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Public Tour with Artist Talk
Sunday, August 17, 2025
11:00am - 12:00pm
Included with admission, 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
Sunday, August 17, 2025
12:00pm - 4:00pm
From 12 pm – 4 pm, visitors are welcome to sit for a portrait drawn by Mark Loughney, artist of "Pyrrhic Defeat: A Visual Study of Mass Incarceration."
August 2025: ASL Guide-Led Tour and Discussion
Saturday, August 30, 2025
11:00am - 11:45am
Included with admission, 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.
Public Tour with Artist Talk
Friday, September 19, 2025
12:00pm - 1:00pm
Included with admission, 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 - 5:00pm
From 1 pm – 5 pm, visitors are welcome to sit for a portrait drawn by Mark Loughney, artist of "Pyrrhic Defeat: A Visual Study of Mass Incarceration."
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.
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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!
September 2025: ASL Guide-Led Tour and Discussion
Saturday, September 27, 2025
11:00am - 11:45am
Included with admission, 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.
October 2025: ASL Guide-Led Tour and Discussion
Sunday, October 26, 2025
11:00am - 11:45am
Included with admission, 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.
November 2025: ASL Guide-Led Tour and Discussion
Saturday, November 08, 2025
11:00am - 11:45am
Included with admission, 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.
In-Person Scout Day: Architecture
Saturday, November 15, 2025
10:30am - 4:00pm
$21 per person. Advance registration required. Eastern State invites members of Scouting America, Girl Scouts of the USA, and all youth to join us for In-Person Scout Day: Architecture. Led by our engaging staff, learn more about Eastern State Penitentiary's history, the building's unique design, the ethics of prison architecture, and careers in architecture and historic preservation.
Virtual Scout Day: Architecture
Sunday, December 07, 2025
11:00am - 2:15pm
$17 per participant. Online via Zoom. Advance registration required. Eastern State invites members of Scouting America, Girl Scouts of the USA, and all youth to join us for Virtual Scout Day: Architecture. Led by our engaging staff, learn more about Eastern State Penitentiary's history, the building's unique design, the ethics of prison architecture, and careers in architecture and historic preservation.
December 2025: ASL Guide-Led Tour and Discussion
Saturday, December 27, 2025
11:00am - 11:45am
Included with admission, 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.
Public Tour with Artist Talk
Sunday, August 17, 2025 - Sunday, August 17, 2025
Included with admission, 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
Sunday, August 17, 2025 - Sunday, August 17, 2025
From 12 pm – 4 pm, visitors are welcome to sit for a portrait drawn by Mark Loughney, artist of "Pyrrhic Defeat: A Visual Study of Mass Incarceration."
August 2025: ASL Guide-Led Tour and Discussion
Saturday, August 30, 2025 - Saturday, August 30, 2025
Included with admission, 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.
Public Tour with Artist Talk
Friday, September 19, 2025 - Friday, September 19, 2025
Included with admission, 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 - Friday, September 19, 2025
From 1 pm – 5 pm, visitors are welcome to sit for a portrait drawn by Mark Loughney, artist of "Pyrrhic Defeat: A Visual Study of Mass Incarceration."
Halloween Nights
Friday, September 19, 2025 - 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 - Sunday, September 21, 2025
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!
September 2025: ASL Guide-Led Tour and Discussion
Saturday, September 27, 2025 - Saturday, September 27, 2025
Included with admission, 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.
October 2025: ASL Guide-Led Tour and Discussion
Sunday, October 26, 2025 - Sunday, October 26, 2025
Included with admission, 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.
November 2025: ASL Guide-Led Tour and Discussion
Saturday, November 08, 2025 - Saturday, November 08, 2025
Included with admission, 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.
In-Person Scout Day: Architecture
Saturday, November 15, 2025 - Saturday, November 15, 2025
$21 per person. Advance registration required. Eastern State invites members of Scouting America, Girl Scouts of the USA, and all youth to join us for In-Person Scout Day: Architecture. Led by our engaging staff, learn more about Eastern State Penitentiary's history, the building's unique design, the ethics of prison architecture, and careers in architecture and historic preservation.
Virtual Scout Day: Architecture
Sunday, December 07, 2025 - Sunday, December 07, 2025
$17 per participant. Online via Zoom. Advance registration required. Eastern State invites members of Scouting America, Girl Scouts of the USA, and all youth to join us for Virtual Scout Day: Architecture. Led by our engaging staff, learn more about Eastern State Penitentiary's history, the building's unique design, the ethics of prison architecture, and careers in architecture and historic preservation.
December 2025: ASL Guide-Led Tour and Discussion
Saturday, December 27, 2025 - Saturday, December 27, 2025
Included with admission, 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.
In-Person Events at Eastern State
Public Tour with Artist Talk
Sunday, August 17, 2025
11:00am - 12:00pm
Included with admission, 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
Sunday, August 17, 2025
12:00pm - 4:00pm
From 12 pm – 4 pm, visitors are welcome to sit for a portrait drawn by Mark Loughney, artist of "Pyrrhic Defeat: A Visual Study of Mass Incarceration."
August 2025: ASL Guide-Led Tour and Discussion
Saturday, August 30, 2025
11:00am - 11:45am
Included with admission, 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.
Public Tour with Artist Talk
Friday, September 19, 2025
12:00pm - 1:00pm
Included with admission, 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 - 5:00pm
From 1 pm – 5 pm, visitors are welcome to sit for a portrait drawn by Mark Loughney, artist of "Pyrrhic Defeat: A Visual Study of Mass Incarceration."
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!
September 2025: ASL Guide-Led Tour and Discussion
Saturday, September 27, 2025
11:00am - 11:45am
Included with admission, 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.
October 2025: ASL Guide-Led Tour and Discussion
Sunday, October 26, 2025
11:00am - 11:45am
Included with admission, 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.
November 2025: ASL Guide-Led Tour and Discussion
Saturday, November 08, 2025
11:00am - 11:45am
Included with admission, 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.
In-Person Scout Day: Architecture
Saturday, November 15, 2025
10:30am - 4:00pm
$21 per person. Advance registration required. Eastern State invites members of Scouting America, Girl Scouts of the USA, and all youth to join us for In-Person Scout Day: Architecture. Led by our engaging staff, learn more about Eastern State Penitentiary's history, the building's unique design, the ethics of prison architecture, and careers in architecture and historic preservation.
December 2025: ASL Guide-Led Tour and Discussion
Saturday, December 27, 2025
11:00am - 11:45am
Included with admission, 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.
Public Tour with Artist Talk
Sunday, August 17, 2025 - Sunday, August 17, 2025
Included with admission, 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
Sunday, August 17, 2025 - Sunday, August 17, 2025
From 12 pm – 4 pm, visitors are welcome to sit for a portrait drawn by Mark Loughney, artist of "Pyrrhic Defeat: A Visual Study of Mass Incarceration."
August 2025: ASL Guide-Led Tour and Discussion
Saturday, August 30, 2025 - Saturday, August 30, 2025
Included with admission, 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.
Public Tour with Artist Talk
Friday, September 19, 2025 - Friday, September 19, 2025
Included with admission, 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 - Friday, September 19, 2025
From 1 pm – 5 pm, visitors are welcome to sit for a portrait drawn by Mark Loughney, artist of "Pyrrhic Defeat: A Visual Study of Mass Incarceration."
Halloween Nights
Friday, September 19, 2025 - 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 - Sunday, September 21, 2025
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!
September 2025: ASL Guide-Led Tour and Discussion
Saturday, September 27, 2025 - Saturday, September 27, 2025
Included with admission, 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.
October 2025: ASL Guide-Led Tour and Discussion
Sunday, October 26, 2025 - Sunday, October 26, 2025
Included with admission, 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.
November 2025: ASL Guide-Led Tour and Discussion
Saturday, November 08, 2025 - Saturday, November 08, 2025
Included with admission, 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.
In-Person Scout Day: Architecture
Saturday, November 15, 2025 - Saturday, November 15, 2025
$21 per person. Advance registration required. Eastern State invites members of Scouting America, Girl Scouts of the USA, and all youth to join us for In-Person Scout Day: Architecture. Led by our engaging staff, learn more about Eastern State Penitentiary's history, the building's unique design, the ethics of prison architecture, and careers in architecture and historic preservation.
December 2025: ASL Guide-Led Tour and Discussion
Saturday, December 27, 2025 - Saturday, December 27, 2025
Included with admission, 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.
Past Events
July 2025: ASL Guide-Led Tour and Discussion
Saturday, July 26, 2025
11:00am - 11:45am
Included with admission, 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.
Public Portrait Session with Mark Loughney
Saturday, July 05, 2025
1:00pm - 4:00pm
From 12 pm – 4 pm, visitors are welcome to sit for a portrait drawn by Mark Loughney, artist of "Pyrrhic Defeat: A Visual Study of Mass Incarceration."
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Wednesday Nights: Field Day
Wednesday, July 02, 2025
5:30pm - 9:30pm
$17 online in advance, $20 at the door (subject to availability). Discover the rich and captivating history of sports and other team activities in prisons, past and present. Join in light-hearted, interactive, and fun and activities—inspired by games and sports played at Eastern State Penitentiary.
Wawa Welcome America: Pay-What-You-Wish Museum Night
Monday, June 30, 2025
5:30pm - 9:30pm
Pay what you wish. A $1 service fee applies to each Pay-What-You-Wish Ticket. Advance reservations strongly recommended. As part of this year's Wawa Welcome America festival, enjoy an exclusive, pay-what-you-wish evening of Wednesday Nights at Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site. Join us for a fun and meaningful night out—combining history, culture, and entertainment in a one-of-a-kind setting.
Public Portrait Session with Mark Loughney
Saturday, June 28, 2025
12:00pm - 1:00pm
From 12 pm – 4 pm, visitors are welcome to sit for a portrait drawn by Mark Loughney, artist of "Pyrrhic Defeat: A Visual Study of Mass Incarceration."
June 2025: ASL Guide-Led Tour and Discussion
Saturday, June 28, 2025
11:00am - 11:45am
Included with admission, 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.
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Wednesday Nights: Reentry Simulation
Wednesday, June 25, 2025
5:30pm - 9:30pm
$17 online in advance, $20 at the door (subject to availability). Reflect on some of the many structural challenges people face when returning home from prison through a hands-on learning experience.
Public Portrait Session with Mark Loughney
Saturday, June 21, 2025
12:00pm - 1:00pm
From 12 pm – 4 pm, visitors are welcome to sit for a portrait drawn by Mark Loughney, artist of "Pyrrhic Defeat: A Visual Study of Mass Incarceration."
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Juneteenth Celebration
Thursday, June 19, 2025
10:45am - 2:30pm
Free livestream online, paid admission in person. Join us at Eastern State Penitentiary this Juneteenth for a meaningful day of reflection, learning, and community connection. Portions of the event will be livestreamed.
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Wednesday Nights: Justice & Journalism
Wednesday, June 18, 2025
5:30pm - 9:30pm
$17 online in advance, $20 at the door (subject to availability). Uncover the role of investigative journalism in shaping our understanding of the criminal justice system through live storytelling, panel discussions, and interactive exhibits.
Public Portrait Session with Mark Loughney
Saturday, June 14, 2025
12:00pm - 1:00pm
From 12 pm – 4 pm, visitors are welcome to sit for a portrait drawn by Mark Loughney, artist of "Pyrrhic Defeat: A Visual Study of Mass Incarceration."
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Wednesday Nights: Escape & Resistance
Wednesday, June 11, 2025
5:30pm - 9:30pm
$17 online in advance, $20 at the door (subject to availability). Experience an evening of immersive storytelling, live-action challenges, and history reimagined. As the sun sets over the historic site’s towering walls, 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.
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Public Tour with Artist Talk
Wednesday, June 11, 2025
11:00am - 12:00pm
Included with admission, 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
Saturday, June 07, 2025
12:00pm - 1:00pm
From 12 pm – 4 pm, visitors are welcome to sit for a portrait drawn by Mark Loughney, artist of "Pyrrhic Defeat: A Visual Study of Mass Incarceration."
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Wednesday Nights: Behind Bars & On the Big Screen
Wednesday, June 04, 2025
5:30pm - 9:30pm
$17 online in advance, $20 at the door (subject to availability). Explore the surprising intersection of cinema and incarceration in the early 20th century. Step into this little-known history through film screenings, engaging discussions, and more. Consider how film has long influenced and reflected ideas about imprisonment, rehabilitation, and social change.
In-Person Scout Day: Architecture
Sunday, June 01, 2025
10:00am - 4:30pm
$21 per person. Advance registration required. Eastern State invites members of Scouting America, Girl Scouts of the USA, and all youth to join us for In-Person Scout Day: Architecture. Led by our engaging staff, learn more about Eastern State Penitentiary's history, the building's unique design, the ethics of prison architecture, and careers in architecture and historic preservation.
Public Portrait Session with Mark Loughney
Saturday, May 31, 2025
12:00pm - 1:00pm
From 12 pm – 4 pm, visitors are welcome to sit for a portrait drawn by Mark Loughney, artist of "Pyrrhic Defeat: A Visual Study of Mass Incarceration."
Public Tour with Artist Talk
Saturday, May 31, 2025
11:00am - 12:00pm
Included with admission, 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.
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Wednesday Nights: Music & Open Mic
Wednesday, May 28, 2025
5:30pm - 9:30pm
$17 online in advance, $20 at the door (subject to availability). Share your talents and gather in community. A stage set up in the center of the historic site will feature local musicians, spoken word artists, and storytellers sharing narratives related to justice, freedom, and resilience. Plus, sign up for an open-mic slot to add your voice to the evening.
May 2025: ASL Guide-Led Tour and Discussion
Sunday, May 25, 2025
11:00am - 11:45am
Included with admission, 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.
Public Portrait Session with Mark Loughney
Saturday, May 24, 2025
12:00pm - 1:00pm
From 12 pm – 4 pm, visitors are welcome to sit for a portrait drawn by Mark Loughney, artist of "Pyrrhic Defeat: A Visual Study of Mass Incarceration."
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Memorial Day Weekend 2025
Friday, May 23, 2025
1:10pm - 1:10pm
Join us at Eastern State Penitentiary (ESPHS) from Friday, May 23 through Monday, May 26, as we commemorate Memorial Day and the ways we remember the history of Eastern State.
Wednesday Nights
Wednesday, May 07 - Wednesday, July 02, 2025
Wednesday evenings, May 7 to July 2. $17 online in advance, $20 at the door. Enjoy immersive experiences, interactive events, and exclusive behind-the-scenes access to one of Philadelphia’s most unique landmarks. With a different theme each week, Wednesday Nights provide a fun and meaningful night out—combining history, culture, and entertainment in a one-of-a-kind setting.
Pop Up Talk: Chess in Prison
Wednesday, April 30, 2025
All Day
Join us in the central rotunda of the penitentiary to learn about chess in prisons. This pastime was very popular at Eastern State. The Eastern State Penitentiary Chess team was an...
Sports & Recreation Trivia
Saturday, April 19, 2025
2:00pm - 6:00pm
Join us in the central rotunda of the penitentiary for trivia to test your knowledge about sports in prison. Prizes will be awarded.
April 2025: ASL Guide-Led Tour and Discussion
Saturday, April 19, 2025
11:00am - 11:45am
Included with admission, 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...
Spring Break: Sports & Recreation
Friday, April 11 - Sunday, April 20, 2025
Sports and recreation played a crucial role in enhancing prisoners' daily lives at Eastern State Penitentiary by easing tensions, boosting morale, and fostering camaraderie among teammates.
July 2025: ASL Guide-Led Tour and Discussion
Saturday, July 26, 2025 - Saturday, July 26, 2025
Included with admission, 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.
Public Portrait Session with Mark Loughney
Saturday, July 05, 2025 - Saturday, July 05, 2025
From 12 pm – 4 pm, visitors are welcome to sit for a portrait drawn by Mark Loughney, artist of "Pyrrhic Defeat: A Visual Study of Mass Incarceration."
Wednesday Nights: Field Day
Wednesday, July 02, 2025 - Wednesday, July 02, 2025
$17 online in advance, $20 at the door (subject to availability). Discover the rich and captivating history of sports and other team activities in prisons, past and present. Join in light-hearted, interactive, and fun and activities—inspired by games and sports played at Eastern State Penitentiary.
Wawa Welcome America: Pay-What-You-Wish Museum Night
Monday, June 30, 2025 - Monday, June 30, 2025
Pay what you wish. A $1 service fee applies to each Pay-What-You-Wish Ticket. Advance reservations strongly recommended. As part of this year's Wawa Welcome America festival, enjoy an exclusive, pay-what-you-wish evening of Wednesday Nights at Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site. Join us for a fun and meaningful night out—combining history, culture, and entertainment in a one-of-a-kind setting.
Public Portrait Session with Mark Loughney
Saturday, June 28, 2025 - Saturday, June 28, 2025
From 12 pm – 4 pm, visitors are welcome to sit for a portrait drawn by Mark Loughney, artist of "Pyrrhic Defeat: A Visual Study of Mass Incarceration."
June 2025: ASL Guide-Led Tour and Discussion
Saturday, June 28, 2025 - Saturday, June 28, 2025
Included with admission, 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.
Wednesday Nights: Reentry Simulation
Wednesday, June 25, 2025 - Wednesday, June 25, 2025
$17 online in advance, $20 at the door (subject to availability). Reflect on some of the many structural challenges people face when returning home from prison through a hands-on learning experience.
Public Portrait Session with Mark Loughney
Saturday, June 21, 2025 - Saturday, June 21, 2025
From 12 pm – 4 pm, visitors are welcome to sit for a portrait drawn by Mark Loughney, artist of "Pyrrhic Defeat: A Visual Study of Mass Incarceration."
Juneteenth Celebration
Thursday, June 19, 2025 - Thursday, June 19, 2025
Free livestream online, paid admission in person. Join us at Eastern State Penitentiary this Juneteenth for a meaningful day of reflection, learning, and community connection. Portions of the event will be livestreamed.
Wednesday Nights: Justice & Journalism
Wednesday, June 18, 2025 - Wednesday, June 18, 2025
$17 online in advance, $20 at the door (subject to availability). Uncover the role of investigative journalism in shaping our understanding of the criminal justice system through live storytelling, panel discussions, and interactive exhibits.
Public Portrait Session with Mark Loughney
Saturday, June 14, 2025 - Saturday, June 14, 2025
From 12 pm – 4 pm, visitors are welcome to sit for a portrait drawn by Mark Loughney, artist of "Pyrrhic Defeat: A Visual Study of Mass Incarceration."
Wednesday Nights: Escape & Resistance
Wednesday, June 11, 2025 - Wednesday, June 11, 2025
$17 online in advance, $20 at the door (subject to availability). Experience an evening of immersive storytelling, live-action challenges, and history reimagined. As the sun sets over the historic site’s towering walls, 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.
Public Tour with Artist Talk
Wednesday, June 11, 2025 - Wednesday, June 11, 2025
Included with admission, 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
Saturday, June 07, 2025 - Saturday, June 07, 2025
From 12 pm – 4 pm, visitors are welcome to sit for a portrait drawn by Mark Loughney, artist of "Pyrrhic Defeat: A Visual Study of Mass Incarceration."
Wednesday Nights: Behind Bars & On the Big Screen
Wednesday, June 04, 2025 - Wednesday, June 04, 2025
$17 online in advance, $20 at the door (subject to availability). Explore the surprising intersection of cinema and incarceration in the early 20th century. Step into this little-known history through film screenings, engaging discussions, and more. Consider how film has long influenced and reflected ideas about imprisonment, rehabilitation, and social change.
In-Person Scout Day: Architecture
Sunday, June 01, 2025 - Sunday, June 01, 2025
$21 per person. Advance registration required. Eastern State invites members of Scouting America, Girl Scouts of the USA, and all youth to join us for In-Person Scout Day: Architecture. Led by our engaging staff, learn more about Eastern State Penitentiary's history, the building's unique design, the ethics of prison architecture, and careers in architecture and historic preservation.
Public Portrait Session with Mark Loughney
Saturday, May 31, 2025 - Saturday, May 31, 2025
From 12 pm – 4 pm, visitors are welcome to sit for a portrait drawn by Mark Loughney, artist of "Pyrrhic Defeat: A Visual Study of Mass Incarceration."
Public Tour with Artist Talk
Saturday, May 31, 2025 - Saturday, May 31, 2025
Included with admission, 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.
Wednesday Nights: Music & Open Mic
Wednesday, May 28, 2025 - Wednesday, May 28, 2025
$17 online in advance, $20 at the door (subject to availability). Share your talents and gather in community. A stage set up in the center of the historic site will feature local musicians, spoken word artists, and storytellers sharing narratives related to justice, freedom, and resilience. Plus, sign up for an open-mic slot to add your voice to the evening.
May 2025: ASL Guide-Led Tour and Discussion
Sunday, May 25, 2025 - Sunday, May 25, 2025
Included with admission, 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.
Public Portrait Session with Mark Loughney
Saturday, May 24, 2025 - Saturday, May 24, 2025
From 12 pm – 4 pm, visitors are welcome to sit for a portrait drawn by Mark Loughney, artist of "Pyrrhic Defeat: A Visual Study of Mass Incarceration."
Memorial Day Weekend 2025
Friday, May 23, 2025 - Monday, May 26, 2025
Join us at Eastern State Penitentiary (ESPHS) from Friday, May 23 through Monday, May 26, as we commemorate Memorial Day and the ways we remember the history of Eastern State.
Wednesday Nights
Wednesday, May 07, 2025 - Wednesday, July 02, 2025
Wednesday evenings, May 7 to July 2. $17 online in advance, $20 at the door. Enjoy immersive experiences, interactive events, and exclusive behind-the-scenes access to one of Philadelphia’s most unique landmarks. With a different theme each week, Wednesday Nights provide a fun and meaningful night out—combining history, culture, and entertainment in a one-of-a-kind setting.
Pop Up Talk: Chess in Prison
Wednesday, April 30, 2025 - Wednesday, April 30, 2025
Join us in the central rotunda of the penitentiary to learn about chess in prisons. This pastime was very popular at Eastern State. The Eastern State Penitentiary Chess team was an...
Sports & Recreation Trivia
Saturday, April 19, 2025 - Saturday, April 19, 2025
Join us in the central rotunda of the penitentiary for trivia to test your knowledge about sports in prison. Prizes will be awarded.
April 2025: ASL Guide-Led Tour and Discussion
Saturday, April 19, 2025 - Saturday, April 19, 2025
Included with admission, 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...
Spring Break: Sports & Recreation
Friday, April 11, 2025 - Sunday, April 20, 2025
Sports and recreation played a crucial role in enhancing prisoners' daily lives at Eastern State Penitentiary by easing tensions, boosting morale, and fostering camaraderie among teammates.