Included with admission.

Spend your Veterans' Day Weekend at Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site! Learn more about veterans and the criminal justice system by engaging in the following special programs:

Pop-Up Exhibit: Wartime at Eastern State
On view in the Central Rotunda.
Eastern State Penitentiary was an active prison from the American Civil War through the Vietnam War. During wartime, many Eastern State prisoners and staff longed to contribute to the efforts of U.S. military forces abroad. While some did enlist, countless others engaged in patriotic service from inside the penitentiary's walls. View a special pop-up exhibit featuring photos, documents, and artifacts that tell the story of wartime at Eastern State throughout the years.

Pop-Up Talks: World War I at Eastern State
Meet near the intersection of Cellblocks 2, 10, and 11. Ask any staff member for more information.
During World War I, Eastern State Warden Robert McKenty successfully lobbied state and federal officials to allow prisoners to serve in the military. More than 120 people incarcerated at Eastern State went on to serve, and thousands of others contributed to war efforts in many different ways on the home front. Learn more with this 10-minute Mini Tour led by an Eastern State educator.

Video Screening: Veterans, Prisons, and Courts Today
On view in the Central Rotunda.
Documentary footage reveals the impact of the criminal justice system on veterans today. Learn more about Veteran Treatment Courts, created in 2008, and how this alternative to the mainstream legal system provides treatment and accountability plans for justice-involved veterans. Get a closer look at some of the growing number of dedicated veteran cellblocks in prisons and jails across the country.