Eastern State Penitentiary opened its doors on October 23, 1829, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Built at a cost of $780,000, it was one of the most expensive American buildings of the day, and took 14 years to construct. http://www.easternstate.org/history/sixpage.php Home to some of America's most notorious criminals, including Al Capone, Willie Sutton, and Leo Callahan, Eastern State Penitentiary operated for 142 consecutive years before closing its doors in 1971.http://www.easternstate.org/history/notableinmates.php

Eastern State Penitentiary was one of the first of its kind, founded on the principals of the Enlightenment, and designed and operated to encourage criminals to become penitent, hence the name penitentiary. One of the first prisons to use solitary confinement, it soon became one of the most famous prisons in the world, and today there are more than 300 prisons worldwide based on Eastern State's "radial" floor plan.http://www.easternstate.org/history/

Eastern State Penitentiary was opened 142 consecutive years before it was closed down and abandoned in 1971. Since then, the property has changed hands numerous times, and was at risk of being demolished on countless occasions until a group of architects, preservationists, and historians formed the Eastern State Task Force and began efforts to preserve the historic prison.http://www.easternstate.org/history/

Today, Eastern State Penitentiary is operated by the Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site, Inc., a non-profit organization whose purpose is to preserve the penitentiary and open it to the public for tours. This includes an annual Halloween event called Terror Behind the Walls, one of the top rated haunted attractions in the country. http://www.easternstate.org/history/

• 1787: Dr. Benjamin Rush addresses the Philadelphia Society for Alleviating the Miseries of Public Prisons about the need for building a true penitentiary.http://www.easternstate.org/history/sixpage.php
• 1821: Pennsylvania Legislature approves funding for Eastern State Penitentiary.http://www.easternstate.org/history/
• 1822 - 1829: The prison is constructed, overseen by John Haviland.http://www.easternstate.org/history/
• 1829: The prison is opened on October 23, 1829.http://www.easternstate.org/history/
• 1832: First inmate escapes. He is then recaptured.http://www.easternstate.org/history/
• 1842: Charles Dickens visits the prison, and later writes about it in a negative light.http://www.easternstate.org/history/
• 1923: Inmate Leo Callahan and five others escape. Callahan becomes the only Eastern State inmate to ever escape and not be recaptured.http://www.easternstate.org/history/
• 1929-1930: Al Capone spends eight months as a prisoner.http://www.easternstate.org/history/
• 1965 The prison is designated a National Historic Landmark.http://www.easternstate.org/history/
• 1971: The prison is completely closed and abandoned.http://www.easternstate.org/history/

• Adults: $12
• Children (7-12): $8
• Students: $8
• Seniors: $10
• Children under age 7 are not allowed on the site
• Save almost 50% off on 6 Philadelphia attractions, includeing Eastern State Penitentiary, when you purchase a City Pass.http://www.easternstate.org/visit/
• Group rates are available when you visit with 15 or more people, and purchase your tickets at least one week in advance.
• Admission price includes the following:
• Voices of Eastern State audio tour, narrated by actor Steve Buscemi.http://www.easternstate.org/exhibits/audio_tour.php
• Various Art Installations throughout the year.http://www.easternstate.org/
• Special guided tours include Escape, life Behind the Walls, Prison Inside a Prison, and 142 Years of Architecture.http://www.easternstate.org/

• Open daily from 10am-5pm (last entry is at 4pm)
• Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day
• Please note there are special summer twilight hours on Wednesday evenings during the months of June, July, and August. The prison is open until 8pm on these evenings, with the last entry at 7pm.http://www.easternstate.org/