What better
place for a date than Eastern State Penitentiary? Couples get "Buy One,
Get One" tickets upon request. Valid with one full-price adult admission
only.
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Sunday, February 14
Valentine's Day
Monday, March 15
2010 Season Sneak Peek
Eastern
State Penitentiary is free all day for a sneak peek at the 2010 exhibits and
tours.
Saturday and Sunday, April 10 and 11.
Tunnels and Tower Weekend
Visitors
have long wished to see two perspectives of Eastern State Penitentiary: the
view from the guard towers and of the underground punishment cells, “the
hole.” Neither has ever been open to the public.
This weekend, see the debut of the “Tower Cam,” a set of remote, high
definition cameras that visitors control to gain the officers’ perspective five
flights above. The images are played on oversized screens, giving a rich,
vivid perspective of the view from the central tower.
The weekend also provides the debut of the new “Prison in a Prison” tour,
taking visitors under Cellblock 14 for a look at the tiny, cramped, windowless
cells used to punish inmates. In most prisons, these cells are called “The
Hole.” At Eastern State they had the additional nickname of “Klondike.”
Sunday, May 9
Mother's Day
Mothers
visiting with their kids (of any age) get a free Eastern State Penitentiary
canvas tote bag. Show Mom you care!
Friday, May 14, 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm
Reception for the 2010 Artists
Free
Eastern State Penitentiary hosts a changing series on artist installations as
part of the historic site’s exhibits on history and criminal justice. In
2010 there will be several installations on view during all public
hours. Join us for a chance to meet the artists and see the new
work! Light refreshments served.
Saturday, May 22, 1:30 pm.
Alumni Reunion
Free
with Admission
People are sometimes surprised to find that many of Eastern State's
former officers and inmates are still quite young, and enjoy returning to the
cellblocks to remember old times. This weekend only, our Alumni — both officers
and inmates — answer questions and meet the public.
Saturday and Sunday, June 12 and 13
Behind the Scenes Tour: Parole, Intake, Bertillion, and New Staff Offices
Historic
Site Members: Free
Members' Guests: $12.00
The Parole and Intake Offices (sometimes called by their historic name,
“Bertillion”) were added to Eastern State Penitentiary’s complex of buildings
in 1944. They included records rooms, showers, photography rooms and a
dark room. The spaces had been in serious disrepair by the time the tour
program began in 1994, and served as the temporary dressing rooms for Terror
Behind the Walls for many years. The historic site has retrofitted them
as staff offices, leaving as many details of the original architecture as
possible (including bullet holes in some of the windows). Tour the
offices, and see photographs and artifacts related to this historic, evocative
place.
Sunday, June 20
Father's Day
Dads visiting with their kids (of any age) get a free
Eastern State Penitentiary embroidered baseball cap.
Thursday, July 1
Summer Movie
Free
Join us for a free screening of a classic prison film on Eastern State’s
baseball diamond! Bring your own lawn chair or blanket, buy some popcorn,
and settle in beneath the big wall for one of the all-time classics prison
films.
Sunday, July 4
Independence Day... With Field Day!
Standard
Admission
The penitentiary is open from 10:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. Eastern State is
located just three blocks from the Ben Franklin Parkway, site of the some of
the best fireworks in the nation! So tour the prison, have dinner at one of the
great local restaurants, and stay for the fireworks! Happy Independence Day!
In 2010 we kick off a new tradition: the rebirth of Field Day at Eastern
State Penitentiary! The inmates once ran three legged races, sack races
and a “Fat Man’s Race” on the penitentiary’s athletic field. We renew
this tradition after four decades!
Saturday, July 10, 5:30 pm.
Bastille Day!
Reenactment and Street Party Free
One of Philadelphia’s most popular summertime events! Local businesses
team with Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site for a playful reenactment of
the Storming of the Bastille (influenced more by Monty Python than the French
Revolution), followed by a French-themed street party. Come early and take a tour of Eastern State (standard
admission), or stay late and take a 25-minute evening tour following the
Reenactment ($10 per person).
Saturday and Sunday, August 7 and 8.
Prison Break Weekend (Family Events All Day!)
Two
actors—one portraying tunnel mastermind Clarence Klinedinst and one portraying
bank robber “Slick Willie” Sutton— give their conflicting accounts of who
designed the 1945 tunnel, how it was built, and why the escapees got
caught. Meet each inmate in his cell, and see how their accounts
vary. Based on actual conflicts in the accounts of Willie Sutton and
Clarence Klinedinst.
Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, August 27, 28, and 29
Girl Scout Weekend
Girl
scouts in uniform are half price.
Friday, September 10, 8:00 pmDoors open at 7:00 pm
Secret Cinema
$8.00
The Secret Cinema returns to Eastern State with a great vintage prison film
projected (not video) inside the cellblocks of Eastern State
Penitentiary. Opens with quirky short film introductions.
Friday, September 17 - Saturday, November 6.
Terror Behind the Walls: Halloween at Eastern State Penitentiary
Called
“perfect for Halloween” by the New York Times and ranked No. 1 in the nation by
AOL City Guide, Terror Behind the Walls
is the region’s premier haunted attraction. Tickets go on sale September
2010. Check the Halloween website for coupons, previews, photos and
ticketing.
Trish Leeb's winning photo in the 2009 Black & White category.
Saturday, October 2, 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm Judging 3:00 pm - 3:30 pm
Members' Photo Contest
Free
with Admission
Eastern State is one of the most photogenic locations in America. Each year
photographers travel from as far away as California and Canada to photograph
the penitentiary. Each Member may submit one color and one black and
white Eastern State photograph for our 2010 Members’ Only photo competition.
Saturday and Sunday, November 13 and 14
Behind the Scenes: Film Locations!
Historic
Site Members: Free
Members' Guests: $12.00
Televisions placed throughout the property loop movie clips filmed in these
locations. Includes scenes from 12
Monkeys, Transformers 2, a Beanie
Segal music video and a Dead Milkman music video.
Thursday, November 25
Closed for Thanksgiving
Tuesday, November 30
Last Day of 2010 Standard Tours
Wednesday, December 1
First Day of 2010 Winter Adventure Tours
Saturday, December 25
Closed for Christmas Day
Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site, Inc.
2027 Fairmount Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19130