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Visiting now through July 19? Here’s everything you need to know about special programming, parking restrictions, and getting to Eastern State during FIFA Fan Festival and the MLB All-Star Game. Learn more.

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.

Constitution Day: The Justice System in America Today
A Time for Liberty: Our Shared History, Our Shared Future
In-Person

Constitution Day: The Justice System in America Today

Thursday, September 17, 2026
All Day

This Constitution Day, we celebrate and reflect on the role of the First Amendment in securing freedom and liberty for all. Join us for this deep dive into prison journalism, art, and free expression for those who are not 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
A Time for Liberty: Our Shared History, Our Shared Future

Justice 101

Thursday, October 01 - Saturday, October 31, 2026
All Day

Details to come, check back for updates.

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

52 Weeks of Firsts

Saturday, October 03, 2026
11:00am - 1:00pm

With soaring stone walls and a radical design, Eastern State Penitentiary created the philosophy of America’s first true penitentiary. Walk the halls where history was made, and experience the human stories of early prison systems.

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!

Sunday, November 01 - Monday, November 30, 2026
All Day

Details to come, check back for updates.

Justice 101: Friendship, Support, and Reentry
A Time for Liberty: Our Shared History, Our Shared Future

Justice 101: Friendship, Support, and Reentry

Sunday, November 01 - Monday, November 30, 2026
All Day

Details to come, check back for updates.

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