Eastern State Penitentiary
A crumbling 1829 prison, once the most famous in the world, where Al Capone served time. The audio tour, narrated by Steve Buscemi, leads through cellblocks of peeling paint and light from skylights.
- Open
- Every day; check the website for hours
- Price
- Paid; cheaper online in advance
- Time Needed
- 2 hours
- Address
- 2027 Fairmount Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19130Google MapsApple Maps
- Getting There
- Bus 48 or the Phlash; 15 minutes' walk from the Museum of Art.
- Accessibility
- Most areas are accessible; some cellblocks have uneven floors.
Why Go
Eastern State was built to reform prisoners through solitude, and its wagon-wheel design was copied by some 300 prisons around the world. It held inmates until 1971 and was left to decay before opening as a museum. Today you walk its silent, vaulted cellblocks, see Al Capone's surprisingly comfortable cell and the synagogue built by Jewish inmates, and learn about mass incarceration in America today.
Tips
- In fall, the 'Halloween Nights' haunted house takes over the prison in the evenings.
- Combine with the Museum of Art and the Rocky Steps nearby.
Nearby
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