Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site (ESPHS) has been awarded a grant by the Mellon Foundation in the amount of $1,001,000 to support the Philadelphia historic site in its next phase of growth and impact.
For Spring Break 2024, Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site (ESPHS) invites the public to discover the rich and captivating history of sports and other team activities at the historic prison and their enduring societal legacy in prisons today.
Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site (ESPHS) invites learners of all ages to join the third program of its new virtual educational series Justice 101. The free event commemorates Women’s History Month, focusing on women’s rights in prison and taking place on Zoom at 11:00 a.m. E.T. on Monday, March 18, 2024.
Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site (ESPHS) is pleased to announce the inaugural cohort of the Collaboratory for Justice Education. The 37 members selected represent 15 U.S. states and a wide range of educational expertise, all united by a shared passion for justice education.
Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site (ESPHS) invites learners of all ages to join its next monthly installment of the new Justice 101 program, taking place on Zoom on Thursday, February 22 at 2:00 p.m. ET.
Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site (ESPHS) invites learners of all ages to join its inaugural Justice 101 program on Zoom on Friday, January 19 at 12:00 p.m. ET.
Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site (ESPHS) announces the creation of the Collaboratory for Justice Education and seeks applicants to join its inaugural cohort. Embodying the essence of a "collaboratory," the group’s collective efforts will unite a group of educators driven by a shared passion for justice education to develop national learning resources.
Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site (ESPHS) announces Justice 101, a new series by the Center for Justice Education at Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site. Each virtual program examines the history of the justice system in America, from its founding to today, and the impact it has on society, citizens, and the world.
A limited-time exhibition at Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site (Eastern State) will showcase items created and jobs performed by incarcerated individuals during their time at Eastern State. The pop-up museum will run from Saturday, December 23 through Wednesday, January 3.
Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site (Eastern State) will host a special toy giveaway on Thursday, December 21 at 1 p.m. to support families impacted by crime or incarceration. This year marks the 10th annual toy drive but the first that invites families to come to a dedicated giveaway at Eastern State. In previous years, the toys were distributed through various partner organizations.
Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site (Eastern State) celebrated the graduation of its third LEAD (Lived Experience Activating Dialogue) Fellowship cohort in a ceremony at the Federal Courthouse this week.
In partnership with the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and PAR-Recycle Works, Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site will host a reentry simulation on the evening of Tuesday, August 15, 2023.
As a part of its ongoing Searchlight Series, Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site will host a free screening of the PBS Independent Lens documentary “The Command Center to Bring Women Home,” followed by a panel discussion and reception with three women featured in the film, on the evening of Tuesday, July 18, 2023.
The Board of Directors of Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site (ESPHS) announced today that Dr. Kerry Sautner has been selected as the new President and Chief Executive Officer. Dr. Sautner brings a breadth of museum experience to ESPHS, whose mission to interpret the legacy of criminal justice reform is more relevant and critical than ever.
Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site kicks off its 2023 season of Night Tours: Summer Twilight with a chi chi cookoff on the evening of Thursday, May 25, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Three museum staffers with lived experience of incarceration will prepare their personal chi chi recipes to share with visitors that evening.
Eastern State Penitentiary will celebrate this holiday season with its ninth annual toy drive benefitting local children impacted by incarceration. From November 25 through December 21, anyone who donates a toy or children’s book at the historic site will be granted “Buy One, Get One Free” daytime tour admission.
Today, Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site announced that longtime President and CEO Sara Jane “Sally” Elk will retire from her position in the spring.
As a part of Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site’s ongoing Searchlight Series, New York Times architecture critic Michael Kimmelman will lead a conversation addressing the ongoing debate about the ethics of prison architecture. This free event will take place Tuesday, November 15, 6:00 p.m.
As part of a ten-city national tour, The End of Isolation Tour brings its immersive theatrical performance The BOX to Eastern State Penitentiary for two nights only: August 13 and 14, 2022.
Night Tours: Summer Twilight, a new evening program that debuted at Eastern State Penitentiary last spring, returns this year with expanded operating hours: Thursday through Sunday evenings, now through September 4.
Starting May 2, 2022, Eastern State Penitentiary will once again offer daytime tours seven days a week, year-round. The historic site’s popular evening program Night Tours: Summer Twilight will also return this year on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evenings from May 6 to September 4, 2022.
Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site has commissioned San Antonio-based artist Mark Menjivar to create a site-specific installation for its 2022 season. Through a multi-channel sound installation and text panels, the artist will explore the story of David Lee Powell and the musical score that Powell composed while incarcerated on Texas’s death row.
Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site hosts many special events throughout the year. 2022 highlights are outlined below. For a full current schedule, visit www.EasternState.org/events.
Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site has commissioned San Antonio-based artist Mark Menjivar to create a site-specific installation for its 2022 season. Through a multi-channel sound installation and text panels, the artist will explore the story of David Lee Powell and the musical score that Powell composed while incarcerated on Texas’s death row.
Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site will commemorate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with a free, hybrid program on Monday, January 17, 2022 from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m.
Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site brings back its popular Night Tours program, this time celebrating the winter holidays, on select evenings from November 26 through December 30, 2021.
For the first time in more than 18 months, Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site will host The Searchlight Series with a live audience on Tuesday, October 5 from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. The program, presented in partnership with The Incarceration Nations Network (INN), will include a film screening outdoors on the penitentiary’s baseball diamond, followed by a panel discussion.
In honor of National Hospital Week, the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, the Barnes Foundation, Eastern State Penitentiary, the Franklin Institute, the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA), and the Philadelphia Museum of Art jointly announce Free Admission Days for Hospital Workers.
Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site will expand its offerings to visitors, by day and by night, this spring. On May 7, Eastern State will add three new, original artist installations to its growing collection of site-specific art, on view during all public hours.
Philadelphia, PA (February 15, 2021) – Following a temporary closure that began with a City mandate in November 2020 to limit the spread of COVID-19, Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site (ESPHS) will reopen to the public on Friday, March 12. Admission will include expanded offerings such as the prison synagogue and Cellblock 11.
Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site will commemorate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with a free, virtual program on Monday, January 18, 2021 from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Students, educators, artists and activists will read and discuss Dr. King’s landmark text “Letter from Birmingham Jail” and will share music, poetry and art inspired by Dr. King’s legacy.
For the safety of our staff, visitors, members, and volunteers, and in accordance with new restrictions announced yesterday by city government and health officials, the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, the Barnes Foundation, Eastern State Penitentiary, the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, and the Philadelphia Museum of Art jointly commit to temporarily close to the public
In accordance with new restrictions issued by the City of Philadelphia, and in support of efforts to curb the spread of COVID-19 through the community, Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site will close to the public beginning Tuesday, November 17 through January 1, 2021.
Philadelphia, PA (November 10, 2020) – Eastern State Penitentiary celebrates this holiday season with a toy drive benefiting local children impacted by incarceration. From November 27 through December 20, anyone who donates a new, unwrapped toy or children’s book at the historic site will be granted “Buy One, Get One Free” daytime tour admission.
Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site has been awarded a Save America’s Treasures grant in the amount of $498,717 to support preservation of the site, a National Historic Landmark. Repairs to two prisoner-designed cellblocks—the only such spaces in the prison complex—will enable the organization to expand both the footprint and content of its public programs.
Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site announces Night Tours, a self-guided experience featuring an audio tour, exhibits, and large-scale projections throughout the historic prison complex. Night Tours will be available for a limited time only, running select nights from September 18 through November 15, 2020. Tickets will go on sale to the public September 8.
Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site (ESPHS) will reopen to the public on August 14, following a member preview on August 7. In the site’s first phase of reopening, hours of operation will be Friday through Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Philadelphia, PA (June 17, 2020) -- Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site has laid off about 40% of its staff, implemented salary reductions, and made deep cuts to its operating budget as a result of the financial impact of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The organization is also suspending its popular Halloween fundraiser, Terror Behind the Walls, for 2020.
Philadelphia, PA (May 28, 2020) – Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site is the proud recipient of a 2020 American Association for State and Local History (AASLH) History in Progress (HIP) Award and Award of Excellence for its 2019 project, Hidden Lives Illuminated.
Philadelphia, PA (April 24, 2020) – Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site has introduced a slate of new online content including virtual historic tours, livestreamed discussions, and several weekly video series. These program additions bring the mission of Eastern State Penitentiary online while the historic site is temporarily closed due to COVID-19.
Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site will host a special online installment of its program The Searchlight Series this month. On Tuesday, April 7 from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., two nationally renowned experts will discuss the impact of COVID-19 on incarcerated populations, correctional staff, and the criminal justice system.
Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site commemorates Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with three days of free community programs, Saturday, January 18 through Monday, January 20, 2020. The historic prison offers special readings of Dr. King’s 1963 landmark text “Letter from Birmingham Jail” and invites visitors to respond to its relevance in light of recent civil and human rights movements.
Philadelphia, PA (November 7, 2019) – Eastern State Penitentiary celebrates this holiday season with a toy drive benefiting local children impacted by incarceration. From November 29 through December 22, anyone who donates a new, unwrapped toy or children’s book at the historic site will be granted “Buy One, Get One Free” tour admission.
Philadelphia, PA (October 31, 2019) – At a November 14 gathering of friends, supporters, and local dignitaries, Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site will break ground on the first phase of construction of its planned visitor center.
- Presented by: Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site - Supported by: Major support from The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage, with additional support from OCF Coffee House.
Eastern State Penitentiary interprets the legacy of American criminal justice reform, from the nation’s founding through to the present day, within the long-abandoned cellblocks of the nation’s most historic prison.
Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site will debut its latest project, Hidden Lives Illuminated, on August 15, 2019. The series will feature nightly screenings of newly-commissioned, animated short films created by currently-incarcerated artists living in Pennsylvania correctional institutions.
Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site will host three new and 10 returning artist installations in 2019. The projects were chosen for their ability to address Eastern State’s primary themes—including perspectives on the contemporary American criminal justice system and the penitentiary’s fascinating past—with a memorable, thought-provoking approach.
Philadelphia, PA (April 2, 2019) – Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site announces new and updated programming for its 2019 season, kicking off Thursday, May 2, 2019. The historic site welcomes three new site-specific artist installations and unveils a newly restored Al Capone’s Cell exhibit.
Philadelphia, PA (February 27, 2019) – Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site will debut its latest project, Hidden Lives Illuminated, on August 15, 2019. The series will feature nightly screenings of newly-commissioned, animated short films created by currently-incarcerated artists living in Pennsylvania correctional institutions.
Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site commemorates Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with three days of free community programs, Saturday, January 19 through Monday, January 21, 2019. The historic prison offers special readings of Dr.
Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site has been awarded a $500,000 grant from the Art For Justice Fund, a sponsored project of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, to advance its work on criminal justice reform. The grant is a meaningful investment in Eastern State’s long-term vision, which includes a multistage project culminating in the construction of a state-of-the-art visitor center.
Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site welcomes John E. Wetzel, Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections, to its Board of Directors. The appointment reinforces the prison museum’s increasing reputation as a national site hosting dialogue on American criminal justice reform.
This summer we, Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site, will bring Philadelphia its 24th and final Bastille Day celebration with a monumental farewell tour, to be held Saturday, July 14, 2018. As sad as we are to see it go, Bastille Day is extremely resource-intensive, and we have a bold new vision for our organization that requires we make some tough sacrifices.
Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site brings back its popular Prison Food Weekend on Saturday and Sunday, June 2 and 3. On these days, visitors can sample five states’ versions of nutraloaf, the “food product” issued as punishment in many American prisons.
Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site is pleased to announce that artist collective Photo Requests from Solitary will create a new installation for the historic site’s 2018 season. This interactive exhibit will debut Friday, May 4, 2018 and will run through November 30.
Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site will host three new and 10 returning artist installations in 2018. The projects were chosen for their ability to address Eastern State’s primary themes—including perspectives on the contemporary American criminal justice system and the penitentiary’s fascinating past—with a memorable, thought-provoking approach.
Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site commemorates Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with three days of free community programs, Saturday, January 13 through Monday, January 15, 2018. The historic prison offers special readings of Dr.
Philadelphia, PA (August 22, 2017) – Eastern State Penitentiary partners with New Leash on Life USA to present “Family Weekend: Pets in Prison” on Saturday and Sunday, September 23 and 24. The event, designed for kids and adults of all ages, will feature interactive and educational activities all weekend long.
Eastern State Penitentiary is teaming up with The Bearded Ladies, an experimental cabaret troupe, to present the French Revolution in a spectacle of song, dance, and raining Tastykakes for the penitentiary’s annual Bastille Day festival, to be held Saturday, July 15, 2017.
Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site has been awarded a project grant from The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage to produce a series of animated films titled “Hidden Lives, Illuminated,” to debut in fall 2019.
Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site brings back its popular Prison Food Weekend on Saturday and Sunday, June 3 and 4. On these days visitors can sample two states’ versions of nutraloaf, the “food product” issued as punishment in many American prisons.
Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site has won First Place in the prestigious Excellence in Exhibitions awards presented by the American Alliance of Museums (AAM). The award goes to Eastern State’s new exhibit Prisons Today: Questions in the Age of Mass Incarceration.
Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site kicks off its 2017 season on Friday, May 5 with the first-ever public tours of Cellblock 3, also called the Hospital Block. Visitors have long wished to explore this space, but its severe deterioration has made touring the hospital impossible – until now.
Eastern State Penitentiary is open for tours every day, 12 months a year. All daytime programming (“The Voices of Eastern State” Audio Tour, Hands-On History, artist installations, and exhibits) is included in one admission price.
Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site hosts many special events throughout the year. 2017 highlights are outlined below. For a full schedule, visit www.EasternState.org/events.
The Searchlight Series
First Tuesday of Every Month, 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Free
Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site will host three new and 11 returning artist installations in 2017. The projects were chosen for their ability to address Eastern State’s primary themes—including perspectives on the contemporary American criminal justice system and the penitentiary’s fascinating past—with a memorable, thought-provoking approach.
As the United States transitions into a new presidential administration, we continue to urge policymakers to study recent criminal justice successes when developing federal policy.
