Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site

Purpose: Supporting Lifelong Learning The Eastern State Penitentiary, which opened in 1829, was the world's first true penitentiary-a building designed to leave an inmate penitent, or truly remorseful. The architect and building committee were influenced by Quaker beliefs in the innate goodness of the human spirit and believed that severe isolation would leave convicts introspective and ashamed. The massive building had seven cellblocks, radiating from a central surveillance point. Each cell had an exercise yard and a skylight. The building had running water and central heat before the White House did. The prison closed in 1971. The artifact that remains-with its crumbling, barrel-vaulted cells and 1,000 skylights-is a place of haunting, eerie beauty. Eastern State is now used to interpret the history of American prisons and the changing ideas and attitudes in American corrections. The interpretive program includes tours, exhibits, and special events. In this project, Eastern State will expand its educational programming for school-aged children. The museum will expand the capacity and professionalism of staff and hire a museum educator who will design, develop, and implement the new programming; develop tours and train tour guides; expand the school group audience through marketing; design teaching aids and curriculum materials; and form a Museum Education Advisory Committee made up of local educators and teachers to help guide programming.