A Time for Liberty: Our Shared History, Our Shared Future
Sunday, November 01, 2026 to Thursday, December 31, 2026
In the early days of our nation, the idea for Eastern State Penitentiary—the nation's first penitentiary—emerged as a bold initiative to reform the criminal justice system. Framed in 1787, just 11 years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence, Eastern State Penitentiary was built on a radical belief in human dignity and our capacity for change. Its founders sought to answer a question that still echoes through our country today: Have we established justice?
In 2026, as we commemorate the 250th anniversary of American independence, Eastern State hosts A Time for Liberty: Our Shared History, Our Shared Future, a yearlong slate of free, inclusive programs that invites visitors to wrestle with evolving meanings of liberty and justice.
A Time for Liberty features 5 family-friendly festivals, 9 panel discussions with scholars and systems-impacted leaders, 4 community workshops, 2 pop-up exhibitions drawn from the site's archival collections, and new online learning resources that extend the experience to classrooms nationwide. Visit EasternState.org to learn more.
A Time for Liberty is made possible with support from civic and cultural partners including the City of Philadelphia, America250PA, Campus250, the Philadelphia Funder Collaborative for the Semiquincentennial, the Philadelphia City Fund’s 2026 Milestone Grant Fund, supported by PECO, the National Trust Preservation Fund of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Additional partners to be announced throughout 2026. For more information and updates, visit EasternState.org.
Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this program series, do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Upcoming Events in this Series
Winter Festival of Independence and Natural Rights
Sunday, November 01, 2026
All Day
Included with admission.
Our nation’s founders, and the founders of Eastern State Penitentiary, asserted through documents like the Declaration of Independence that every person had natural-born rights like life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. But what does that look like—and are those rights truly protected—within America’s criminal justice system? Reflect on this pressing question by taking part in special, all-ages programming included with historic site admission.
Land of the Free Preview Celebration
Wednesday, November 18, 2026
5:30pm - 8:00pm
Free. In Person & Online. Advance registration required.
Join us to celebrate the opening of Land of the Free by Cody Stuhltrager, the inaugural artist-in-residence for ReVision: Art and Justice. The evening will include a panel discussion anchored by the piece—featuring the artist in conversation with subject matter experts in law, art, and justice—plus musical and spoken word performances, a reception with light refreshments, and the chance to be among the first to view the exhibit.
Remarks by Christina Vassallo (Executive Director, The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage), Jane Golden (Founder, Mural Arts Philadelphia), Matthew Lee (Partner, Fox Rothschild LLP; Board Chair, Eastern State) and Lauren Zalut (Partnerships & Arts Program Steward, Eastern State).
Panel featuring Cody Stuhltrager (Artist-in-Residence, ReVision: Art and Justice; creator of Land of the Free) and Bianca Tylek (Author, The Prison Industry: How It Works and Who Profits; Founder and Executive Director, Worth Rises).
Live performances by Miles Orion Butler (musician; Co-Founder, Songs in the Key of Free) and Ursula Rucker (poet, recording artist, and activist).
Exhibition Opening: Land of the Free
Friday, November 20, 2026
All Day
Join us for the public opening of Land of the Free by Cody Stuhltrager, the inaugural artist-in-residence for ReVision: Art and Justice. Through a large-scale mural and gallery wall of objects, Land of the Free asks us to examine the persistent institution of prison labor and its connection to the 13th Amendment, which allows involuntary servitude as punishment for a crime, and its impact on incarcerated individuals whose labor goes largely unrecognized.
Thanksgiving Weekend: The Power of Play: Sports and Belonging
Friday, November 27, 2026
All Day
Join us this Thanksgiving Weekend to learn more about the power of sports in fostering a sense of belonging throughout Eastern State Penitentiary's history and in correctional facilities today. Enjoy family-friendly programming like a scavenger hunt, "home run hits" on the historic baseball field, and sports-themed tours and talks.
Justice 101: Faith, Sanctuary, and Community
Wednesday, December 09, 2026
5:30pm - 7:30pm
Free event. Advance registration required. In the spirit of Hanukkah, join us for an evening of conversation, music, camaraderie, and to light the menorah. Together, we’ll celebrate the storied history and enduring spirit of the Jewish community at Eastern State Penitentiary—both inside the walls and as a bridge to outside life across the city of Philadelphia. We’ll also honor the spiritual bonds that bring incarcerated people together across religious traditions, and reflect on the continued importance of faith in prisons today.
Speakers and performers include Rabbi David Ackerman (Congregation Beth Am Israel) and Avi Wisnia (singer/songwriter).
Justice 101: From Founding Ideals to the Prisoners’ Rights Revolution
Thursday, December 10, 2026
2:00pm - 3:00pm
Join us as we explore how the prisoners’ rights movement of the 1960s and 1970s challenged harsh prison conditions through landmark court cases, grassroots organizing, and events such as the Attica Prison Uprising. Together, we'll examine the lasting impact of these efforts and the ongoing tension between the treatment of incarcerated people and America’s founding ideals of liberty and human rights.
Speakers include Margo Schlanger, JD (Wade H. and Dores M. McCree Collegiate Professor of Law, University of Michigan).
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.
Winter Festival of Independence and Natural Rights
Sunday, November 01 - Thursday, December 31, 2026
Included with admission.
Our nation’s founders, and the founders of Eastern State Penitentiary, asserted through documents like the Declaration of Independence that every person had natural-born rights like life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. But what does that look like—and are those rights truly protected—within America’s criminal justice system? Reflect on this pressing question by taking part in special, all-ages programming included with historic site admission.
Land of the Free Preview Celebration
Wednesday, November 18, 2026
Free. In Person & Online. Advance registration required.
Join us to celebrate the opening of Land of the Free by Cody Stuhltrager, the inaugural artist-in-residence for ReVision: Art and Justice. The evening will include a panel discussion anchored by the piece—featuring the artist in conversation with subject matter experts in law, art, and justice—plus musical and spoken word performances, a reception with light refreshments, and the chance to be among the first to view the exhibit.
Remarks by Christina Vassallo (Executive Director, The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage), Jane Golden (Founder, Mural Arts Philadelphia), Matthew Lee (Partner, Fox Rothschild LLP; Board Chair, Eastern State) and Lauren Zalut (Partnerships & Arts Program Steward, Eastern State).
Panel featuring Cody Stuhltrager (Artist-in-Residence, ReVision: Art and Justice; creator of Land of the Free) and Bianca Tylek (Author, The Prison Industry: How It Works and Who Profits; Founder and Executive Director, Worth Rises).
Live performances by Miles Orion Butler (musician; Co-Founder, Songs in the Key of Free) and Ursula Rucker (poet, recording artist, and activist).
Exhibition Opening: Land of the Free
Friday, November 20, 2026
Join us for the public opening of Land of the Free by Cody Stuhltrager, the inaugural artist-in-residence for ReVision: Art and Justice. Through a large-scale mural and gallery wall of objects, Land of the Free asks us to examine the persistent institution of prison labor and its connection to the 13th Amendment, which allows involuntary servitude as punishment for a crime, and its impact on incarcerated individuals whose labor goes largely unrecognized.
Thanksgiving Weekend: The Power of Play: Sports and Belonging
Friday, November 27 - Sunday, November 29, 2026
Join us this Thanksgiving Weekend to learn more about the power of sports in fostering a sense of belonging throughout Eastern State Penitentiary's history and in correctional facilities today. Enjoy family-friendly programming like a scavenger hunt, "home run hits" on the historic baseball field, and sports-themed tours and talks.
Justice 101: Faith, Sanctuary, and Community
Wednesday, December 09, 2026
Free event. Advance registration required. In the spirit of Hanukkah, join us for an evening of conversation, music, camaraderie, and to light the menorah. Together, we’ll celebrate the storied history and enduring spirit of the Jewish community at Eastern State Penitentiary—both inside the walls and as a bridge to outside life across the city of Philadelphia. We’ll also honor the spiritual bonds that bring incarcerated people together across religious traditions, and reflect on the continued importance of faith in prisons today.
Speakers and performers include Rabbi David Ackerman (Congregation Beth Am Israel) and Avi Wisnia (singer/songwriter).
Justice 101: From Founding Ideals to the Prisoners’ Rights Revolution
Thursday, December 10, 2026
Join us as we explore how the prisoners’ rights movement of the 1960s and 1970s challenged harsh prison conditions through landmark court cases, grassroots organizing, and events such as the Attica Prison Uprising. Together, we'll examine the lasting impact of these efforts and the ongoing tension between the treatment of incarcerated people and America’s founding ideals of liberty and human rights.
Speakers include Margo Schlanger, JD (Wade H. and Dores M. McCree Collegiate Professor of Law, University of Michigan).
Shared Light: Winter Celebrations
Sunday, December 20 - Thursday, December 31, 2026
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.
