Terror Behind the Walls

This was one of my favorite Halloween events last year, and I had to mention it again this year.

Eastern State Penitentiary, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is a historic site, and the home of a former REAL prison.  Although a great deal of it is in ruins, it has been stabilized, and many tours and events are offered there throughout the year.

The annual Halloween event, Terror Behind the Walls, is the kind of attraction that gives chills to even the most stalwart of souls.  This is not for the faint of heart.  These folks are out to scare the living daylights out of you!

Each year changes are made to keep it interesting. . . and scary.  

After admission your first stop is the prison’s recreational yard, where you’ll get a video introduction to the prison.  This is not your high school history lesson, though.  There are plenty of insane prisoners, sadistic guards, and other things that go bump in the night that will keep you on your toes.  After the video, you’ll be free to go through the five haunted houses (all included with the admission tickets).  Allow a couple of hours to see everything, but you are welcome to stay as long as your ticket allows.

Ticket prices are $20-30 based on when you are visiting (the prison is open later on weekends), with tickets issued for half hour admission slots.  Child rates are available, although think through whether your child can handle this intense “fear” attraction.   You can purchase tickets online, advance purchase is strongly recommended.  There is a online discount coupon available that saves you $3 off of adult admission.  Group rates are also available for parties of 20 or more (How would this be as one of the corporate team building exercises?)

The prison is located at 22nd Street and Fairmount Avenue, just five blocks from the Philadelphia Museum of Art (map it). Parking is available nearby.

If you can’t make it to Philadelphia, this video will give you a little idea of what you’re missing out on.  It’s not as scary as being there, though!

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