The 2024 season of Summer Nights at Eastern State Penitentiary has ended. Thank you for joining us!
Sign up for monthly email updates and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok to be the first to hear about our 2025 summer offerings and other special events throughout the year.
Join us during exclusive evening hours to explore the profound impact of recreation on prison life through engaging talks, family-friendly activities, and interactive experiences.
Discover the rich and captivating history of sports, the arts, and other team activities at Eastern State Penitentiary and their enduring societal legacy in prisons today. Grab a beer or soft drink and relax and reflect outdoors in The Fair Chance Beer Garden, presented in partnership with Triple Bottom Brewing.
Summer Nights admission includes entry to the historic site, Unlocking History experiences, exhibits, and artist installations, PLUS the following programming:
Summer Nights QR Code Audio Tour (Ongoing) – Learn more about the impact of sports, recreation, and the arts on prison life with this curated audio tour, available via QR code. Visit the locations featured in the on-site visitor guide, then scan the QR code on the sign with your smart phone to listen to the related audio stop. These stops do not need to be accessed in order; they can be enjoyed at any time during your visit.
Fair Chance Beer Garden (Ongoing) – Reflect on your visit at the Fair Chance Beer Garden, presented in partnership with Triple Bottom Brewing. Beer and soft drinks available for purchase.
Pop-Up Museum: Sports & Recreation — (Ongoing) Visit the Dialogue Space and get a closer look at rarely-seen artifacts that tell the story of sports, recreation, and music at Eastern State, including historical photographs, prisoner-made crafts, and recovered athletic equipment. Plus, try your hand at games that people incarcerated in Eastern State once played, like dominos, checkers, chess, and cards.
Sports & Recreation Scavenger Hunt — (Ongoing) Designed with kids and their caregivers in mind. Complete this sports-themed scavenger hunt to receive an exclusive sticker prize! Claim your prize near the exit at the end of your visit.
Hidden Lives Illuminated Film Screening (Ongoing) – Gather in the central hub of the penitentiary to view animated short films created by incarcerated people in local prisons and jails. Then write to some of the filmmakers at the postcard station in the nearby Recharge Room.
Home Run Hits — (7:00 pm & 8:00 pm, nightly) Step onto the penitentiary's historic baseball field where you'll learn more about the impact of baseball in prisons, past and present, from one of our Educators. Then, step up to the plate and see how far you can hit a wiffle ball toward Eastern State's tall perimeter wall.
Unlocking History: Race, Baseball, & The Legend of Charles "Jack" Blackburn Tour — (Hourly at 5 minutes past the hour, first tour 7:05 pm) Join an Educator for a 10-minute tour that shares the fascinating story of this Hall of Fame boxer turned Eastern State Penitentiary baseball player.
Unlocking History: Making Headlines Tour (Hourly at 20 minutes past the hour) Join an Educator for a 10-minute tour that reveals the history of writing and journalism at Eastern State. Type your own headline using a prison-issued typewriter.
Unlocking History: Music Behind the Walls Tour (Hourly at 35 minutes past the hour) Join an Educator for a 10-minute tour that shares the fascinating story of the role of music in the lives of prisoners, as well as famous musicians who have personal connections to incarceration.
Saturday evenings include even more special programming around a variety of topics like music, animals, art, sports, movies, and games. Learn more.
Stay up to date on Summer Nights and all things Eastern State Penitentiary. Sign up for monthly email updates below!
Many programs available during the day are also offered during Summer Nights including Unlocking History experiences, award-winning exhibits, and site-specific artist installations. Summer Nights also includes additional exclusive offerings!
During Summer Nights, we invite visitors to explore the profound impact of recreation on prison life through engaging talks, family-friendly activities, and interactive experiences. Learn more about the impact of sports, recreation, and the arts at Eastern State and in prisons today with a curated audio tour, available via QR code. Visit a special sports and recreation themed Pop-Up Museum. Participate in a family-friendly sports and recreation scavenger hunt. Join our educators for 10-minute Unlocking History tours to learn about baseball, boxing, journalism, music, and more. View films created by incarcerated artists. Plus, be sure to visit The Fair Chance Beer Garden to relax and reflect on your visit. Grab a Triple Bottom Brewing Company beer or a soft drink.
Saturday evenings include even more to explore with special themes like music, movies, games, art, and more. Click here for additional details about special Saturday night events at Summer Nights! All programs subject to change.
The Fair Chance Beer Garden is located outside on what was once Eastern State Penitentiary’s baseball field. At the beer garden, you can enjoy Triple Bottom Brewing Company beer and soft drinks as you relax and connect with friends.
Established in 2021 by Eastern State Penitentiary and Triple Bottom Brewing Company, both The Fair Chance Beer Garden and its name were born out of a shared commitment to fair chance hiring practices. As fair chance employers, Eastern State and Triple Bottom actively seek to hire people who may otherwise be excluded from the mainstream economy — including people who have experienced homelessness or incarceration — and strive to assess all qualified job candidates fairly, regardless of their background.
During Summer Nights, we invite visitors to explore the profound impact of recreation on prison life through engaging talks, family-friendly activities, and interactive experiences.
Learn more about the impact of sports, recreation, and the arts at Eastern State and in prisons today with a curated audio tour, available via QR code. Visit a special sports and recreation themed Pop-Up Museum. Participate in a family-friendly sports and recreation scavenger hunt. Join our educators for 10-minute Unlocking History tours to learn about baseball, boxing, journalism, music, and more. View films created by incarcerated artists. Plus, be sure to visit The Fair Chance Beer Garden to relax and reflect on your visit. Grab a Triple Bottom Brewing Company beer or a soft drink.
Saturday evenings include even more to explore with special themes like music, movies, games, art, and more. Click here for additional details about special Saturday night events at Summer Nights! All programs subject to change.
For the latest updates, be sure to sign up for our monthly email newsletter below and follow Eastern State on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
No. Summer Nights programs are unique and engaging, but educational. They are not startling, and they do not include any haunted houses or theatrical effects.
At Summer Nights, you'll learn more about Eastern State's history and the criminal justice system in America. You'll also discover the rich and captivating history of sports, the arts, and other team activities at Eastern State and in prisons today.
If you’re interested in a more immersive, theatrical experience, you'll enjoy Halloween Nights at Eastern State Penitentiary, which features five haunted houses plus historic tours, themed bars, live entertainment, and more.
The 2024 season of Summer Nights at Eastern State Penitentiary has ended. Thank you for joining us!
Sign up for monthly email updates and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok to be the first to hear about our 2025 summer offerings and other special events throughout the year.
The 2024 season of Summer Nights at Eastern State Penitentiary has ended. Thank you for joining us!
Sign up for monthly email updates and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok to be the first to hear about our 2025 summer offerings and other special events throughout the year.
The 2024 season of Summer Nights at Eastern State Penitentiary has ended. Thank you for joining us!
Sign up for monthly email updates and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok to be the first to hear about our 2025 summer offerings and other special events throughout the year.
Summer Nights is a special event, available only for a limited time and limited capacity. As such, we cannot offer ticket refunds or exchanges.
This is a special event, available only for a limited time and limited capacity. Discounts, coupons, and complimentary or BOGO passes for daytime admission are not valid for Summer Nights.
We do, however, offer discounted rates for groups of 15 or more, and Eastern State members receive 20% of admission when purchased online in advance.
In addition, discounted admission is available by request for Museums for All, ACCESS Card, and SEPTA Key REDUCED FARE card holders. These card holders will be granted $2 admission per person for up to four guests. Visiting guests must present their valid ID upon arrival. Visitors with a disability may also request $2 admission per person. Paid Personal Care Assistants are always provided complimentary admission when accompanying a visitor with a disability.
Discounted rates are available for groups of 15 or more.
Eastern State Penitentiary is a wonderful place to bring kids ages seven and up. In addition, while valid photo ID is required to purchase and consume alcoholic beverages (ages 21+), everyone is welcome to enter and enjoy The Fair Chance Beer Garden.
Eastern State is not recommended for children under the age of seven. The building is in a state of semi-ruin and can pose safety hazards to unattended children. There are also some audio tour stops that contain adult content. (These stops are appropriately marked.) That said, although we do not offer programming for children under the age of seven, they are still welcome at Eastern State during both daytime hours and Summer Nights, and their admission is free.
Eastern State Penitentiary offers a wide range of services for our patrons. For information on ADA accessibility, service animals, captioning, ASL interpretation, and other accommodations, please visit our Accessibility page.
Our staff is available to assist all guests to the best of their ability.
If you have additional concerns or questions, please do not hesitate to contact our administrative offices at [email protected] or (215) 236-3300.
While we do not have our own parking lot, there is a parking lot neighboring us at 22nd St & Fairmount Ave. Parking costs vary. For exact pricing, please call Parkway Corporation at (267) 765-3665.
Additionally, you can find parallel parking bordering the penitentiary. Eastern State is so large that it occupies one full city block. Bordering Eastern State on the west (to the left if you are facing the entrance) is 22nd Street. On the Eastern State side of 22nd Street, parallel parking is free and unlimited. The same is true of Brown Street, which borders our back wall. Again, parking is free and unlimited only on the Eastern State side of the street. If you choose to park anywhere else in the neighborhood, just exercise caution and read all signs.
Eastern State Penitentiary is also accessible by public transit.
For more information, visit our Directions & Parking page.
Your experience at Summer Nights is up to you!
We have a curated, self-guided audio tour available by QR code. As you explore the penitentiary, you can scan the QR codes, available on signs throughout, to hear brief audio clips about the impact of sports and recreation on prison life.
If you prefer a guide-led experience, then check out our Unlocking History tours, which are about ten minutes each, led by an Eastern State educator, and focused on specific topics like music, journalism, and baseball. Our staff also facilitates activities like wiffle ball, trivia, and other interactive experiences, and they’re available throughout the site to answer your questions and share their knowledge about Eastern State’s history and relevance today.
You’re welcome to participate in any combination of programs during your visit to Summer Nights; all are included with admission.
During Summer Nights, all visits are self-guided. Because you'll pick and choose what to experience and for how long, every visit will be different. Most visitors spend about 1 to 2 hours at Summer Nights. Summer Nights programming begins at 6:00 pm. Last entry is at 8:00 pm. The penitentiary closes at 9:00 pm every evening.
No. The Fair Chance Beer Garden is part of the overall Summer Nights experience, so tickets are required.
Outside food or drinks of any kind, including alcoholic beverages, are not permitted. Soft drinks, water, Triple Bottom Brewing Company beer, and bagged snacks are sold at The Fair Chance Beer Garden. In addition, soft drinks, water, and bagged snacks can be purchased at our museum store.
Interested in dining in the neighborhood before or after your visit? We've compiled a list of spots within walking distance of the penitentiary to help you explore what's available. We strongly recommend calling ahead to make reservations for large groups.
Summer Nights is a family-friendly event with a relaxed, but educational atmosphere. We reserve the right to refuse entry or service to anyone who is visibly intoxicated.
Summer Nights runs rain or shine. Please dress for the weather, and be sure to wear appropriate footwear. Sandals, flip-flops, open-toed shoes, and high heels are not recommended. Some portions of the tour route are inside; however, other sections of the tour are outdoors, and most of the penitentiary is not climate-controlled.
This is a special event, available only for a limited time and limited capacity. As such, we cannot offer ticket refunds or exchanges for any reason including weather.
Yes! We encourage you to take photos when visiting Summer Nights, but we ask that you honor our Non-Commercial / Personal Photography policies when photographing during your visit.
In addition to the general admission fee, non-members must purchase a daily "photography equipment pass” if they wish to use a tripod, monopod, or easel while on site. Equipment passes are $10 per person and are valid only on the day they are purchased. While we recommend you purchase your tickets online in advance, photography equipment passes can only be purchased at the admissions window on site. Want free daytime admission and free photography equipment passes all year long? Become a Member today!
Any photographer (professional, amateur, or student), ad agency, or other commercial entity wishing to photograph models (professional or amateur); wear costumes or use props; photograph the building without visitors; photograph in non-public spaces; or conduct shoots that require equipment (other than a tripod, monopod, or easel) must make reservations in advance. Visit our Photography and Filmmaking page for more information about setting up a private photo shoot.
Paranormal investigations (including the use of EVP recorders or other pieces of paranormal investigation equipment) are not permitted at Eastern State Penitentiary.
Eastern State does not allow third parties to conduct unauthorized events or sell tickets to the general public. Any persons conducting unauthorized events will be asked to leave the site without a refund.
Thank you for your understanding!
For questions related to tickets, please email [email protected]. For all other questions, email [email protected] or call 215-236-3300.
