This Spring Break (April 11 – 20), join us at Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site (ESPHS) to explore the profound impact of sports and recreation on prison life through engaging talks, family-friendly activities, and interactive experiences.

Sports and recreation played a crucial role in enhancing prisoners' daily lives at Eastern State Penitentiary by easing tensions, boosting morale, and fostering camaraderie among teammates. Beyond the confines of incarceration, these activities serve as a vital outlet for navigating social, economic, psychological, and political challenges, linking individuals to a sense of normalcy, home, and community. Sports and team activities offer recreational value and also inspire creativity, strategic thinking, teamwork, problem-solving and other essential life skills, beneficial both within and beyond prison walls.

Spring Break: Sports & Recreation:

Pop-Up Museum: Sports & Recreation — Ongoing. — Get a closer look at rarely-seen artifacts that tell the story of sports and recreation at Eastern State Penitentiary including historic photographs, prisoner-made crafts, and recovered athletic equipment. Plus, try your hand at games that people incarcerated at Eastern State Penitentiary once played like dominos, checkers, chess, and cards

Sports & Recreation Scavenger Hunt — Ongoing. — Designed with kids and their caregivers in mind. Pick up a packet when you grab your audio guide. Complete this sports-themed scavenger hunt to receive an exclusive sticker prize!

Guide-Led Tour & Discussion — Daily. Select Times. — Join an Eastern State educator for a small group tour that invites you to consider Eastern State Penitentiary’s history and how it relates to modern-day incarceration. Tours during Spring Break will feature additional content about sports & recreation. Tours begin promptly at 12:00 pm on weekdays and 11:00 am on weekends and meet outside Cellblock 1. Additional tours for Spring Break will be held at 2:00 pm daily. All tours are limited capacity and subject to availability. We highly recommend purchasing timed tickets online in advance to reserve your spot!

Mini Tour: Race, Baseball, & The Legend of Charles "Jack" Blackburn — Daily. Select Times. — Join an Eastern State educator for a 10-minute tour that shares the fascinating story of a renowned Hall of Fame boxer turned Eastern State Penitentiary baseball player. Ask any staff member for the daily schedule and meeting place.  

Baseball Pop-Up Talks & Home Run Hits – Daily. 3:00 pm. — Step onto the penitentiary's historic baseball field where you'll learn more about the impact of baseball in prisons, past and present, from one of our educators. Then, step up to the "plate" and see how far you can hit a wiffle ball toward the historic site's tall perimeter wall.  

Sports & Recreation Trivia – April 19. 2:00 pm. — Join us in the central rotunda of the penitentiary for trivia to test your knowledge about sports in prison. Prizes will be awarded.