-
2124 Fairmount Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19130
United States -
+1 215 236 5111
-
Neighborhood :
Art Museum
http://www.easternstate.org/ - Mon to Sun from 10:00 AM to 05:00 PM
This penitentiary was an 18th Century social experiment along Quaker principles. It went horribly wrong. Complete solitary confinement was the rule, on the theory inmates would use the time for prayer, reflection, and penitence. In fact, the loneliness destroyed many, and eventually overcrowding led to squalid conditions with no pretense of reform. It finally closed in the 1970s. The degree of infamy Eastern State Penitentiary experienced when in use made Alcatraz seem like a day care center. Inmates formerly incarcerated here include arch criminal Al Capone and bank robber Willie Horton. Although it stands today in crumbling condition, visitors get an eerie feel when viewing the vaulted cell blocks and central rotunda. Daily tours are offered. Just five blocks from the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
Copyright © 1999-2009 wcities.com All rights Reserved - Contact wcities to report incorrect information
Latest Reviews (from TravelMuse and around the web)
-
Leave Review
- E-mail*
- Password*
- Title *
- By clicking submit you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
- Submit
-
Review Options
Enter your personal information to the left, or sign in with your Facebook account by clicking the button below.
Trekaroo Reviews
( 2 Reviews
)
Top 
When Charles Dickens visited the United States in 1842, there were two sights he didn’t want to miss: Niagara Falls and the Eastern State Penit...
Great Halloween Event
My husband and I visited the ESP on our 5th year anniversary trip to Philly. We did the Ghost Tour of the prison, and it ...
Trip Advisor Reviews
( 29 Reviews see all
)
Top
“Better than Alcatraz!!”
Eastern State was great, it's rundown state really gives it authenticity, not like some disney-fied version. It enhances the creepy feeling and...
“OK but no Alcatraz”
Tour guide was passionate and very informative. Group size was about 25 people and the tour was about 1 hour. The site itself is interesting to...
“Unexpectedly Awesome!”
After discovering ESP on TripAdvisor the night before a short trip to Philly, I decided to convince my friends to go on a winter adventure tour...
“Last but not Least”
On our way out of Philadelphia (a two-night first-time visit) we decided to make a last ditch stop at the ESP, and we're so glad we did. The Su...
“Haunted House?”
We went to Eastern State Penitentiary for their Terror Behind the Walls Haunted house experience a few weeks before Halloween. We watched the d...
“Great for adults and kids alike”
I toured the penitentiary with three children ages 8, 11 and 13. They took the self-audio tour and spent about 1 1/2 hours walking through the ...
Yahoo Travel Reviews
( 7 Reviews see all
)
Top
Disappointing Halloween Tour!!
My girlfriend, her friend, and I took the Halloween Terror Behind the Walls tour at 10PM after driving 1 1/2 hours from NYC and were very disap...
Philly's BEST attraction!
Upon my first trip to Philadelphia over Labor Day weekend, 2005, we stumbled upon this unbelievable relic, nestled in the middle of a quaint in...
Awesome place to visit!
I liked everything about this place. I went to the Halloween production they have around that time of year and the next day I went on a regula...
You won't be alone
My sons and I did have an experience of the paranormal kind, although I cannot disclose the picture I have until I share it with the tourist at...
Cool place to visit
This is surely a hidden treasure. It was the very first penitentiary in the nation. If you like ruins, and are curious about ghosts, this place...
A Great Experience
My mom didn't want to go here, but we both found the experience to be very interesting and informative. I was glad that you could walk around ...
CitySearch Reviews
( 9 Reviews see all
)
Top
it was still scarey by karen h. at InsiderPages
the Haunted prison is still scarey despite the long lines. I know that to get that many people thru quickly you must be 'herded' thru quickly....
Avoid Terror Behind Walls
The haunted prison was not scary at all. The actors for the most part were behind bars or standing within plain sight and they are not allowed ...
A waste of my money by Linda T. at InsiderPages
The prison itself is awesome and the work put into the haunted tour was impressive, but it was way too crowded. Everyone went through in one lo...
America's first "modern" prison, abandoned for almost 40 years, opens its doors to the public for tours and the annual "Terror Behind the Walls" haunted house.
In ShortBuilt in 1829 and abandoned since 1971, this towering Gothic structure was among the first American prisons to adopt the idea of so
Interesting AND scary ! by D E. at InsiderPages
Mty teens have gone here foe their haunted house tour- I knew they did a great job on this tour when not only where they able to tell me all...
Crime and punishment by penny b. at InsiderPages
This prison is historical because it was built s long also, and was the beginning of penal reform. zi recommend this tour for the stark reality...
TravelMuse Reviews Top