Reviews of Eastern State Penitentiary (Museum)

Jenna Jimenez

I absolutely loved this self guided audio tour! This allowed us to take our time and really get to explore the building. It was really fascinating to learn about the history of the penitentiary and get to walk the same halls that prisoners did many years ago

Maria Miranda

Definitely a must see attraction. Gift shop is very affordable.

Jessica Henry

Went here on our first trip to Philly with my significant other. We purchased the tickets online (you save $2) and went right through with our mobile tickets. Staff was immediately helpful and very polite! Walkable from the Art museum (less than 15 minutes) Lots of stuff to do, and things to see! You also learn so much about incarceration especially in our country now! So many things to see and enjoy you can be here all day long! Very cool to see and cool things to learn. Left with some cute things from the gift shop that weren’t too overpriced! Keep up the good work!

Natures Way

Haunted house was magnificent!!

Deborah Long

Interesting destination with lots of local history. Al Capone's cell is probably the most iconic part of the tour. Audio tour is included in the price of admission and takes the tour to the next level. The temporary exhibit was eye opening and the worldwide stats on crime were educational. Not as interesting as Alcatraz but wouldn't expect it to be.

Christina Jourdan

It was a nice attraction visually, but I had came in a group of 5 and they had tried to separate our friend group about 3 times when we did not even sign up to be separated from our group. we had to run to each other to get back with our friend group. they could’ve easily let us all together. one of the times they let all 4 of us go and left just one of our friends alone. great visuals, not great workers. if you go, be prepared for the chance to be separated from your group, or even end up alone.

Adrian P

We visited this place on a Wednesday afternoon and it wasn't too busy. We expected to spend about an hour there, but ended up staying closer to three hours, and could have stayed longer! Well worth the admission fee. This place is a must see! Try to plan your trip when it isn't raining if you can as you will be outside for some of the audio tour.

Jennifer Abrecht

My son and I went on a daytime tour. It was really interesting. Steve Buscemi is the narrator on the audio tour - which was a great choice by the prison. Spent just over an hour there. Easy to get to and a public parking lot is just next door. Reasonably priced - even the gift shop. Definitely recommend.

Sherwin Jen

A really cool historical museum to check out. Don’t have to worry that you didn’t hear the guide, cuz everyone will have once upon entry. Some spot is kinda scary that you might only seen that in a movie. Philly is not only famous for the cheese steak, this is a must visit place when visiting Philly. When I visited here, there wasn’t too many people so I can actually take my time and walk through those buildings. Visiting Eastern State Penitentiary can literally kill a whole day.

S M

Great attraction to visit. Affordable. Friendly staff. Tour at your own pace. Close parking. Easy to get to. Definitely worth the time.

Mel

Great place, and if you time it right you can be the only ones there. Guided tour with the audio was great and if you book online you get two bucks of each admission. Also look online e for a promo code and got an additional 5 bucks off per ticket making it 9 dollars each!

Naihan Ahmed

Worth visiting. Excellent museum. Great historical experience.

Kaia

Eastern State Penitentiary former American prison Historical place to visit , Capone's first prison sentence His cell on the Park Avenue Block .Very nice employees, but I would never go there in January,,,too cold!!!! you're practically walking outside all the time, great place to visit in warm weather

Xiangyi Meng

An excellent museum to visit. Enjoy the dark theme.

Sophia Stone

This was a great historical experience and I would recommend for all ages. We did a guided audio tour which was pretty cool and could be followed at your own pace. It was very interesting taking a step back in time looking at this prison. So much is intact so it is easy to see the reality. I was disappointed that the Al Capone cell was closed for preservation but it was still pretty cool to read about his stay there. Walking around seeing all the ruins of the small dark cells is kinda eerie/ spooky which makes it even more fascinating to me. I went nice an early at 10am and left around 12:30pm. Probably could have used another half hour but I had to leave. The place is so big that it did not seem crowded at all as we walked around. Price was reasonably at $14 (online). Be prepared to do a lot of walking but totally worth it!

Tung Ba

The prison built in 1820s, abandoned in 1971 with most parts are still standing in the original and rotting state. Around 300 prisons worldwide were modelled after the hub and spoke layout of this prison, as such making it one of the most influential prisons in the world. Here there is a cell purported to be Al Capone’s.

Rochel Leah Lowy

It was a really great experience, fascinating and interesting!! I loved that this is a ‘self-guided headphone tour’ and were able to go at our own pace. Might even go back again :)

Kevin Jarrett

Absolutely worth the visit, this historical landmark is incredibly interesting, has an audio tour, and is wonderfully preserved it it's "ruined" state. It's large enough to hold your interest and small enough to still be fun to explore in a few hours. Dress as though you're outside because, in effect, you will be as you tour the place. It's camera friendly, you just need to pay a little extra for the ability to use a tripod if you want. Worth it, in my view. I'd love to return!

JaPRo A

It's a place full of history. I got shortness of breath while walking the hallways of the prison. Scary yet interesting. They offer guided tours and audio tours. Awesome experience! Definitely a must see!

Larry Davis

This pic is looking North on 21st @ Fairmount Ave. Awesome historical landmark with great tours. This prison opened in 1829 and if you have a chance try to spend a little time walking through it.

J. Fitz

Excellent place to visit! Staff is very friendly and helpful! The prices are really not bad to get in. Kids under 6 are free which is very fair. The kids also get to participate in a scavenger hunt and get to earn a prize at the end. All the staff members were very knowledgeable. It is a huge place tons of information so make sure you have enough time to go through it. I took my kids 4 and 6 and they loved it. It was a lot of walking and it is cold so make sure you have jacket if you go in the winter. Really is an Interesting place a lot of fun to visit!

Steve Wilson

Went with some friends and did the self guided tour with headsets. It was really interesting to learn the history of the jail and see how prisoners used to be held. Could spend all day there and not see everything.

K Torres

Awesome!! Only $16 ($12 for students with ID) for an amazing experience. Many cells are open and accessible to the public. Let’s not forget Al Capone’s fully restored cell! A must see if you’re in the area.

Candice Williams

Well worth it. What history and beauty...I truly hope they continue with restoration.

Tinky Weed

This place is amazing. As of may2019 price is cheap, $16 in person or $14 online/digital for adults. Must see for anyone local or just visiting. Spent a couple hours in here and still didnt get through all of the Steve Buccimi voiced audio tracks. I'll defo be coming back again o finish the rest!

Sama Nekakhtar

Amazing self guided tour with a not to miss air conditioned section near the end about current prison systems. Eye opening. The only reason I’m not giving this 5 stars is the tour guides didn’t seem very engaged. From the ticket sale to the guides sitting next to the fans in the center, no information was forthcoming. The only helpful and engaged guide was at the information center at the start of the tour and the girl at the entrance.

Frank Z

Really interesting place. I thought it would be creapier, but they tried to keep it light, and we went during the day, and not on Halloween... The exhibits were all interesting. The audio tour was a nice touch with multiple narrators, some being actors. Did not do the guided tour, but would if I went back again. We did a small guided tour through the hospital and solitary cells that was very interesting and informative.

George Berninger

While a lot of it was crumbling it still was a great piece of history. The audio tour was well worth it.

Delores Willis

This was an unexpected addition to our trip. However, it was one of my favorite things to see! This is a very unique tour and the audio guides provided tell stories while you walk through the prison. Keep in mind that as a tourist in the city this location may be a little challenging to get to with public transportation. But it is worth taking time to see!

mike buch

This is by far one of the coolest places I have been crazy history with lots of cool stories. It's an interactive tour you get a head set while you walk around at your own pace. Al Capone's cell was very cool and some areas are very creepy.

Sahil Singh

The audio tour was the hallmark of the place for me. Unlike other places where the audio guide is just for getting information about a particular mural, the audio guide here takes you on a journey through the museum. You get to explore the place as it is meant to be explored, everything falling one after another as in a story. I would have liked the audio tour to be longer though. When at the museum do go to an exhibit behind a bright red door. The exhibit was marked temporary exhibit so it may not be there for long. It had videos, charts, graphs, interactive consoles, to really help understand the overall picture. We usually brand a person as criminal and that's the end of it. This exhibit makes you aware of the finer details. For example why have number of imprisoned people increased exponentially even though the crime rates have largely remained the same? What is the punitive strategies of different countries? How does prison affect families of the prisoners? What punitive methods are most effective? How to reform criminals so that a chance of relapse is least? How getting a prison sentence puts a person in a vicious cycle which increases the chances of committing a crime, rather than deterring it? What are the societal aspects that make a person more prone to committing a crime? How can we mitigate it? The psychological aspects of solitary confinement. When you come out of this exhibition you have an understanding different than simple black and white nature of crimes, and criminals.

Vee Volpe

The most interesting historical museum I have ever been to. Well done ! 1. Gives you a thorough but brief audio tour that everyone pretty much participates THEN 2. You can continue exploring on your own with or without the audio. Both fun to do and you decide the length. 3. Different ways to engage including artist renditions and story telling. This is a must in Philadelphia

Katie Burrows-Stone

This is a great museum! I recently brought 60 10th graders here on a field trip, and the tour guides were informative, interesting, and relatable. I will definitely be back with students and on my own.

Seth Sigman

A truly incredible place to visit. Spent 2.5 hours and easily could have stayed longer. A great educational experience along with a really unique experience.

Alexander Beck

Very very interesting museum with an audio tour guide and a lot of interactions. Highly recommended museum for everyone who visits Philadelphia and not just wants to know about the prison in Philadelphia but the overall prison situation in the US

Marissa Wilkins

Self guided audio tour with many exhibits and air conditioned areas. Very cool and creepy!

Sergii Chumakov

Very very interesting place. 1 day is not enough to learn everything there. Better take tour, bc hard to understand what exactly was in particular cell. We spent there few hours and i think that learn 0.001% about whole historical moments. Another interesting thing, that there are researches and metrics about crime and gangs, that we have today. Definitely will come back, and recommend everybody who going to Philadelphia for tourist tour

Jose Antonio Ballesteros Figueroa

Very interesting building showing the history of one of the oldest prisons

Charlotte Doyen

Enjoyed walking through history. Was hoping to see a little more but considering the age of building I'm sure safety was an issue.

carlos borges

The penitentiary has a rich history. Definitely take a tour when you go to understand everything that you're looking at otherwise you'll just be looking at a pile of rubble. A must visit when in Philadelphia

John Chaney IV

I had a great time here. I didn't do the guided tour but did do the audio tour. There's so much going on here you definitely want to make this a day trip.

Skin Quilt Productions

Very cool attraction to visit. I was there 3 + hours because there was so much to see. They give you a headset for the audio tour and it is narrated by Steve Buscemi! It was eerie walking through and seeing what some people had to go through. I bet their tours during October a really spooky. I definitely recommend going.

Jesse Nyman

A great tour of a interesting part of Philadelphia's history. The self-guided audio tour lets you go at your own pace and learn about the penitentiary, its prisoners, life at the prison and its ultimate closure. Also a great segment on modern prisons with some good questions about modern day incarceration. Good for all ages.

Yibin Yang

It is a tourist attraction, but it also has a feeling of grim to it. It's just a very interesting place to visit. ps. I photoshop the pictures so that they look like Silent Hill. It doesn't actually look this gruesome.

Robert Lowden

Awesome experience at this prison been here time after time and still finding and experiencing new things love this place and that's not easy for me

Keyanna King-Ingram

We took a roadtrip from New Jersey to Philadelphia and I wish I would of made the visit sooner. We parked across the street for $25. I purchased my tickets online, I was told the price would be $2 more if I brought them at the prison. I advise going when the weather is not too hot. It was 86° degrees outside and you felt it during the tour. Go when the weather is a little cooler. We stayed for over 2 hours but could of stayed longer. The prison was amazing to see. We saw the famous Al Capone cell. I'm thinking about visiting again during their Halloween event "Terror behind the wall". Its a must see while visiting Philadelphia. Great historic prison to visit and photograph.

Bucky Seton

Incredible place to visit, the complimentary audio tour is fascinating and thought-provoking. The prison is kept in it's abandoned state and was fun to explore. The exhibit on modern prisons in the USA is essential viewing. Well worth the affordable price of admission, not to be missed.

Cassidy G

Super cool. We went in October during the day (not for a Halloween event) and it was still eerie. Lot of history, can only imagine how scary it must be for the Halloween events!

Kyrylo Reznykov

Place is interesting, but I believe that 1 hour is enough there to feel an atmosphere. All that facts can be found in Internet. Service was really good. Nothing to complain about.

H Cabrera1977

Quite possibly one of the coolest places I've ever visited. So much history even though surrounded with so much sadness. You could literally feel the coldness of this place in your bones. Also you can have amazing photo opportunities in here and spend a entire day roaming through this place. It's my 2nd time visiting ESP and every time I visit Philly I'll come back here.

Gina Creazzo

Creepy, awesome place for photo op's.

Thomas Fitzpatrick

Gave me the willies after awhile. Very cool place.

A U

Drove from north Jersey to get here, and I'd say it was worth it! The entire event was so well planned! Parking is tough to find, so keep that in mind. From the second you're in line to even the zombie guard dance show after the scare event is over, it's entirely immersive. If you go on Thursdays you get a free daily tour ticket if you buy online. If you come early for the day time. You should try to reserve tickets for the walking tour(it's included for free, just limited in space). I know everyone on here has taken those iconic perspective shots down the prison corridors, but it doesn't do it justice to the real thing. Awesome exhibit on how messed up our prison system with mass incarceration fever is. Hope you enjoy!

Zahi Zafrir

Very interesting!! I was there the beginning of March. it was very cold inside ( which gives an extra feeling of creepiness ) and frankly if you try to imagine the people who stayed there when the place was active you get really depressed! so don't include this trip in the "let's have fun" section.

Chris soto

This place is incredible I have been here twice already and still discover something new also the staff that work here are great

Ron Deluca

First Penitentiary in America. Name derived from Idea that inmates should be doing Penance for wrongdoing. Staff is Instructive and Friendly. Modern popularity comes from Al Capone and legendary Haunted mystique. Great visit regardless of the reason.

Nancy Horne

one of the most interesting tours/museums i've done. It was very informative and intriguing. I learned a lot and highly recommend.

Tara Sherman

We enjoyed this self guided tour. Lots to see, lots to learn. They do a great job of putting things in perspective and challenging beliefs about the penal system. It was hot but there were some air conditioned respites. Has the first prison synagogue.

J. Christian

We visited in July 2011. Creepy and Awesome all at the same time! Yes, it is haunted. No doubt about that!

amirhossein najjarbashi

Worth paying $16 to visit the most influential prison in the world where Al Capone was held.

M S

Amazing haunted house! I love it here every time I come here.. lines are super long but a lot of fun if you are a fan of Halloween & haunted houses.. parking is very expensive nearby & street parking is nearly impossible to find!

Byron Noneofyourbusiness

Neat historical landmark,The building itself was an architectural wonder; I really enjoyed it.

F Kai

Very Interesting Place! My 10 year old daughter and I really enjoyed our experience. Lots to explore and very informative.

A. Shap

Best attraction in philly

Spiritualized Kaos

This old and panoptic prison in Philadelphia is today an attraction for dark tourism.

george marrero

Eastern State penitentiary has a lot of history a lot of notorious characters like Al Capone stayed here before they went to Alcatraz I highly recommend taking a tour and learning about the first prison in the United States you'll be surprised what you find out

Alexandrea Kensinger

Simply Awesome!! We love that the audio tour was narrated by Steve Buscemi!!

Ivan Cruz

Where to learn about the prisoners and at their selves and what they did for fun

Shiv Ganesh

Cool place to spend half a day. I have not been to a historical prison before, so this did not disappoint. The outside reminds you of a medieval castle. There are many different areas to explore, although most of the cells seemed to look the same to me. The audio tour gives you insight into what was going on during the time.

Peter Salem

The experience at the Eastern State Penitentiary is honestly a very education and enjoyable time. The architecture of the Penitentiary is worth the trip alone: with stone walls up to the 30 feet high, the prison looks more like a castle in the middle of North Philly. The interactive audio tour was extremely engaging, narrated by Steve Buscemi and was a great format to exploring and learning about the prison's history. The most surprising aspect was the "Prisons Today" exhibit at the end, where they examine the changes made to imprisonment in the United States in the 70s and 80s, leading to the current day state of mass incarceration. Definitely a worthwhile trip in Philly for anyone who likes museums or architecture.

Jenn Caffey

One of my favorite experiences of all time. Listen to the audio tour! I never would have if a friend hadn’t suggested it. It makes all the difference. Narrator = Steve Buscemi. Enough said.

Kevin O'Brien

If you have about an hour or two while in Philly, make ESP a part of your day. It closed down for good in the ‘70’s but thankfully it was mostly restored as a historical spot. Great self guided audio tour narrated by Steve Buscemi, former guards and inmates. A must see, when in Philly.

Jose r Valle

Amazing experiance, I enjoyed the history behind it and loved looking into the old jail cells, definetly will visit again.

Haowen Zhang

Fantastic! It's such an unique experience! The audio guide is very well designed with narration, audio documents and sound effects to take you back to history. There are also exhibitions that let you think about the present and future of the problems of incarceration.

Shmuel Ackerman

The guided tour was very interesting. After that the rest of the exhibits were well done.

Paul Fisher

An excellent experience. The initial guided audio tour tells the history of the penitentiary, without romanticising or sugar-coating it. The follow-on exhibitions are largely very good. The best ones confront the visitor with the history and current reality of the prison system and mass incarceration, both through interpretive presentations and artwork created by those affected by the system.

Hrushikesh Vasista

Plan to spend atleast 2 hrs, the audio tour covers only a small section, there are many other areas to visit and that can easily take another 1 hr. Try to the feel the silence as you move around, especially the cells. The penitentiary is really huge so wear good shoes and carry water and snacks. The exhibits are well marked to audio sections. The gift shop there has good souvenirs so be sure to get one! Parking may not be easy to find, but the large pay parking lot is a good one.

Emily Minton

Incredibly interesting! The ruins of this building allow you to envision what the inmates and guards lived. Everyone who worked within the park was very helpful and informative. There are many areas off limits for safety purposes, but more areas are opened than closed. Loved it!

Moishe Singer

Amazing history - free street parking, so much to see. There is an audio tour but that only lasts around 45 minutes and isn't everything. So many cells are art exhibits. We spent 2.5 hours but you could spend more. Also, amazing staff, so helpful

Ellie sanders

Weren't going to come but glad we did, it is really great set up with the audio guide leading you through and then just being able to wander and catch other stories. Highly recommend

Paul Ford

I think it's an knowledgeable place and we don't miss the chance to see very artist interpretation. Also it's the best place for children's rt to make them aware. The place was really eye-catching and make our mood awesome.

Ryan Bullock

Really cool place to visit. I was born in Philadelphia and visited this place twice. They set it up perfectly for a tour. They provide you a headset that tells you story's about each part of the prison. Very good experience. Highly recommended

T AA

This place is so grim, gloomy and sad from the outside and inside. Old prison that housed many prisoners for different crimes years ago. The place is old and deteriorating, but is a popular tourist attraction in Philadelphia. I uploaded a short video of al capone's cell and I guess he was special and was treated better than the other prisoners during his stay here. I saw some people brought their children here, but honestly I would not bring children to this place. Depressing.

Krystal

Highly recommend the VIP after dark tour offered around Halloween. My husband and I attended a couple years ago and the experience is something we’ll never forget! So much history, beautiful scenery, and a spooky atmosphere of course. We plan to go back when the opportunity arises.

Michael Erickson

Although I never got to see the daily tour, the haunted house was an awesome adventure. I applied for a job late in the season to be an actor and although I was not expecting to do a group interview and I have never done anything like that before, and it scared me, because I kept thinking I would be the only one not to get the job, but surprisingly I did. Amy is an awesome creative director and if I still lived on the East Coast I would definitely come back to scare people every year. I liked it so much, I am going to try and get into one of these haunted houses out here. If you get a chance to scare in Eastern State Pen it's the most fun ever, just hope you don't get stuck work with Q, that dude is a straight up air head who has no business being in management.

Zhi Su

Eastern State Penitentiary is one of the oldest if not the oldest penitentiaries in the US. A lot of prisons were modelled after this one. I highly recommend doing the audio tour. You get headphones and a audio player at the entrance. Listen to the tour guide (Steve Buscemi) as you walk through the cell blocks and hear stories from actual prisoners tell their experiences and reflections.

Chad & Amber Schell

Awesome place. This is a must visit if you are in the area. The audio tour is super informative and you can wander around afterwards at your leisure. Full of history and first hand accounts.

Marian Marițan

Awesome. The history of it, is very interesting.

Michael McCallister

We took a tour of this penitentiary. It was very interesting and educational. I really enjoyed the time I spent here although I was able to leave at any time.

Jere King

This is a great place to visit. Allow lots of time. The self guided tour is very good. Photography nuts, this is fabulous. Good information and intriguing. Sad history.

Chad Fredericks

Absolutely excellent museum and well worth the visit. Parking was easy between parallel parking in front and a lot nearby. Prices were very reasonable given the huge amount of content. I followed the audio tour (headset / keypad) which does an excellent job stepping you through the key parts in a very efficient manner. Took me about 1.5 hours to complete it. Once done with that (or at any time really) you can venture around freely. Many areas have additional audio content that you can read / listen to. My favorite part was the variety. As its extremely old, its neat to see different sections set up to be period correct to a certain era. I was also worried it would just be a bunch of empty cells, but it's far from it. There are numerous exhibits within cells both historical and artistic to mix things up. Lastly, there is an excellent section on modern prisons and modern statistics that provides and interesting look at the current state of our system. I'd certainly reccomend this to anyone!

Andrew Chea

This is a place you won't expect to visit. Then once you visit, you wouldn't mind going back. Even though the cells are small, the penitentiary is huge.You'll learn about multiple criminals and visit their jail cell. Bring a camera, good place to shoot photos at.

Joe Seluk

Very interesting place to see. Recomend seeing it during Halloween and doing the spook walk show at night.

Yanzhe Gao

Impressive historical place.

Blair Wright

Very cool place with tons of history, the tours are great and very informational, many of the rooms are restored to original condition while others were left in disrepair to contrast how it looked during it's long history. If you're a photographer they do allow tripods but you need to pay a small fee to bring your tripod in. A bit out of the way in Pholly but worth the drive and there is ample parking in a lot that's less than a block from the entrance.

M Brannigan

Excellent museum, it was fascinating to see and learn about. I enjoyed that they also taught about modern prisons and showed how out of control mass incarceration has gotten. Terror Behind Walls event was a ton of fun too. Very spooky, but make sure you sign up for an earlier slot. It's still plenty dark and the real lines don't form until later.

Antman933

Eastern State Penitentiary is an awesome place to check out any time of year, especially Halloween. I love the history of this prison complex and all the history it holds. I would definitely recommend any & everyone to visit the prison at least once, you wouldn't be left disappointed.

Howie Mcnicol

I had time to do one sightseeing thing after getting into town and didn’t want to deal with parking near Independence Hall, so I decided on this place. I am glad that I did. This was a fascinating piece of history and isn’t too overrun with tourists. There is a great audio tour that takes around 30 minutes and then you are free to wonder around for as long as you like. I would recommend doing more, since there is a lot you don’t see on the main tour. The audio guide continues to cover all these sights. There are signs all over where at certain times volunteers will take you to parts of penitentiary you wouldn’t normally see. It’s basically a mini private tour. This place is highly recommended if you enjoy history or want a look at somewhere that was a prison for 140 years. Also free street parking!

Christopher Lamb

This place is great. So much history and such a great tour. They give you your own personal audio tour so you can take your time. Then when the tour is over there are countless points if interests that have more information via audio recordings. It is an easy two to three hour expedition. The recordings range from former guards and inmates to psychologists and sociologists. There is something for everyone to learn and experience here. The staff was all very helpful and courteous. There are some great photo opportunities as well. We walked from city hall and it was a beautiful and safe walk. This place is great, right up there with Alcatraz as far as history, architecture and information.

Nancy Foster

This is the sole reason why I went to Philly back in 2016. I read on Wikipedia lots of fun facts about this place and since the bus ride from DC only cost me 7 dollars, why not take the 2 hour trip and see this magnificent piece of history? From the outside, you get a view of what at first sight seems like a medieval castle... with prison bars. The entrance is very tiny and before you know it, you have an mp3 with ear phones where Steve Buscemi's whimsical voice talks about the fascinating history of this creepy place. I was expecting something great, and the place fully exceeded my expectations. Among many fun tidbits, the prison at one time had a far better hospital with state-of-the-art trains staff than any other hospital in the entire city, and indoor plumbing was running here before the White House. They even have a closed psychiatric hospital unit. They say that the place is enjoyed best during their Halloween night-time shows, arguably one of the scariest experiences in the entire USA. The place is scary as hell during the day, I can only imagine what it feels like after dark. Doing the Halloween tour is on my bucket list, I really hope to do it someday!

Armin Rad

I think this place is one of the coolest museums you may ever seen. They atmosphere is so cool including a lot of different aspects of daily life of a prisoner back in 1800s and 1900s. Along with an awesome voice tour guide, you can visit every single room on your own and get lots of information in like 2 hours. I believe it is awesome that they preserved the place and didn't demolish it after it was closed down. Lots of stories about famous prisoners and life styles back that time, and the architect of the place itself will amaze you. This is another MUST SEE place here at Philly.

Ondřej Matura

History is very interesting. This place has so many things to share :)

Nettie Mccoy

Well thought out tours, worth every dime. When we arrived we already had purchased our tickets online. Should proof at the front counter.. was instructed to walk to the communications desk where we were give MP3 players that would narrate the tour for us at our on pace. This allowed us to explore the facility giving us more time at locations of interest and less and locations that we didn't want to stay long at. Many sections or the prison and incomplete or are in on going renovations but don't let this detour you. So much to see here. One of the quotes even told us people get married here! Not sure about that, but to each there own.

Megan Wilcox

Great place to spend half a day while in Philly! Very affordable, and lots to see. I was there for 2.5 hours and I didn't get to see and listen to everything that I wanted to. Lots of rich history here, and very well preserved. The audio tour is interesting, and definitely some amazing photography moments here.

Pooja Tolani

It was an interesting tourist site. I learned many things. The guided headphone tour(included in ticket) aspect is great, it gives you all the basic information in a step by step fashion. The tour is less than an hour. The staff is friendly and helpful. The facility has been maintained well. A must see in Philadelphia.

Timothy Rudisill

Loved this place. Took the self guided audio tour and it was very informative. The feeling of being in a prison like this one was very overwhelming. To imagine yourself having to serve time in a place like that was humbling. The stories of the prisoners and guards really added to the appeal. Not the first time touring ESP. Wont be the last.

Jeongyeon Choi

they have great guide tour and good customer service. quality of the prison as a tourist, it is very fascinating and well kept history

Christine McNutt

Had a great although very cold morning. Bundle up in the winter. Had fun taking pictures.

George Cvarkov

Excellent museum and fun place to visit. Cheap tickets for great experience!

M 2

It really was freaky... but it's worth visiting at least once! Make sure to warm yourself.. It's colder inside...

Michael Slonkosky

The grounds are interesting to explore, and I love the dichotomy of standing in the prison yard with the incarceration rate data and seeing the shiny, modern Philadelphia skyline in the distance. The place definitely has a somber feel about it. The exhibits are cool, but what makes this place memorable is the audio tour. That alone is worth the visit and makes this place one of my all-time favorites.

Jose Caballero

A lot of History !!...highly recommend place to visit while in Philly !

Melissa Norton

Loved our visit! So much history within those walls. I loved the recorded tour which allowed us to explore at our own pace and soak it all in. Highly recommend and look forward to bringing my other son.

Linda Cimino

A wonderful tour. Very educational.

Leanne M

I definitely recommend anyone come here if they have the time. There is a great deal of history and with every admission you get an audio tour that you listen to as you walk through the Penitentiary. There is so much information and it is super interesting! The rooms and the halls are so astounding to look at and it is curious to think about how much prisons have changed and think about how life was here. They offer plenty of information on modern crime and prisons. You can even register to vote here which is pretty neat

360yourspace

A truly rewarding and interesting place to visit. There is much walking to be done here. There are many interesting descriptions of the areas within the prison. Even though this is a very heavily photographed location you can always lay claim to capturing your own version of a shot. There are many 360° views on Google Maps.

Claire Ronsairo

They did a wonderful job with Terror Behind the Walls. Spot on props, realistic "monsters". They even offer interactive experience, which definitely raises the terror bar. So much fun. Highly recommend.

Joanne Hendrickson

Very interesting history. Can easily spend over an hour or two there. Dress warm in the winter! Al Capone’s cell was closed for renovations. The Synagogue was a cool find!

AJ White

Unquestionably my favorite attraction in Philly. Having grown up with family in Philly and having lived here for years, I've seen everything the city has to offer. This is the only place I have come back to on a consistent basis. I've brought dates here, family, friends from out of town, and I've rented the space for video production. I've been to ESP probably 15 times at this point, and it never gets old. Definitely pick up a device and do the audio tour. I prefer having the freedom to explore rather than doing the guided tours. Though you can do both. Expect to spend between 2-4 hours here, depending on how much you want to see. Fun fact: 10-20 years ago, they wanted to demolish the penitentiary and turn it into a generic shopping mall. Fortunately, people thought better, and it has been preserved. So take advantage of the fact that it's still here. Other than exhibits and structural reinforcements to make it safe, the prison has been unmodified and left in the same state as it was while it was still in use. In some cells you can still see newspapers from the mid 1900's laying around. I can't recall the name, but there's an exhibit that showcases various preserved insects/wildlife from within the prison walls. It's a must see.

Juanetta Burrous

This was my first self guided tour and I really enjoyed that you could go at your own pace in addition to choosing the abbreviated tour (about 35 min total) or walk the entire 10 acres (about 2 hours). There's a lot to see: Al Capone's cell, restored wards and beautiful artist installations. I wouldn't consider this place kid friendly; not because it's dangerous or anything, but there isn't much to keep little ones entertained for an extended period of time and there is a lot of walking. Overall, consider putting this on your "Things to Do" list when visiting Philly.

Indie Phoenix-Hill

the metal bars were delicious and so was the sweat of my victims

Farmer TV

Designed by John Haviland and opened on October 25, 1829, Eastern State is considered to be the world's first true penitentiary. Eastern State's revolutionary system of incarceration, dubbed the "Pennsylvania system" or separate system, encouraged separate confinement (the warden was legally required to visit every inmate every day, and the overseers were mandated to see each inmate three times a day) as a form of rehabilitation. The Pennsylvania System was opposed contemporaneously by the Auburn system (also known as the New York system), which held that prisoners should be forced to work together in silence, and could be subjected to physical punishment (Sing Sing prison was an example of the Auburn system). Although the Auburn system was favored in the United States, Eastern State's radial floor plan and system of solitary confinement was the model for over 300 prisons worldwide. Originally, inmates were housed in cells that could only be accessed by entering through a small exercise yard attached to the back of the prison; only a small portal, just large enough to pass meals, opened onto the cell blocks. This design proved impractical, and in the middle of construction, cells were constructed that allowed prisoners to enter and leave the cell blocks through metal doors that were covered by a heavy wooden door to filter out noise. The halls were designed to have the feel of a church. Some believe that the doors were small so prisoners would have a harder time getting out, minimizing an attack on a security guard. Others have explained the small doors forced the prisoners to bow while entering their cell. This design is related to penance and ties to the religious inspiration of the prison. The cells were made of concrete with a single glass skylight, representing the "Eye of God", suggesting to the prisoners that God was always watching them. Outside the cell was an individual area for exercise, enclosed by high walls so prisoners could not communicate. Exercise time for each prisoner was synchronized so no two prisoners next to each other would be out at the same time. Prisoners were allowed to garden and even keep pets in their exercise yards. When a prisoner left his cell, an accompanying guard would wrap a hood over his head to prevent him from being recognized by other prisoners

Stacy White

Really enjoyed this experience. They have 2 different options for tours - an audio tour and a live tour with a guide. I chose the audio tour, which was great and had lots of information and was very easy to follow, but came across the tour given by the guide and listened in for a little bit, then wished I had done the one with the guide! Location is photographer friendly - for a small fee you can purchase a pass that allows you to bring in your tripod for photos.

M. Marzulla

Had a great time here. We did the guided tour which offered a couple hours worth of material if you take the time to listen to it all. It was very interesting and I'm glad we stopped by here on our visit to Philly.

andrew

A lot of info. The place isn’t too crowded. Price is fine. Many things to see. I spent quite a bit of time there and took a lot of pictures.

Miranda Abner

Fascinating. Super educational. Did the self guided audio tour. It's narrated mostly by Steve Buscemi. It's awesome. Get there early. It's a lot to see.

David Roszak

Very interesting museum and more than I expected. The history of this place is fascinating and I had no idea how this facility impacted the design of prisons for many years to come. I wasn't sure how much the kids would like it (ages 13 & 10), but they both said they enjoyed it. There is an audio tour that takes you through the site and is included in the admission.

Brian Hagan

One of my favorite places to see while visiting Philadelphia! Very interesting history and has an ominous feel inside. A must see if you are visiting from out of town, or even a local that has never taken the time.

Jan Willem Uffen

A good place to visit while in Philadelphia! Highly recommended. Something totally different from all the attractions in town. A well organized museum with a good included audio tour. You can do a main self guided tour which takes like 45 mins. But besides that there is so much too see and listen too! You can also go on small tours with a guide for no extra charge! Staff is really friendly too!

Shannon Crow

Very cool spot. The tour included audio that was jammed full of information. Not scary at all for kids. We didn't see one single ghost. It's not temperature controlled so layer up if you go in the winter!

Cassandra Yeh

This is a former prison in Philadelphia. Awesome place for Halloween event!! They do offer daily tours. If you are on hop-on hop-off tour bus, there is a stop at this location.

Dar Finn Wright

This piece of history and engineering marvel is amazing. Must see tour with reasonable costs. Absolutely loved it!!

Shaun Richards

A neat alternative for something historical but different from Independence Hall! Only a few blocks from the Art Museum and the Rocky Steps. They break each hallway "block" into different centuries, which is an interesting way to see the changes in prison culture. Feel like it was an hour and $20 well spent.

Jackie V

This place is AWESOME. Don’t have to worry about people guiding you around telling you where to go. You get a little headset that tells you everything about the area you’re in. There are special tours you can take at certain times to areas that aren’t available to walk through on your own, for free! (Just have to wait until certain set times) gift shop is affordable, tickets are affordable. Just go!

Luann Suhr

You can learn a lot there and see Al Capone's room. The place is supposed to be haunted so it's good for people interested in history, the prison system, or paranormal activity. It's also a great place to take photos.

Kiran Chhabra

It's one of the must visit places in Philadelphia. At one moment I felt scary also. But the way it has been organised for the visitors and the audios really give goosebumps. You feel the pain, you feel the thrill . Overall highly recommended.

Andrea Lowe

Seriously, a must see. We had so much fun here. We walked around for several hours. They issue you a MP3 Player and you can take a walking tour of the place with designated audio recordings you can listen to along the way. This tour only last 25 minutes or so but there is so much to look at beyond that. There will be signage with additional recordings you can listen to if you choose to.

Atul Chaudhari

Good audio tours. I guess anyone can spend 2hrs here and learn a lot about the Penitentiary. History is well preserved and audio recordings of earlier inmates makes it feel real.

可然王

audio tour definately paid the bill, and the prison worths for a trip with interesting stuff out there.

Ashley Fish

Wasn't sure what to expect, but there are so many interesting things to see! Definitely recommend going.

Jack Piccininni

Very historic, beautiful architecture, wonderful gift shop, they give you the choice of a live person guided tour or you can use a radio and headset and go at your own pace. it's very historic. They are very busy reclaiming all parts how's the prison how's the prison. I recommend this stopover for both family and kids, it's a wonderful learning experience but some walking can be a little difficult.the Terror Behind the Walls events for Halloween are also something you want to go see but I don't recommend it to small children.

Richard Oxlade

This place is just amazing. The admission cost is reasonable and it includes an audio walking tour guide which makes the experience even more enjoyable. This place has tons of rich history and the staff are extremely knowledgeable in answering all the questions. I just wish I could walked through Cell Block 14!

Caridad Roche

Went on a regular day and it was an interesting experience. Returned for a Halloween night and it met all my expectations. Awesome place to visit... specially on Halloween!

Stephanie P

Great place to check out. Audio tour is self guided. Charging station available. You can check out the whole place in about two hours. Terror behind the walls was good fun! Makes you scream and jump.

Izabela Szczepan

Defenitively worth it. Great price for the experience. Lots of cool information and cells to see. The jail is large and the tour awesome since you get your own headset and go at your own pace. It is nicely set up along with the map they gave. Highly recommend going.

Ari Johnson

Super unique place to see in Phili... the audio tour was inclusive and thorough!

Mark Henninger

This place has many things. For one, it makes you contemplates crime and punishment. For another, it is a historical artifact of significant importance, given that it is the first large building in the United States to have amenities we take for granted such as indoor plumbing. Solitary confinement was pioneered here, along with the realization that it drove people insane. If you visit, don’t miss Al Capone’s cell. And if it’s Halloween, this is the best haunted house

Keilan Freeman

Fascinating place to visit. Lots to see and learn about. I wasn't sold on going, but glad my friends convinced me to go. The included audio guide is fantastic. They share plenty of history about this building and prison systems, along with current facts on modern penitentiary systems.

Jamie Sorensen

Great history and walking tour!

Tom Ho

Great place to stay. Comfortable rooms and bedding. Three square meals. Free health care. You can eat the paint chips and nobody will bother you.

Fabio Grossule

Super interesting histrorical place to visit. For me just being here was worth the trip from NYC to Philly. The penitentiary is really impressive and a bit creepy, too. I recommend to join the 2 pm guided tour (it lasts about 1 h). Our guide (Alex, I think) was well prepared and managed to involve all the people of the group asking for opinions and comments quite often. I suggest to buy the tickets online, thus saving 2$/ea.

Jeremy Allison

The grounds are in incredible shape and the building is still in tact. My family and I enjoyed the audio tour and learned quite a bit. The audio tour was a little pricy in my opinion, but it didn’t detract from the experience.

Marjorie Fletcher

This is my first time being at Terror behind the walls. It was very fun. Plus the bus driver Mrs. Bigs ( Don’t know if I’m spelling it right) was very kind and nice. Overall everything was excellent and on point. It was nice learning the history behind the prison.

Dana Mock

Interesting tour, a bit creepy. It would be an excellent haunted house for Halloween. Audio presentation was excellent. Surprised building wasn’t torn down in 80’s & made into apartments or condos due to excellent location.

Mat Mueller

Absolutely great! Awesome audio tour. Amazing building. Great for taking pictures.

J H

Great place to visit and learn about its amazing, and terrible, history. They let you explore the prison on your own too, which I really enjoy.

serge d'haeyere

Very nice place, I was not going with huge expectations but I was really amazed in the end. Great explanations about the place and its historical roots. I also loved all the explanations given by the audio guide. I definitely recommend to go there.

Costin Busioc

Eastern State was for sure my favorite place while visiting Philadelphia. It’s incredible to see so much history and actual visit one of the most known penitentiaries that existed or even more, have a look in Al Capone’s cell. The audio tour is incredible informative and the time was well spent.