Fodor's Expert Review Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site

Designed by John Haviland and built in 1829, Eastern State was at the time the most expensive building in America; this massive structure influenced international penal design and was the model for some 300 prisons from China to South America. Its system of solitary confinement (to encourage reflection and penitence) and firm discipline was ultimately recognized as flawed. Before it closed in 1971, the now-crumbling, atmospheric prison was home to Al Capone, Willie Sutton, and Pep the Dog, who allegedly killed the cat that belonged to a governor's wife. The excellent audio tour of the prison features narration by actor Steve Buscemi, and some thoughtful exhibits examine issues relating to criminal justice reform. You can also take a guided tour; check online in advance. The penitentiary, just a half mile north of the Rodin Museum, hosts changing art installations and Terror Behind the Walls, a very popular group of haunted house experiences, around Halloween. At this writing, work was beginning on a new visitor center, but the site is still open. Also, most areas you visit are unheated, so bundle up well in winter.