Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site is open to visitors year-round. Below you’ll find the latest information regarding our hours of operation, including any notices regarding unexpected closures or delays. All hours of operation are subject to change.
Current Hours of Operation
Open daily, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Seasonal & Holiday Schedule
- January – February: Open Wednesday – Monday, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Closed Tuesdays.
- March – November: Open Daily, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
- December 1 – 22: Open Wednesday – Monday, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Closed Tuesdays.
- December 23 – 31: Open Daily, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
The historic site is closed on New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day.
Special Event Hours
Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site also operates select evening events throughout the year:
Halloween Nights
Select evenings, October through November. Dates to be announced in late summer.
LEARN MOREPlanning a visit to Eastern State?
Explore, visit, and gain perspective as you walk the preserved historic grounds—plus get details on what to bring, where to go, and how to make the most of your visit
Know Before You GoUpcoming Historic Site Events
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A Time for Liberty: Our Shared History, Our Shared Future
Monday, May 25 - Thursday, December 31, 2026
A yearlong slate of free, inclusive programs exploring the evolving meanings of liberty and justice in America.
Halloween Nights
Friday, October 02, 2026
All Day
Select nights, October 2 through November 7. Step inside Eastern State's massive front gate and into a Halloween festival of epic proportions — featuring five thrilling haunted houses plus historic tours, themed bars, live entertainment, and more — all inside the massive, abandoned complex of a real, ten-acre prison.
Firstival: Free Admission All Day!
Saturday, October 03, 2026
11:00am - 2:00pm
As part of a yearlong celebration of national firsts across Philadelphia, join us for a family-friendly event exploring the history and legacy of America’s first penitentiary. Enjoy free admission to Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site. Reflect on the ever-evolving meanings of justice and freedom with live music by Orchestra 2001, a spoken word performance by 2026/2027 Philadelphia Poet Laureate Raina J. León, make-and-take art with artist-in-residence Cody Stuhltrager, and a community fair.
Halloween Nights: Pride Night
Thursday, October 08, 2026
All Day
Pride Night is back for the 2026 season! Your Pride Night ticket gets you access to all general admission attractions PLUS Express Entry into the festival and access to The Speakeasy At Al Capone's Cell along with a complimentary beer, wine, cider, or soft drink.
The Aaron Reichlin Restorative Justice and Faith Conversations
Tuesday, October 13 - Thursday, December 31, 2026
Made possible in part by a generous grant from The Reichlin and Tuck Families, this series brings together scholarship, performance, and dialogue to examine how faith traditions foster community, sustain people through and after incarceration, and inform conversations about reentry and justice reform.
Hidden History: Behind the Scenes of Halloween Nights
Wednesday, October 21, 2026
6:30pm - 7:30pm
Private event. An exclusive evening that unlocks the hidden history of our landmark site and takes you behind the curtain of Halloween Nights.
Masonry Academy Graduation
Friday, October 30, 2026
All Day
Private event. The Eastern State Center for Justice Education invites family, friends, and program partners to celebrate the graduation of the Preservation Trades Center's Masonry Academy.
Winter Festival of Independence and Natural Rights
Sunday, November 01, 2026
All Day
Details to come, check back for updates.
Veterans Day
Saturday, November 07, 2026
All Day
Spend your Veterans Day Weekend learning more about veterans and the criminal justice system through limited-time, family-friendly programs including a veterans and wartime pop-up exhibit, World War I at Eastern State pop-up talk, and video screening about veterans and the justice system today.
New Exhibit Opening!
Friday, November 20, 2026
All Day
Details to come, check back for updates.
Closed for Thanksgiving
Thursday, November 26, 2026
All Day
Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site is closed for Thanksgiving. We resume normal hours on Friday.
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Thanksgiving Weekend: The Power of Play: Sports and Belonging
Friday, November 27, 2026
All Day
Learn more about the power of sports in fostering a sense of belonging throughout the penitentiary's history and in correctional facilities today.
RockyFest - 50th Anniversary!
Thursday, December 03, 2026
All Day
Celebrate the anniversary of Philadelphia’s most iconic film franchise with a city-wide series of events, including special programming at ESPHS highlighting the history of boxing in prison.
Shared Light: Winter Celebrations
Sunday, December 20, 2026
All Day
This holiday season, learn how people at Eastern State Penitentiary marked winter celebrations like Hanukkah, Christmas, and New Year’s Day—finding moments of light, connection, and meaning within the confines of prison life. Plus, reflect on how people observe holidays while incarcerated in prisons today. Enjoy limited-time, family-friendly programming like card making, story sharing, a scavenger hunt, and special guide-led tours.
Closed for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day
Thursday, December 24, 2026
All Day
Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site is closed December 24 and 25. We resume normal hours on December 26.