Beaumaris Courthouse
Beaumaris, Anglesey
UKAt this nearly 400-year-old courthouse, visitors can sit in the seat of judgment and learn about notorious criminals.
Beaumaris Gaol
Beaumaris, Anglesey
UKIn this massive building with dimly lit corridors, spartan cells and places of punishment including the unique treadwheel, visitors can see the condemned cell or experience the darkness of the punishment cell. They may handle chains and fetters last worn by prisoners a century ago.
Border History Museum
Hexham, Northumberland
UKThe museum is located in the first purpose-built gaol (jail) in England - built in 1330 to imprison convicted Reivers. It concentrates on the history of the Reivers with reconstructions, artifacts and interpretation including the tragic tale of the Earl of Derwentwater, beheaded for his part in the 1715 Jacobite Rebellion.
Bridge of Sighs
Venice
ItalyAntonio Contino's bridge over the Rio di Palazzo was erected in the year 1600 to connect the Doge's prisons, or Prigioni, with the inquisitor's rooms in the main palace.
The Bridge of Sighs received its name in the 17th century, because the prisoners who passed through it on their way to the prison cells on the other side would most likely see the beautiful sight of the lagoon and the island of S. Giorgio and freedom for the last time. It is included in the guided Itinerari Segreti ("Secret Itinerary") tour of the Doge's Palace, which also includes the prisons, torture chambers, and other rooms that normally are not open to visitors.
Cirencester Lock-up
Cirencester, England
UKBuilt in the early 19th century to detain criminals, this two cell lock-up was later used to build part of the workhouse in Cirencester. A history of lock-ups, as well as workhouses, can be found on display here.
Clink Prison
South Bank, London
UKFor centuries, the London borough of Southwark was in the Diocese of Winchester. As such, it fell outside the jurisdiction of London and became a safe haven for all sorts of "illicit" activities. The Clink Prison was owned by the Winchester Bishops and was used for the incarceration of religious offenders, debtors and other malefactors. The "Clink" as it has come to be called, burned down in the Gordon Riots of 1780, but the Clink Museum, located in an old warehouse basement, is there to paint a realistic picture of prison "life" in the middle ages.
Comfort Hotel Bilan
Karlstad
SwedenThe old prison is that once held prisoners in cells, has been altered to hold tourists in 68 renovated rooms. A prison museum is also located within the building.
Crime Through Time Museum
Gloucestershire, England
UKFormerly housed at Nicholson House, a haunted property with over 500 years of prison history, the museum now resides at Littledean Jail. A wide variety of historical artifacts can be found on display there, including a guillotine and body cages, a pictorial history of crime, bizarre fetishes, and Nazi and Ku Klux Klan paraphernalia.
Cromarty Courthouse Museum
Cromarty, Scotland
UKInterpretation includes a reconstructed trial in the 18th century courtroom, children's costumes, prison cells, a video presentation of 800 years of Cromarty's history, artifacts, high quality display panels, an audio tape tour of the older part of the town and leaflets for walks in and around Cromarty.
Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site
Dachau
GermanySoon after the Nazis took power in 1933, Dachau Concentration Camp was built to handle the overflow from the jails. It evolved into a slave labor camp for Nazi industries. The entrance to Dachau had the Nazi slogan "Arbeit mach frei," or "Work will make you free." Tens of thousands died in Dachau, although it was never an extermination camp like those set up in Poland. Executions were more often for disciplinary measures. The camp had largely fallen into disrepair and was eventually turned into a memorial. There now stands several memorials honoring the thousands of people who suffered there during the Nazi regime.
Down County Museum
Downpatrick, County Down, Northern Ireland
UKAfter 1831, this gaol was emptied of its prisoners and used for other purposes. At various times it was used as a cholera hospital, military barracks, and a space for auctions and Girl Guide meetings. Although the gaol has not been used for its original purpose for nearly 180 years, many of the important features of the original gaol still remain.
Fuhlsbüttel Concentration Camp and Prison Memorial
Hamburg
GermanyWhen the Nazis came to power in Hamburg in early March 1933, persecution of all political opposition began here too. Within a few weeks, the Hamburg state police had set up a concentration camp on the premises of the Fuhlsbüttel prison. Within a very short time "Konzentrationslager Fuhlsbüttel" had become a byword for horror, suffering and death. When liberation came in May 1945, over 250 women and men had perished there, having been the victims of brutality, murdered or driven to their death.
Galleries of Justice
Nottingham, England
UKLocated on the site of an original county courthouse and gaol, this museum provides visitors with the opportunity to see historic cells and medieval caves as well as the Victorian courthouse and evidence from famous court cases.
Gedenkstätte Bautzen
Bautzen, Saxony
GermanyBautzen I and Bautzen II in Germany illustrate a long history of political imprisonment. Both housed political “threats” during the Nazi regime between 1933 and 1945: including Jehovah’s witnesses, Communists, and Social Democrats. With the end of WWII, they housed former alleged Nazi collaborators, anti-Stalinist bourgeois, and other persons arbitrarily arrested. Today, Bautzen I is an active penitentiary for men serving long sentences and is under the authority of the Ministry of Justice of the Free State of Saxony. Bautzen II closed in 1992, and was transformed by the Free State of Saxony and the Federal Republic of Germany into a memorial with the entire building open to visitors.
Gedenkstätte Berlin-Hohenschönhausen
Berlin
GermanyOnce headquarters of the Ministry for State Security prison systems in Soviet East Berlin until reunification in 1989, Gedenkstätte Berlin-Hohenschönhausen is now a memorial center, educational resource and tourist attraction. The memorial attempts to depict the oppression faced by political dissents imprisoned there.
The Gevangenpoort (prison gate) Museum
Hague
The NetherlandsIn the 15th century, the Count of Holland started to use the main gate to his castle on the Binnenhof as a prison: the Prison Gate. During the 16th century the gatehouse was extended with a building for the law court of Holland. Suspects were not only locked up in the Prison Gate while awaiting their trial, but could be examined there as well. In the 19th century the last prisoner was released and the Prison Gate was turned into a museum.
Guildhall Museum
Rochester, Kent
UKThe Guildhall is now a museum devoted to preserving Medway history from prehistoric times up to the twentieth century. One of the most impressive exhibits in the museum is the reconstruction of a Medway prison hulk ship, as used in the 18th century.
Hameenlinna Provincial Prison
Helsinki
FinlandThis former prison was built in 1871 inside a medieval castle in Finland and was used as a house of corrections until 1993. The castle houses the prison museum as well as a former school and library room that is restored to look just as it did 100 years ago and can be rented out for meetings. Cells are used for exhibits and the prison museum strives to show the prison as it was when the last prisoners left.
HM Prison Service Museum
Ruby, England
UKThis museum traces the history of imprisonment with the aid of expected artifacts (e.g. shackles, the stocks), as well as unusual ones. These rare items include a cell door belonging to the cell in which the famous playwright and author Oscar Wilde was held and a piece of embroidery a female inmate fashioned from her own hair.
Inveraray Jail
Inveraray, Scotland
UKSince opening in 1989, Inveraray Jail has established itself as one of Scotland's most exciting heritage attractions. Visitors can see the restored 1820 Courtroom where they can sit and listen to excerpts from trials of the past. In the prisons below, visitors can meet with the Warders, Matron and Prisoners in period costumes, as well as see the airing yards, furnished cells and experience prison sounds and smells.
Jedburgh Castle Jail and Museum
Castlegate, Scotland
UKBuilt as a Howard reform prison in 1823, this building is the only existing example of its kind in Scotland. The museum has a small display of items relating to 19th century prison life.
Kilmainham Gaol
Kilmainham, Dublin County
IrelandKilmainham Gaol educates visitors about the origins of the modern Irish state. It was here that the rebels of the last 150 years of British rule were held and it was here that the leaders of the 1916 Rising were executed. These events had a profound effect on propelling Ireland to independence.
Långholmen Prison Museum
Stockholm
SwedenToday a hotel and hostel occupy the space where prisoners were once kept. Nearby is the Långholmen Prison Museum that illustrates the prison’s 250-year history that ended in 1975 when the prison closed as a penal facility.
Lincoln Castle
Lincoln, England
UKThe prison was built on the castle green enclosure in 1787 and enlarged by the Victorians. Many prisoners here were deported to Australia and many more were executed on the ramparts. The prison chapel's design is rows of cubicles built so that felons could see the preacher but not their fellow inmates.
The Old Gaol Museum
Buckingham, England
UKLike Eastern State Penitentiary, this Gaol looks like an intimidating castle from the outside. Original cells with double doors still remain, although the prison now is a museum that illustrates the history of Buckingham.
Parkhurst Heritage Museum
England
UKIn the later part of the 1700s, there was a growing concern for the safety of juvenile prisoners, some of whom were only six years old, many of which were incarcerated in the old, rotten and disease-ridden sailing ships commonly referred to as hulks. The prison opened its doors on the 26th December 1838, taking in 102 boys. It was known as one of England’s toughest jails.
Pawiak Prison
Warsaw
PolandPawiak is a name synonymous with oppression. Built in the 1830s, to serve as a tsarist prison, Pawiak came to the fore during WWII when it slipped into the hands of the feared Gestapo. During the Nazi occupation it became the largest political prison in Poland and saw over 100,000 inmates pass through its gates.
The Prison Museum
Ludwigsburg
GermanyThis German museum has vivid exhibits including a real guillotine and restored cells.
Miklus Prison
Košice
SlovakiaThere is an exhibition here about Košice's past, housed in what was the city's main prison. What is also of interest is the prison itself, and in particular the tour of the underground torture chambers.
Musée National des Prisons
Fontainebleau
FranceThe museum, opened in 1995, is housed in a prison that operated from 1845 to 1990. The museum relates the history of the French prisons, prisoners, and officers.
Ruthin Gaol
Ruthin, Denbigshire, Wales
UKConstructed in 1775, this gaol was abandoned in 1916 and was used as a munitions factory in World War II.
Stirling Old Town Jail
Stirling, Scotland
UKFor 400 years, Stirling's prisoners were kept in the old Tollbooth Jail. It was a stinking, overcrowded, place. Pressure for improvement and prison reform resulted in the opening of Stirling Old Town Jail in 1847. Designed by Thomas Brown and opened as a County Jail, the building was used as the only military prison in Scotland from 1888 until 1935. Restoration to its current use began in the early 1990s.
Studentenkarzer
Heidelburg
GermanyThe students' prison was established in the late 18th century and was in use until 1914. For the students it was more an amusement than any real punishment for their crimes (burglaries, scuffles and forbidden duels). The paintings, autographs, comments and coat of arms prove that they were not ill treated in their small rooms equipped with one table, one chair, an iron bed with a sea grass mattress, a chamber pot and a spittoon.
Tower of London
London, England
UKThe Tower of London was built following the Norman Conquest to dominate London in the 11th century and to show the importance of the king at that time. It has been the holding place for many political prisoners, including Anne Boleyn, the second wife of King Henry VIII, and her daughter who later became Queen Elizabeth I.
Westgate Towers Museum
Canterbury, England
UKTours of Canterbury's medieval fortified gatehouse include the Guard Chamber, Murder Holes, Civil War Armory and City Walls Display. Visitors can see the prisoner in the Tower Cells, and climb to the roof for panoramic views.
Wymondham Heritage Museum
Wymondham, England
UKThis prison claims to be the model for single occupancy cells- an idea that gained wide popularity in America during the 19th century. From 1785 through 1878 the building housed convicts: it later served as a police station and a courthouse.
York Castle Museum
York, England
UKThe Castle Museum brings over 400 years of history back to life in its award winning exhibitions and displays. The buildings that house these displays have their own history. They were originally prisons. All sorts, from debtors to murderers, were jailed here. Some were even hanged here.
Yorkshire Law and Order Museums at Ripon
St. Marygate, Ripon, England
UKThis museum includes a red brick building which was once a well-equipped Victorian prison serving the needs of the Liberty of Ripon. The prison's origins go back to the 17th century when Houses of Correction were being set up nationally to tackle the problems of vagrancy and unemployment.
1897 Pauly Jail Museum
Union Springs, AL
USAThe oldest surviving jail in the state, the Pauly Jail, erected in 1897, is a three-story red brick structure. The Victorian Gothic style building is almost square in plan and looks like a small dungeon or brooding house. Today the jail serves as a museum. It sits behind the 1871 Second Empire Style Courthouse, adjacent to a beautiful landscaped park and gazebo.
Alcatraz
San Francisco, CA
USABorn of necessity, perhaps even political expediency, Alcatraz represents the federal government's response to post-Prohibition, post-Depression America. Arguably America’s most famous prison, Alcatraz operated as a Federal Prison from 1934 until 1963.
Alton Confederate Prison
Alton, IL
USAThe horrendous conditions at Alton Penitentiary forced its shutdown in 1857. Reopened in 1862 as a Confederate Prison, a portion of it is still standing.
American Police Hall of Fame
Titusville, FL
USABuilt in memory of police officers who died in the line of duty, the memorial has hundreds of names etched into the white marble memorial. A history of policing and methods of criminal punishment (such as a tramp chair) are also on display.
Anamosa State Penitentiary Museum
Anamosa, IA
USAThe Anamosa State Penitentiary is Iowa's largest prison, currently holding around 1200 adult male felons. The facility was established in 1872 to handle the overflow from the State Penitentiary in Ft. Madison.
Andersonville National Historic Site
Andersonville, GA
USAAndersonville, or Camp Sumter as it was officially known, was one of the largest of many Confederate military prisons established during the Civil War. Today, Andersonville National Historic Site is the only park in the National Park System to serve as a memorial to all American prisoners of war throughout the nation's history.
Appomattox County Jail
Appomattox, VA
USAThis park is located on the site of the former Appomattox Court House, the county seat of Appomattox during the Civil War. All of the buildings on the site are restored to the year 1865, and the old Appomattox County Jail now functions as the Historical Museum.
Barron County Historic Society Museum/The Dallas Jail
Cameron, WI
USABuilt in 1903 by Andrew Anderson and Anton Nelson, the Dallas Jail was constructed of native sandstone during the laying of the Soo Line "Blueberry" railroad tracks from Barron to Dallas. The jail was built initially to handle the few railroad "Ruffians" that might cause problems during the construction of this line. In October 1972, the jail was dismantled and moved to the Barron Museum.
Burlington County Prison Museum
Mount Holly, NJ
USADesigned by Robert Mills, one of America's first native-born and trained architects, the Burlington County Prison was completed in 1811. The prison was a fine example of innovative interior planning, fireproofing, heating and ventilation systems and the growing notion of social responsibility to rehabilitate criminals. Solidly built, this prison was in constant use until November 1965.
Capital Punishment Museum / NJ State Corrections Academy
Trenton, NJ
USAThe museum is a one-story building on the grounds of the NJ State Corrections Academy that houses a collection of contraband confiscated from prisoners in the 1970s, as well as New Jersey’s electric chair.
Correctional Service of Canada Museum
Kingston, Ontario
CanadaThe CSC Museum houses a fascinating collection of artifacts relative to all aspects of correctional history in Canada. Contraband weapons and escape paraphernalia reflect inmate ingenuity and resourcefulness. Early punishment and restraint equipment show the methods that have been used to keep order and discipline in our institutions. Inmate hobby crafts show the lighter side of life in prison.
Costa Rican Cultural Center
San Jose
Costa RicaThe Costa Rican Scientific and Cultural Center is housed inside the former San Jose Penitentiary Building, a Costa Rican historical landmark. It includes a children’s museum, library, and the Penitentiary Historical Museum, which recreates the history of the penitentiary focusing on architecture, background, construction, and penal population.
Crime and Punishment Museum
Ashburn, GA
USAThe Crime and Punishment Museum traces the history of Georgia’s penal system from the opening of the first state prison in 1811 to Georgia’s current penal system that has grown to become the eighth largest prison system in the country with 32 prisons.
Debtor’s Prison (Accomack)
Accomack, VA
USAA rare survivor of penal architecture of the colonial period, this building was constructed in 1782. The small brick structure was originally built as a jailer's residence. In 1824 iron bars, oak batten doors, and locks were added when it was converted into a "gaol" for debtors, a purpose it served until 1849.
Debtor’s Prison (Farmville)
Farmville, VA
USAThis small prison for debtors can still be seen more than 200 years after its construction.
Fort Jefferson
Dry Tortugas, FL
USADuring the American Civil War, Fort Jefferson was used as a Federal-run prison. One notable inmate was Dr. Samuel Mudd, who had been convicted of conspiracy in the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. In 1888 the fort was deemed too expensive for military use, and was used as a quarantine station. In 1935 the Dry Tortugas on which the fort rests were named a National Monument and in 1992 they became a National Park.
Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site
Philadelphia, PA
USAEastern’s massive, medieval façade stands in stark contrast to it’s church-like interior. Opened in 1829, this was the world’s first true “Penitentiary,” a prison designed to inspire penitence in the hearts of convicts. The original seven cellblocks spread like spokes on a wheel, and had running water and central heat before the White House. Closed in 1971, an estimated 300 prisons worldwide have been modeled after Eastern State.
Essex County Jail
Newark, NJ
USAThe Old Essex County jail complex is that county’s oldest public building and was completed in 1837. The jail was designed by architect John Haviland, who also designed the revolutionary radial plan at Eastern State Penitentiary. Although the jail was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1991, no efforts have been made to preserve it and it is currently abandoned.
Folsom Prison Museum
Sacramento, CA
USAThe Folsom Prison Museum offers a look at torturous prison conditions in decades after the California Gold Rush populated the Sierra Nevada foothills. The museum contains artifacts and records dating back to the 1800s.
Fort Delaware State Park / Pea Patch Island
Delaware City, DE
USAFort Delaware is one of Delaware’s first state parks, created in 1951. On the National Register of Historic Places, the Union fortress dates back to 1859, and once served as a prison for Confederate prisoners of war. It was originally built to protect the ports of Wilmington and Philadelphia. The State of Delaware acquired the Fort from the Federal Government in 1947.
Fort Selden State Monument
Radium Springs, NM
USAFort Selden was a Civil War territorial fort built in 1865 along the Rio Grande River. It was abandoned in 1891 and declared a New Mexico State Monument in 1974. The current site features the ruins of the fort as well as a museum, and the monument holds annual event such as Fort Selden Frontier Days.
Freestone County Museum
Fairfield, TX
USAThe museum houses historical items depicting the history of Freestone County. Along with the fact that it is housed in the 110 year-old jail building, the museum also features 4 historical markers on the grounds and two original log cabins dating back to the mid- 1800's.
Fremantle Prison
Fremantle, WA
USAThe Fremantle Prison is one of Western Australia's premier heritage sites, centrally located in the heart of the port city of Fremantle. The Prison was built by convicts in the 1850s and was closed as a place of incarceration in 1991 after 136 years of continuous use. It was opened to the public in 1992 as a tourist site.
Hale Paahoa
Lahaina, Maui, HI
USAHale Paahao, "the stuck-in-irons house," was so named because of its standard wall shackles and ball-and-chain restraints. The prison house was built of planks in 1852; it had separate quarters for men and women. A guard patrolled the grounds from a catwalk. Most prisoners were there for deserting ship, drunkenness, working on the Sabbath or reckless horse riding. The prison serves a happier function today. It is frequently rented for community use, and there have been many fine gatherings in the now park-like atmosphere.
Houston Police Museum
Houston, TX
USAThis museum traces the history of the Houston Police force from its beginnings in 1939 through today. There are a wide variety of artifacts, uniforms, and photographs on display from various significant time periods in the force’s history, such as WWII, the first female officer uniform, and the 1950’s.
Huron Historic Gaol
Goderich, Ontario
CanadaOpened in 1842, the Huron County Jail, designed by architect Thomas Young, was considered a model of humanitarian prison design at the time. The building originally housed the County Courts and Council Chambers, as well as serving as Gaol and House of Refuge. This unique and imposing octagonal building served as the Huron County Jail until 1972.
Jackson County Historical Society 1859 Jail, Marshal’s Home & Museum
Independence, MO
USAThe two-story 1859 Jackson County Jail, with its barred windows and double iron doors, gives a chilling look at the rigors of frontier justice. The jail held prisoners until1933 when the building began being used for regional relief services during the Depression. It is thought to be the only such building standing in the Midwest today.
Kingston Penitentiary/ Correctional Service of Canada Museum
Kingston, Ontario
CanadaKingston Penitentiary officially opened in June 1835 under the reign of King William IV. British North America's first "penitentiary" was initially called the "Provincial Penitentiary of the Province of Upper Canada," or the "Provincial Penitentiary" for short. Originally designed by American William Powers of Auburn, New York, the institution was heavily influenced by the system that had been established there. Today Kingston Penitentiary continues as a maximum-security institution. The Correctional Service of Canada Museum is located in what was formerly the residence for the warden of Kingston Penitentiary. It houses a collection of artifacts that highlight the chronology of correctional services in Canada.
Louisiana State Penitentiary Museum
Angola, LA
USAThe Louisiana State Penitentiary (http://www.corrections.state.la.us/lsp/) at Angola is located in West Feliciana Parish, approximately fifty-nine miles northwest of Baton Rouge. Prior to 1835, inmates were housed in a vermin infested jail in New Orleans. In that year the first Louisiana State Penitentiary was built using a plan similar to a prison in Wethersfield, Connecticut. The mission of the Louisiana State Penitentiary Museum Foundation is to support and promote the historical, educational, and cultural role of the Louisiana State Penitentiary Museum.
Maine State Prison
Warren, ME
USAThis operational prison houses more than 900 prisoners, approximately 300 of whom are employed in producing wooden furniture, toys, paintings, clocks, and many other household items. These items can be purchased online or at the prison’s showroom in Thomaston, ME.
Mansfield Reformatory
Mansfield, OH
USAThe old Ohio State Reformatory is now being transformed into a museum and tour facility to increase the cultural, social, and economic life of Mansfield, Ohio.
Manzanar National Historic Site
Independence, CA
USAManzanar War Relocation Center was one of ten camps at which Japanese American citizens and resident Japanese aliens were interned during World War II. Located at the foot of the imposing Sierra Nevada in eastern California's Owens Valley, Manzanar has been identified as the best preserved of these camps.
Museum of Colorado Prisons/Territorial Prison
Cañon City, CO
USAThe Territorial Prison in Canon City, Colorado opened on June 13, 1871. Known as one of the "Hell Holes" of the Old West, the institution has witnessed 77 executions and was home to inmates such as Alfred Packer, the only man convicted of cannibalism in the United States and an 11-year-old murderer, Anton Woode. To preserve the Territorial Prison, the Museum of Colorado Prisons opened its doors June 18, 1988.
New York City Police Museum
New York, NY
USAThe New York City Police Museum captures the history of the NYPD as well as a present-day look at the world of law enforcement through the eyes of its officers.
New York Correction History Society
Albany, NY
USAThe New York State prison system had its beginnings in 1797 with a single prison (called Newgate after the infamous London jail) located in what is now Greenwich Village. The corrections museum chronicles the fascinating history of New York prisons through a collection of striped prison uniforms, restraint devices and other archives.
Ohio State Reformatory Historic Site
Mansfield, OH
USADesigned to resemble medieval chateaux and castles, the Ohio State Reformatory was used as a juvenile reformatory and later as a high security adult correctional facility. Today, it is a landmark attraction, media location for movies and boasts the world’s largest freestanding cellblock.
Old 1910 Jackson County Jail
Jacksonville, OR
USAThe building that previously served as the Jackson County Jail currently houses the Jacksonville Children’s Museum. Exhibits include “old fashioned toys, walk through exhibits for a pioneer jail, kitchen, and teepee, and a collection of Vance Colvig memorabilia and cartoons.” Colvig was the voice for many Disney characters as well as the first Bozo the Clown, and a Jacksonville native. The adult museum is in a building that formerly served as the Jacksonville Courthouse.
Old County Jail and Museum (CT)
Tolland, CT
USAThe oldest remaining portion of the Old County Jail, the stone portion dating from 1856, was the fourth jail built at that site. The last section was added later in the 19th Century. The jail was operated by the county until 1960, and by the state from 1960 to 1968. Those accused of more serious crimes would be held here until trial, perhaps moving on to the state prisons. They were not allowed out of the cellblock.
Old Fauquier County Jail
Warrenton, VA
USAThe brick jail, constructed in 1808, later turned into the jailer’s residence and the 1823 stone jail that replaced it are located next to the courthouse in this historical complex. The site is a telling picture of conditions endured by inmates.
Old Gaol
York, ME
USAThe first Gaol for the Providence of Maine was built in 1656. Although that prison no longer stands, portions of the timber from that structure can still be seen in the colonial Gaol built in 1719 that now houses a museum. Originally accommodating debtors and petty criminals, the Gaol slowly expanded to better suit the growing humanitarian concerns about conditions for the inmates, as well as to house the increasing criminal population. The prison later served as a schoolhouse and warehouse before being opened in1900 as a “museum of colonial relics.” Visitors to the museum can see restored rooms and learn a host of information about the early American prison.
Old Idaho Penitentiary
Boise, ID
USAIdaho Territory was less than ten years old when the territorial prison was built east of Boise in 1870. The penitentiary grew from a single cellhouse into a complex of several distinctive buildings surrounded by a high sandstone wall. Convicts quarried the stone from the nearby ridges and completed all the later construction. After over a century of use and several riots, the inmate population was moved to a modern penitentiary south of Boise and the Old Idaho Penitentiary was closed on December 3, 1973.
Old Jail Art Center
Albany, TX
USAOpened in 1878, the jail, which was designed and built by the civil architect John Thomas of Thomas and Woerner, Builders, Fort Worth. The jail cost more than $9000, outraging the local taxpayers. Considered very modern at the time of its construction, the jail was used for more than half a century until it was abandoned in 1929
Old Jail Museum (FL)
St. Augustine, FL
USAAt St. Augustine's Old Jail the sheriff, Joe Perry and his wife Lou, lived and worked for $2.00 a day. Visitors hear of actual crimes and punishments that were a part of life for prisoners who lived in these tiny cells. St. Augustine's Old Jail Tour includes quarters for female prisoners, male prisoners, maximum security, solitary confinement, the kitchen, and living area for the sheriff and his family.
Old Jail Museum (IN)
Montgomery County, IN
USACompleted in 1882, the Rotary Jail of Montgomery County was designed by William H. Brown and Benjamin F. Haugh of Indianapolis, and was the first rotary jail built in the United States. The rotary cellblock consists of a two-tiered turntable housed within a stationary steel cage with one opening per story. The jailer would simply rotate the mechanism to bring a particular cell to the opening, and in this way prisoners were put into and taken out of the cells. The turntable remained in operation until 1939 when it was immobilized, and the jail was finally closed in 1973.
Old Jail Museum (MI)
Allegan, MI
USAOperated by The Allegan County Historical Society, the Old Jail Museum features period rooms furnished from the county through generous gifts from many present & former residents.
The Old Jail Museum (PA)
Jim Thorpe, PA
USABuilt in 1871, The Old Jail Museum was the county jail until 1995 and is currently listed on the National Register of Historic Buildings. Visitors can view the gallows on which seven accused Molly Maguires were hanged in the 1800s and the mysterious handprint on the cell wall believed to be left by a Molly Maguire proclaiming his innocence before hanging.
Old Lincoln County Jail and Museum
Wiscasset, ME
USAThe first Lincoln County jail was authorized by the Court of General Sessions of the Peace as the first item of business at its first meeting on May 12, 1761. The jail was completed in September in that year. A plan for a second Lincoln County Jail was approved and built in 1795. Escapes and overcrowding led to the abandonment of this facility after only 16 years of use. The cornerstone for a new jail was laid on August 1, 1809. Prisoners were transferred by mid-1811. The new Lincoln County Jail would serve the County for 102 years when overcrowding conditions necessitated until its final abandonment in 1953.
Old Log Jail Museum
Greenfield, IN
USAThis unique wooden jail was built to provide a secure prison without the use of iron in 1853. The site also contains a chapel and an old doctor’s office.
Old Montana Prison
Deer Lodge, MT
USAListed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Old Montana Prison was built by inmate labor, this turn-of-the-century fortress, which opened in 1871, was home to at least one member of Butch Cassidy's "Wild Bunch."
Old Monterey Jail
Monterey, CA
USAThe Old Jail, located next to Colton Hall, was constructed in 1854 and served as the City Jail until 1956. The jail was an impenetrable fortress for its inmates; no one ever escaped from the thick granite walls during its history.
Old New-Gate Prison and Copper Mine
East Granby, CT
USAMining operations began at the Old New-Gate location in 1707. However, mining was not profitable, and in 1773 the Colony of Connecticut purchased the caverns and made them into a prison. It was used to house prisoners during the American Revolution, and in 1790 became the state prison. Old New-Gate was closed in 1827.
Old Prison Museum
http://www.pcmaf.org/
Deer Lodge, MTUSA
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Old Montana Prison was built by inmate labor. This turn-of-the-century fortress was home to at least one member of Butch Cassidy's "Wild Bunch." Guided and self-guided tours lead visitors through the intimidating Cell House and into the chilling slide bar cells and black box of Maximum Security.
Old Prison of Trois-Rivières
Trois-Rivières, Québec
CanadaDesigned by architect François Baillargé, and opened in 1822, the Trois-Rivières was meant to house around forty inmates, but was sometimes packed with more than a hundred. Before closing in 1986, Trois-Rivières’ Old Prison was the oldest functional corrections establishment in Canada and is now a historic monument.
Old Stone Jail Museum (VA)
Goochland, VA
USAThe Old Stone Jail was built in 1833 when the James River & Kanawaha Canal was being built westward along the James River. River stones were brought up the hill to the site and were used in the construction of the jail.
Old Stone Jail Museum
Palmyra, VA
USAOld Stone Jail Museum was built in 1828. In 1963 the gaol was opened as the museum for the permanent collection of Fluvanna historical artifacts.
Palo Pinto Old Jail Museum
Mineral Wells, TX
USAThis site features the old jail and a log cabin located near the courthouse.
Porter County Jail
Valparaiso, IN
USAThis museum boasts a wealth of reference documents, including newspapers from the 1800s, court documents and early photographs. Cells also hold artifacts and antique tools.
Public Gaol
Williamsburg, VA
USABuilt in 1701, this historical brick prison once housed 15 associates of the famous pirate Blackbeard. It also served as a place to house runaway slaves, debtors, spies, deserters, Tories, and traitors during the Revolutionary War. Located in Colonial Williamsburg, today the Gaol is restored to its 1722 appearance.
San Juan Historical Museum
Friday Harbor, WA
USAThe purpose of the San Juan Historical Society and its museum is to share and interpret the story of the people of San Juan Island. The jail was brought to the museum grounds in the 1980's.
San Quentin Prison Museum
San Quentin, CA
USACalifornia established a State Prison system in 1851 in response to increased criminal activity brought on by the sudden influx of men seeking their fortune in the gold fields. As it quickly became overcrowded and escapes common, building began for a permanent facility on Pt. San Quentin in 1852.
Schuyler County Historical Jail Museum
Rushville, IL
USAThis historic jail was built in 1857 from stone. Today it houses a museum where visitors can view period clothing and uniforms, medical implements and more.
Sing Sing Prison Museum
Ossining, NY
USAWhile Eastern State Penitentiary was the model for the Pennsylvania System of imprisonment, which advocated solitary confinement to lead the convict to penitence, Sing Sing prison, its ideological rival, advocated the Auburn system that instituted hard labor during the day with separate cells for prisoners at night. The Sing Sing Prison Museum boasts a host of historical facts about the prison, as well as a facsimile of an electric chair and real weapons confiscated from prisoners.
Squirrel Cage Jail
Council Bluffs, IA
USAOne of three remaining examples of the "Lazy Susan" jails, this three-story brick structure was completed in 1885 and featured a "cage" that rotated to allow jailers a view of all cells from a single vantage point. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Texas Prison Museum
Huntsville, TX
USAThe Texas Prison Museum offers an intriguing glimpse into the lives of the state's least-loved citizens. The museum features numerous exhibits detailing the history of the Texas prison system, both from the point of view of the inmates as well as the men and women who worked within the prison walls.
Wayne County Historical Society Old Jail Museum
Lyons, NY
USAThe Wayne County Old Jail Museum is housed in what was once the Wayne County Jail. From 1854 through 1960, the twenty-four 9' x 4'x7' cells of the jail held the infamous, like convicted murderer William Fee (the only person ever to be executed in the Wayne County Jail) and notorious train robber Oliver Curtis Perry.
West Virginia Penitentiary
Moundsville, WV
USAThe prison at Joliet provided the prototype for the West Virginia Penitentiary. It was an imposing stone structure fashioned in the Gothic architectural style. Only the dimensions of West Virginia's facility would differ; it would be approximately one-half the size of Joliet. The first phase of the West Virginia Penitentiary was completed in 1876 at a total cost of $363,061. After 110 years of use, the West Virginia Supreme Court handed down the decision that the penitentiary was to be closed by July 1992. The prison was closed in 1995 in favor of a modern facility, the Mt. Olive Correctional Center in Fayette County.
Wyoming Frontier Prison
Rawlins, WY
USAWhile outlaws roamed the windswept high plains, canyons and mountains of post Civil War Wyoming, the territorial legislature was planning a state-of-the-art penitentiary at Rawlins in anticipation of statehood. This new Wyoming State Penitentiary, which would serve from 1901 until 1981 would send a strong message to freewheeling desperadoes... Wyoming would no longer be a haven for the lawless!
Wyoming Territorial Prison State Historic Site
Laramie, WY
USAThe cornerstone of the Wyoming Territorial Park is the restored Wyoming Territorial Prison. Built in 1872, it was used as a federal and state penal facility until 1903. The Prison housed the likes of Butch Cassidy and other notorious outlaws of Wyoming territory's wild days.
Yuma Territorial Prison State Historic Park
Yuma, AZ
USAYuma Territorial Prison is a living museum of the Old West. More than 3,000 desperadoes, convicted of crimes ranging from polygamy to murder, were imprisoned in rock and adobe cells here during the prison's 33-year existence between 1876 and 1909. The cells, main gate and guard tower are still standing, providing visitors with a glimpse of convict life in the Southwest a century ago.
