19th Century · Pennsylvania
Eastern State Penitentiary
Eastern State Penitentiary's Gothic Revival facade. — Adam Jones, Ph.D.
Why Eastern State Penitentiary Matters
Eastern State Penitentiary was built on a radical idea: that solitude and reflection, not punishment and crowding, would reform criminals. Its wagon-wheel design of radiating cellblocks, each prisoner isolated in his own cell with only a Bible for company, became the most copied prison design on Earth, influencing more than 300 prisons worldwide. The 'Pennsylvania System' it pioneered was eventually condemned as cruel — Charles Dickens called it 'immeasurably worse than any torture of the body' — but its Gothic ruins remain one of the most striking monuments to the ambitions and failures of prison reform.
By the Numbers
History
- Opened
- 1829
- Closed
- 1971 (142 years of operation)
Architecture
- Architect
- John Haviland
Innovation
- System
- 'Pennsylvania System' of solitary confinement
Influence
- Global impact
- Influenced 300+ prisons worldwide
People
- Notable inmate
- Al Capone (1929–30)
Designation
- National Historic Landmark
- Designated 1965
Timeline
- 1829Eastern State Penitentiary opens under the 'Pennsylvania System'
- 1842Charles Dickens visits and later condemns the isolation system
- 1929Al Capone is incarcerated at the prison
- 1965The prison is designated a National Historic Landmark
- 1971Eastern State Penitentiary closes permanently
- 1994The site opens to the public as a stabilized historic ruin
Complete History
Reformers including Benjamin Franklin's Philadelphia Society for Alleviating the Miseries of Public Prisons pushed for a new approach to incarceration, believing that solitary confinement with labor and religious instruction would produce genuine penitence — giving rise to the word 'penitentiary.' Architect John Haviland designed a radial, castle-like structure with seven cellblocks extending from a central hub, allowing guards to observe all wings at once. It opened in 1829 as the most expensive public building in the country.
Under the 'Pennsylvania System,' each prisoner lived in total isolation, exercising alone in a private outdoor yard and hooded when moved through the halls, so as never to see or speak with another inmate. Each cell had running water and central heat before the White House did, reflecting the era's genuine ambition for humane reform. But the psychological toll of prolonged isolation caused severe mental breakdowns among inmates, and by the 1860s and 1870s overcrowding had already forced multiple prisoners into single cells, abandoning the original model.
The prison operated for 142 years, housing notorious inmates including bank robber Willie Sutton and gangster Al Capone, before closing in 1971 due to deteriorating conditions and rising costs. Left to decay for two decades, its Gothic ruins were stabilized and opened to the public as a museum in 1994, preserving the building's decrepit atmosphere rather than fully restoring it. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1965.
Historic Images
Interesting Facts
- Eastern State Penitentiary's radial design influenced more than 300 prisons built around the world.
- Each cell had running water and central heating before the White House did, reflecting its era's reform ambitions.
- Novelist Charles Dickens toured the prison in 1842 and condemned its isolation regime as crueler than physical torture.
- Gangster Al Capone served part of a sentence there in 1929–30, in a relatively well-furnished cell.
- The prison operated for 142 years before closing in 1971 and reopening as a preserved ruin in 1994.
Visiting Today
- Hours
- Open most days year-round; hours vary seasonally — check easternstate.org.
- Admission
- A ticketed admission fee applies; discounts for children, seniors, and members.
- Best time to visit
- Spring or fall for comfortable walking; October brings the popular Terror Behind the Walls haunted attraction (separate ticket).
- Nearby
- The Philadelphia Museum of Art and Fairmount Park are a short walk away.
Take the audio tour narrated in part by actor Steve Buscemi, and don't miss Al Capone's restored cell and the excavated synagogue used by Jewish inmates.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the 'Pennsylvania System'?
It was Eastern State's model of total solitary confinement, intended to inspire genuine penitence through isolation, labor, and religious reflection rather than communal punishment.
Why did the prison close?
Rising costs and deteriorating, outdated facilities led to its closure in 1971, ending 142 years of continuous operation.
Who were some of the prison's famous inmates?
Notable inmates included bank robber Willie Sutton and gangster Al Capone, who served part of a sentence there in 1929–1930.
Can you visit Eastern State Penitentiary today?
Yes. It operates as a museum with self-guided and specialty tours through the preserved, deliberately unrestored cellblocks, and hosts a large haunted-house event each fall.
