definitely a good trip.

Eric Galey

I've done several programs here, but the best by far is the "Life of an Inmate" tour, conducted by the great Michael Humphrey. Get there early because his tour sells out quickly. A typical group has about 20-25, while the group I was in with Mr. Humphrey was almost 80 people!

T Banacek

If you ever watched the movie Shawshank Redemption and enjoyed it go to the prison. We just finished the Murder Mystery Dinner they had and it was awesome highly recommended. Cast gets a 10+.

Szymon Kłossowski

It is really a great place to see. The fact it has not been renovated makes it even more worth to visit. You can shoot a bunch of really nice pics, see the spots from the Shawshank Redemption and really feel the spooky spirit of this place. Definitely worth to see while around.

jenny woolf

Went to the haunted house. Not too scary but still really fun. Can't wait to go back in the spring and do a tour.

needmoney666

Interesting place to learn about the life of being an inmate. And also it was interesting to see some places where the movies were filmed.

Nathan Ramirez

What an amazing place to stop and spend half of the day, we arrived right at opening time and there was only a small line during the week. We did the self guided tour without audio guide, If I could turn back time I probably would have payed the extra five dollars and listened to the extra information about the site. The space is large, and I was surprised by how much your able to walk around and experience.

pro vocation

I toured OSR with Haunted Hamilton. We got to do the overnight paranormal investigation. Lights out. I got a lot of photo's! Aside from a few questionable orb photo's (singular orb) I didn't see anything concrete. However, there were a few areas that I had a very distinct, sudden, and inexplicable fear of. I find it difficult to do a proper investigation when you are with a group that large that gets free roam. Sound carries. People talk when nervous or laugh, etc. Not a fault on OSR end. Historically it was just awesome to have been to this place. The gift shop was neat and I love the little museum they have on site. Our tour guide was informative and nice. I think I would do it again for sure.

Jamie Willis

This was an incredible experience for my boyfriend and I. We have over 300 pictures to go through and I am so excited to do so, however, there is nothing like actually visiting. You can feel the stories that have been inside the walls and there is a presence that can be felt throughout. The price is fair and there is a significant amount of movie props to see as well.

Boris Bogataj

Since Shawshank redemption is my favourite movie, visiting Ohio State Reformatory was one of the best places to visit. Its amazing to see some historic sites from the movie. The architecture of the prison is stunning. The employees are very friendly. I highly recommend visiting OSR during your stay in Ohio.

Brenda Malone

Seriously spooky. Shawshank Redemption was filmed here. And you can feel all of the ghosts of all of the men who lingered and suffered here in cages. So sad. But worth the trip!

D M

It was really interesting. There are tales of sightings & supernatural activities but I didn't experience any, unless...

Julia Hesch

If you've ever wondered what it’s like to freeze to death, then come to Ohio State Reformatory for their Blood Prison Halloween event. Not only am I STILL standing in line, but I’ve been doing so for two and a half hours in 40 degree windy weather. My group and I got here at a decent early time. We weren’t in that long of a line. It is poorly managed with how fast they let people through. I am most certainly dressed appropriately for the weather. Pretty sure I’m going to lose my fingers and toes to frost bite. Do NOT come to this thing. Pretty sure I’ll be waiting another hour and the actual Halloween thing probably only lasts five minutes. Screw this.

Brittnay King

This was the first time we went and we did the self- guided tour. It was pretty cool. It has a cool history. Definitely would like to go back to do the behind bars tour.

Mary Deighton

I feel like I was walking around a construction site . For most of the the self guided tour but the few rooms that were staged were great. We enjoyed the the video stations that gave history of the movie and the reformatory. I will come back but must state this is not a place for people with disabilities no elevator or ramps. So you must be able to walk and climb steps

Jason Helms

Fantastic building full of history, great architecture and spooky vibes. Staff are excellent and the overnight ghost hunt is a must.

Ashley Hiller

I've spent hundreds of hours at OSR over the years. It's a beautiful building with a fascinating history. A must-see.

Jamie Soucie

Get the guided tour. So worth the $5. The guide told us interesting facts and a little bit of History. I will go again!

Daniel Fitch

Love the building. Will visit again and again.

Mike Gursky

Awesome place to visit! A must see if close to Mansfield.

James Floyd

I went on the self guided tour. It was awesome! The "feel" of the place is very overwhelming and ominous. Don't know what it must have been like to serve time here! Even though I was by myself most of the time, I never felt alone. I highly recommend going. Hope to return soon.

David Cannon

You have got to see this place in person pictures don't do it justice. It is basically a mansion with a prison inside. Amazing

Die Katze

This place is a must . If you can do a solo guide,be early so you can really feel the energy in this place .

Business Hours of Ohio State Reformatory in Ohio

SUNDAY
11AM–4PM
MONDAY
(VETERANS DAY) CLOSED HOURS MIGHT DIFFER
TUESDAY
CLOSED
WEDNESDAY
CLOSED
THURSDAY
11AM–4PM
FRIDAY
11AM–4PM
SATURDAY
11AM–4PM

PHONE & WEBPAGE

Ohio State Reformatory en Ohio
View Phone Number
View WebPage

PICTURES






Others also saw
Pro Football Hall of Fame
Pro Football Hall of Fame
Museum - Ohio

Museum

Castle Noel
Castle Noel
Museum - Ohio

Museum

Ohio River Museum
Ohio River Museum
Museum - Ohio

Museum

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
Museum - Ohio

Museum

A Christmas Story House
A Christmas Story House
Museum - Ohio

Museum