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Special Events & Exhibitions
All Ages
In-Person & Online

Indigenous People’s Weekend

Friday, October 09 - Monday, October 12, 2026

All Day

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Details to come, check back for updates.

About the Panelists:

We strive to make the penitentiary and our site, programs, and exhibits accessible to all visitors. Click here to learn more about accessibility and accommodations at ESPHS.



This program is part of A Time for Liberty: Our Shared History, Our Shared Future, a yearlong slate of free, inclusive programs exploring the evolving meanings of liberty and justice in America. 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.

Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this program series, do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Co-Sponsors

Event Sponsors

Interested in more events in this series?

Finding Freedom Civic Season
A Time for Liberty: Our Shared History, Our Shared Future

Finding Freedom Civic Season

Monday, May 25 - Monday, September 07, 2026
All Day

As we commemorate the 250th anniversary of American independence, Eastern State invites visitors to explore the history and legacy of one of America’s most influential prisons to reflect on the how the past informs our shared future.

Justice 101: Redefining Rehabilitation — From Norway to Pennsylvania
A Time for Liberty: Our Shared History, Our Shared Future
In-Person & Online

Justice 101: Redefining Rehabilitation — From Norway to Pennsylvania

Tuesday, September 08, 2026
5:30pm - 7:30pm

Free online and in-person. Join us for a conversation exploring Norway’s "normality principle,” a groundbreaking approach to incarceration that prioritizes humanity and rehabilitation, and learn about ongoing efforts to replicate the model and research its impact through the Scandinavian Prison Project at SCI-Chester, a state correctional institution near Philadelphia.

Justice 101: Voices Beyond the Walls — Justice, Reentry, and Civic Power
A Time for Liberty: Our Shared History, Our Shared Future
In-Person & Online

Justice 101: Voices Beyond the Walls — Justice, Reentry, and Civic Power

Tuesday, September 15, 2026
5:30pm - 7:30pm

Free online and in-person. In recognition of National Voter Registration Day, the Philadelphia City Commissioners' Office and the Eastern State Center for Justice Education are partnering to present a panel and networking event exploring voting rights and civic engagement for justice-involved individuals and all community members.

Democracy for All Week: Freedom of Expression
A Time for Liberty: Our Shared History, Our Shared Future
In-Person

Democracy for All Week: Freedom of Expression

Thursday, September 17 - Monday, September 21, 2026
All Day

This Constitution Day—and all week long—join us to reflect on the role of the First Amendment in securing freedom and liberty for all. Enjoy family-friendly, interactive programs that explore the power of journalism and art inside prisons and what free expression means for those who are not fully free. Image: Pyrrhic Defeat: A Visual Study of Mass Incarceration, © 2024, Mark Loughney. Presented in Collaboration by Mural Arts Philadelphia and Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site.

Justice 101: The History of American Incarceration
A Time for Liberty: Our Shared History, Our Shared Future

Justice 101: The History of American Incarceration

Thursday, September 17, 2026
2:00pm - 3:00pm

Free online. Celebrate Constitution Day by tracing the origins of the United States prison system, examining Eastern State’s role within this history as America’s first penitentiary, and considering how past practices continue to drive today’s justice system and modern reform efforts.

Firstival: 52 Weeks of Firsts
A Time for Liberty: Our Shared History, Our Shared Future
Special Events & Exhibitions
In-Person

Firstival: 52 Weeks of Firsts

Saturday, October 03, 2026
11:00am - 2:00pm

Details to come, check back for updates.

Justice 101: Erasure of Queer History
A Time for Liberty: Our Shared History, Our Shared Future
In-Person & Online

Justice 101: Erasure of Queer History

Tuesday, October 06, 2026
5:30pm - 7:30pm

Details to come, check back for updates.

Justice 101: Religious Freedom and the Justice System
Justice 101
In-Person & Online

Justice 101: Religious Freedom and the Justice System

Tuesday, October 13, 2026
5:30pm - 7:30pm

Details to come, check back for updates.

Fall Festival
A Time for Liberty: Our Shared History, Our Shared Future
In-Person

Fall Festival

Sunday, October 25, 2026
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!

New Exhibit Opening!
A Time for Liberty: Our Shared History, Our Shared Future
In-Person

New Exhibit Opening!

Friday, November 20, 2026
All Day

Details to come, check back for updates.

Justice 101: From Natural Rights to "Slave of the State"- Philadelphia's Founding Vision and the Making of the "Slave of the State"
A Time for Liberty: Our Shared History, Our Shared Future
In-Person & Online

Justice 101: From Natural Rights to “Slave of the State”- Philadelphia’s Founding Vision and the Making of the “Slave of the State”

Tuesday, November 24, 2026
5:30pm - 7:30pm

Details to come, check back for updates.

Justice 101: Faith, Sanctuary, and Community
Program Series
A Time for Liberty: Our Shared History, Our Shared Future
In-Person & Online

Justice 101: Faith, Sanctuary, and Community

Thursday, December 03, 2026
5:30pm - 7:30pm

Additional details to come, check back for updates. Join us for an evening that opens with a panel discussion and features live musical performances exploring how religious connection sustains people through incarceration.

Justice 101: Examining the Justice System and the Unfinished work of the Founding and the Prisoners' Rights Revolution
A Time for Liberty: Our Shared History, Our Shared Future

Justice 101: Examining the Justice System and the Unfinished work of the Founding and the Prisoners’ Rights Revolution

Wednesday, December 09, 2026
2:00pm - 3:00pm

Details to come, check back for updates.

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