Why Visit
An estimated 300 prisons on four continents used Eastern’s distinctive “wagon-wheel” floor plan as a blueprint.
Located in the Fairmount section of Philadelphia, Eastern State Penitentiary remains one of the most famous prisons in the world, with a list of former inmates that includes bank robber “Slick Willie” Sutton and legendary gangster Al Capone.
In its day, Eastern State set the standard for penal reform, with its soaring, castle-like Gothic architecture and its founders’ Quaker-inspired belief that solitary confinement could help reform criminals. An estimated 300 prisons on four continents used Eastern’s distinctive “wagon-wheel” floor plan as a blueprint.
Today, tours offer a glimpse of life inside the prison’s historic cell blocks through exhibits like Al Capone’s restored 19th-century cell, stories of inmate escapes, and critically acclaimed art installations.
