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April 10, 2025, 5:30 pm – 8:30 pm
Official Book Launch — The Prison Industry: How It Works and Who Profits
Free. In person at Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site. Online via Zoom. Advance registration required. Join us for an exclusive evening to celebrate the release of The Prison Industry: How It Works and Who Profits, the highly anticipated book by Worth Rises, a non-profit advocacy organization dedicated to dismantling the prison industry and ending the exploitation of those it touches.
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April 11, 2025 – April 20, 2025
Spring Break: Sports & Recreation
This Spring Break (April 11 – 20), join us at Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site to explore the profound impact of sports and recreation on prison life — past and present — through engaging talks, family-friendly activities, and interactive experiences.
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April 19, 2025, 11:00 am – 11:45 am
April 2025: ASL Guide-Led Tour and Discussion
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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April 22, 2025, 4:00 pm – 5:30 pm
Online Teachback: Forced Labor in U.S. Prisons
Free professional development workshop for educators. Online via Zoom. Advance registration required. Engage with fellow educators at this professional development opportunity made for teachers, led by teachers. Featuring a presentation by Jennifer Turner (Principal Human Rights Researcher, ACLU Human Rights Program) titled "The Persistence of Forced Labor in U.S. Prisons" plus a to-be-announced classroom lesson discussion and interactive activity.
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April 26, 2025, 11:30 am – 1:00 pm
Justice 101: Reentry Simulation
Included with admission. In person at Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site. Advance registration required. Through a hands-on reentry simulation, participants will learn about and reflect on some of the many structural challenges people face when returning home from prison.
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May 7, 2025, 5:30 pm – July 2, 2025, 9:30 pm
Wednesday Nights at the Penitentiary
Wednesday evenings, May 7 to July 2. This summer, join us during exclusive adults-only evening hours for immersive experiences, interactive events, and behind-the-scenes access to one of Philadelphia’s most unique historic landmarks.
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May 8, 2025, 4:30 pm – 6:30 pm
In-Person Teachback: The Signs We Don't See
Free professional development workshop for educators. In person at Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site. Advance registration required. Engage with fellow educators at this professional development opportunity made for teachers, led by teachers. Featuring a presentation by Bryan Widenhouse (State Legislative Affairs Manager, FAMM) titled "The Signs We Don't See," classroom lesson discussions led by educator Emily Bohn and other to-be-announced educators, and an interactive activity focused on the symbol of "Lady Justice" led by members of Eastern State's education team.
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May 14, 2025, 11:30 am – 12:30 pm
Justice 101: The History of Solitary Confinement in America
Free. Online via Zoom. Advance registration required. Join us for a deep dive into the origins of solitary confinement at Eastern State Penitentiary — a practice originally intended to encourage reflection and repentance — and how it became a widespread and controversial punishment. Plus, get a behind-the-scenes look at ESPHS archives and other powerful spaces not typically open to the public.
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May 23, 2025 – May 26, 2025
Memorial Day Weekend 2025
Join us May 24-27 as we commemorate the 30th anniversary of public tours at ESPHS and reflect on the importance of military service during Eastern State’s operational years.
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May 25, 2025, 11:00 am – 11:45 am
May 2025: ASL Guide-Led Tour and Discussion
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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June 1, 2025, 10:00 am – 4:30 pm
In-Person Scout Day: Architecture
$21 per person. Advance registration required. BSA scouts, GSUSA scouts, and all youth — join us to learn about the penitentiary's history, its unique design, the ethics of prison architecture, and careers in architecture and historic preservation.
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June 28, 2025, 11:00 am – 11:45 am
June 2025: ASL Guide-Led Tour and Discussion
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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July 26, 2025, 11:00 am – 11:45 am
July 2025: ASL Guide-Led Tour and Discussion
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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August 30, 2025, 11:00 am – 11:45 am
August 2025: ASL Guide-Led Tour and Discussion
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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September 27, 2025, 11:00 am – 11:45 am
September 2025: ASL Guide-Led Tour and Discussion
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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October 26, 2025, 11:00 am – 11:45 am
October 2025: ASL Guide-Led Tour and Discussion
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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November 8, 2025, 11:00 am – 11:45 am
November 2025: ASL Guide-Led Tour and Discussion
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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November 15, 2025, 10:30 am – 4:00 pm
In-Person Scout Day: Architecture
$21 per person. Advance registration required. BSA scouts, GSUSA scouts, and all youth — join us to learn about the penitentiary's history, its unique design, the ethics of prison architecture, and careers in architecture and historic preservation.
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December 7, 2025, 11:00 am – 2:15 pm
Virtual Scout Day: Architecture
$17 per participant. Online via Zoom. Advance registration required. BSA scouts, GSUSA scouts, and all youth — join us to learn about Eastern State's history, the penitentiary's unique design, the ethics of prison architecture, and careers in architecture and historic preservation.
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December 27, 2025, 11:00 am – 11:45 am
December 2025: ASL Guide-Led Tour and Discussion
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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