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, September through November. Dates to be announced soon.
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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Democracy for All Week: Freedom of Expression
Wednesday, September 17 - Sunday, September 21, 2025
This Constitution Day—and all week long—we celebrate and reflect on the role of the First Amendment in American prisons and jails. Join us for a full week of special programming exploring prison journalism, art, and free expression for those who are not free.
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Mini Tour: Making Headlines
Wednesday, September 17, 2025
10:35am - 4:35pm
Daily. 35 minutes past each hour. Explore the powerful intersection of journalism, incarceration, and censorship—past and present. Through discussion, storytelling, and exploration of archival materials, this program examines the role of imprisoned writers and the ongoing struggle for freedom of expression in prisons and jails. Reflect on who gets to speak, what stories are told, and how resistance takes shape through words.
Drop-In Writing and Art-Making Activities
Wednesday, September 17, 2025
11:00am - 4:30pm
Daily. Available between 11:00 am and 4:30 pm. Inspired by prison newspapers and the power of self-expression, these hands-on activities invite you to explore, reflect, and create. All materials provided—just bring your imagination!
Public Tour with Artist Talk
Friday, September 19, 2025
12:00pm - 1:00pm
Subject to availability. Purchase timed tickets online to secure your spot. Join us for a special iteration of our Guide-Led Tour & Discussion featuring a Q&A with artist Mark Loughney.
Public Portrait Session with Mark Loughney
Friday, September 19, 2025
1:00pm - 4:00pm
Visitors are invited to sit for a portrait with artist Mark Loughney. The portraits will be included in the next phase of his art installation "Pyrrhic Defeat: A Visual Study of Mass Incarceration," which is now on view at the historic site.
Halloween Nights
Friday, September 19 - Saturday, November 08, 2025
Select nights, September 19 through November 8. 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.
CollegeFest 2025
Sunday, September 21, 2025
11:00am - 3:00pm
Free daytime admission* for Campus Philly CollegeFest registrants. *Please note, a $1 service fee applies to each ticket. Timed tickets required. Students, sign up for CollegeFest and enjoy free daytime admission to Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site!
Jewish History Self-Guided Tour
Monday, September 22, 2025
All Day
In honor of the Jewish High Holidays of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, join us to explore the rich and often overlooked stories of Jewish prisoners and the community connected to Eastern State Penitentiary through a self-guided tour.
September 2025: ASL Guide-Led Tour and Discussion
Saturday, September 27, 2025
11:00am - 11:45am
Subject to availability. Purchase tickets online to secure your spot. An Eastern State educator leads a Guide-Led Tour and Discussion in partnership with an ASL (American Sign Language) interpreter from Hands UP Productions.
DesignPhiladelphia Festival: Rebranding Eastern State
Tuesday, October 07, 2025
2:00pm - 4:00pm
Private event for DesignPhiladelphia.
Indigenous People’s Weekend
Friday, October 10, 2025
All Day
This weekend, our Guide-Led Tour and Discussion will include additional content exploring the impact of the criminal justice system on Indigenous people throughout the United States.
Hidden History at Eastern State
Sunday, October 19 - Wednesday, October 22, 2025
Step inside the cellblocks and corridors that most visitors never see. With Hidden History at Eastern State, you’ll be guided through behind-the-scenes spaces and uncover powerful stories that shaped this National Historic Landmark.
Hidden History: Behind the Scenes of Halloween Nights
Sunday, October 19, 2025
5:30pm - 7:00pm
Public event. Go behind the scenes to see how Eastern State transforms into Halloween Nights, then enjoy a private Speakeasy reception followed by VIP access to the festival.
Hidden History: Behind the Scenes of Halloween Nights
Wednesday, October 22, 2025
6:30pm - 7:30pm
Private event
Mobile Museum and Guide-Led Tour: Roots and Realities of Solitary Confinement
Saturday, October 25, 2025
9:00am - 3:00pm
The Mobile Museum is free. The Guide-Led Tour is included with admission. Reflect on Eastern State Penitentiary’s legacy as the birthplace of solitary confinement in America and examine its use in prisons today. Join guided tours exploring the prison’s early history, then engage with the Journey to Justice Bus tour.
October 2025: ASL Guide-Led Tour and Discussion
Sunday, October 26, 2025
11:00am - 11:45am
Subject to availability. Purchase tickets online to secure your spot. An Eastern State educator leads a Guide-Led Tour and Discussion in partnership with an ASL (American Sign Language) interpreter from Hands UP Productions.
Fall Festival
Sunday, October 26, 2025
3:00pm - 5:00pm
Free for kids in costume and their caregivers. No reservations necessary. Join us for some fall-themed family fun: trick-or-treating, scavenger hunt, story time, hands-on activities, art making, music, and more!
Pop-Up Talks: World War I at Eastern State Penitentiary
Friday, November 07, 2025
All Day
Take a 10-minute guided tour to learn about the 120 people incarcerated at Eastern State who went on to serve in the military, plus the thousands of others who contributed to war efforts on the home front.
Pop-Up Exhibit: Veterans and Wartime at Eastern State Penitentiary
Friday, November 07, 2025
All Day
View a special pop-up exhibit featuring photos, documents, and artifacts that tell the story of veterans and wartime at Eastern State Penitentiary.
Veterans Day
Friday, November 07 - Tuesday, November 11, 2025
Spend Veterans' Day Weekend at Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site! Learn more about veterans and the criminal justice system by engaging in a variety of special programs.
November 2025: ASL Guide-Led Tour and Discussion
Saturday, November 08, 2025
11:00am - 11:45am
Subject to availability. Purchase tickets online to secure your spot. An Eastern State educator leads a Guide-Led Tour and Discussion in partnership with an ASL (American Sign Language) interpreter from Hands UP Productions.
Young Friends of the Preservation Alliance Event: In with the Old
Tuesday, November 11, 2025
6:00pm - 9:00pm
Private event for the Young Friends of the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia
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Reentry Simulation
Wednesday, November 19, 2025
11:00am - 12:30pm
Private event for School District of Philadelphia student groups
Closed for Thanksgiving
Thursday, November 27, 2025
All Day
Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site is closed for Thanksgiving. We resume normal hours on Friday.
Sports and Recreation Scavenger Hunt
Friday, November 28, 2025
All Day
Complete this sports-themed scavenger hunt to receive an exclusive sticker prize!
Thanksgiving Weekend: The Power of Play: Sports and Belonging
Friday, November 28 - Sunday, November 30, 2025
Learn more about the power of sports in fostering a sense of belonging throughout the penitentiary's history and in correctional facilities today. Programs include a scavenger hunt, mini tour, trivia, wiffle ball activity, and more, all included with standard admission.
Mini Tour: Race, Baseball, & The Legend of Charles "Jack" Blackburn
Friday, November 28, 2025
All Day
Hear the fascinating story of a renowned boxing champion turned Eastern State Penitentiary baseball player.
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Baseball Pop-Up Talks & Home Run Hits
Friday, November 28, 2025
All Day
Learn about baseball in prison, then step up to the "plate" and see how far you can hit a wiffle ball toward Eastern State's tall perimeter wall.
Sports & Recreation Trivia
Friday, November 28, 2025
All Day
Test your knowledge about sports in prison. Prizes will be awarded.
Sports & Recreation Guide-Led Tour
Friday, November 28, 2025
All Day
Our guide-led tour will include additional content about sports and recreation.
RockyFest
Wednesday, December 03, 2025
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.
Redemption Songs: Stories, Music, and the Struggle for Justice
Thursday, December 18, 2025
6:00pm - 8:00pm
Join us for musical performance, storytelling, and Jewish ritual to rededicate our synagogue.
Winter Celebrations Hands-On Activities
Saturday, December 20, 2025
All Day
Drop-in hands-on activities inspired by winter celebrations. All materials provided—just bring your creativity!
Winter Celebrations Guide-Led Tour & Discussion
Saturday, December 20, 2025
All Day
Our guide-led tour will include additional content about winter celebrations at Eastern State Penitentiary and in prisons today.
NEW Mini-Tour: Sacred Spaces in Unlikely Places
Saturday, December 20, 2025
All Day
Join an Educator for a 10-minute exploration of the history and significance of our synagogue.
Winter Celebrations Scavenger Hunt
Saturday, December 20, 2025
All Day
Complete this winter celebrations scavenger hunt to receive an exclusive sticker prize.
Shared Light: Winter Celebrations at Eastern State
Saturday, December 20 - Wednesday, December 31, 2025
Through historical accounts, guided tours, and hands-on activities, learn how people at Eastern State Penitentiary marked holidays like Hanukkah, Christmas, and New Year’s Day—finding moments of light, connection, and meaning within the confines of prison life.
Closed for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day
Wednesday, December 24, 2025
All Day
Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site is closed December 24 and 25. We resume normal hours on December 26.
December 2025: ASL Guide-Led Tour and Discussion
Saturday, December 27, 2025
11:00am - 11:45am
Subject to availability. Purchase tickets online to secure your spot. An Eastern State educator leads a Guide-Led Tour and Discussion in partnership with an ASL (American Sign Language) interpreter from Hands UP Productions.
Closed for New Year's Day
Thursday, January 01, 2026
All Day
Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site is closed January 1. We resume normal hours on January 2. Happy New Year!
Spring Break: Escape and Resistance
Friday, March 27, 2026
All Day
Uncover real accounts of daring escape attempts, test your problem-solving skills in a hands-on challenge, and step back in time to the era of Prohibition through immersive storytelling, live-action challenges, and history reimagined.
Memorial Day Weekend Preservation Fest
Friday, May 22, 2026
All Day
Program details to be announced. Whether you're a history buff, preservation enthusiast, or looking for a meaningful way to honor those who served and sacrificed, Eastern State offers a unique blend of education and remembrance.
Freedom Summer 2026
Thursday, June 11 - Sunday, July 19, 2026
Details to be confirmed—please check back for updates.