Links & Resources
- Prison Museums and History
Abashiri prison
Museum - Japan Our palace is being done for the purpose of introducing it to the public preserve the building
of old Abashiri prison which kept being used since Meiji as the cultural properties .
A foundation Abashiri prison preservation foundation was established in the 55th year of Showa,
and it was open in July, the 58th year of Showa.
Submitted 08/22/2007.
From the time of the Crusades until the beginning of the State, this building was virtually impenetrable. It is a fortress, replete with moat. Built on the ruins of the Crusader period Citadel it was later rebuilt in the second half of the 18th century. The British converted it to serve as the main prison in Palestine during the British Mandate and therein lies much of its modern-day importance.
Submitted 08/22/2007, edited 08/22/2007.
Alcatraz Island offers a close-up look at the site of the first lighthouse and US fort on the West Coast, an infamous federal penitentiary long off-limits to the public (and despised by inmates), and the historic 18 month occupation by Indians of All Tribes. Rich in cultural history, there is also a natural side to the Rock - gardens, tide pools, bird colonies, and bay views beyond compare.
Submitted 08/22/2007.
The Anamosa State Penitentiary Museum showcases the 132-year history of Iowa's largest prison, the Anamosa State Penitentiary. The museum offers displays describing prison life, the “guard” through the years, and a large variety of photographs from the prison's early days.
Submitted 08/22/2007.
Andersonville, or Camp Sumter as it was officially known, was one of the largest of many Confederate military prisons established during the Civil War. Today, Andersonville National Historic Site is the only park in the National Park System to serve as a memorial to all American prisoners of war throughout the nation's history.
Submitted 08/22/2007.
The Museum's extensive “Totalitarian Past” exhibit includes photographs and maps of forced labour camps (GULAGs), Stalin decrees, propaganda literature and posters, underground literature and photographs and short biographies of some of the people who were arrested, imprisoned and killed for their convictions. Other permanent displays are “Conditions of Freedom — Russia's contemporary problems” and “Andrey Sakharov — His life and Work”. In 1997 the Museum mounted several changing exhibits “25 Years of Doctors Without Frontiers”, “Freedom Through Eyes of Yuri Rost: photographic essays”, “Refugees in Moscow” etc. Changing exhibits provide a forum for current problems or current social commentary.
Submitted 08/22/2007.
Hello! My name is Steve Wendl, curator of this little virtual museum. This website chronicles the history of this 135-year old maximum security Iowa prison, which is still in use today. Before you leave, please use one of the feedback forms around the site to let me know what you thought. Feel free to search the site, but remember that this is an unofficial history site, so information about current inmates is not available.
Submitted 10/15/2007.
Hexham, Northumberland
UK
The museum is located in the first purpose-built gaol (jail) in England - constructed in 1330 to imprison convicted Reivers. The museum explains the history of the Reivers using reconstructions, artifacts and interpretation.
Submitted 08/22/2007.
Antonio Contino's bridge over the Rio di Palazzo was erected in the year 1600 to connect the Doge's prisons, or Prigioni, with the inquisitor's rooms in the main palace.
The Bridge of Sighs received its name in the 17th century, because the prisoners who passed through it on their way to the prison cells on the other side would most likely see the beautiful sight of the lagoon and the island
Submitted 08/22/2007.
Trenton, NJ
The museum is a one-story building on the grounds of the NJ State Corrections Academy that houses a collection of contraband confiscated from prisoners in the 1970’s, as well as New Jersey’s electric chair.
Submitted 08/22/2007.
The Clink Prison Museum is on the site of the original Clink Prison ("possibly the oldest mens prison and probably the oldest womens prison in England") which held prisoners from the early Tudor years until 1780. Shakespeare visited an old schoolfriend here. The museum in Clink Street can be booked for private parties.
Submitted 08/22/2007.
The Alton prison opened in 1833 as the first Illinois State Penitentiary and was closed in 1860, when the last prisoners were moved to a new facility at Joliet. By late in 1861 an urgent need arose to relieve the overcrowding at 2 St. Louis prisons. On December 31, 1861, Major General Henry Halleck, Commander of the Department of the Missouri, ordered Lieutenant-Colonel James B. McPherson to Alton for an inspection of the closed penitentiary. Colonel McPherson reported that the prison could be made into a military prison and house up to 1,750 prisoners with improvements estimated to cost $2,415.
Submitted 08/22/2007.
Kingston, Ontario
Canada
The CSC Museum houses a fascinating collection of artifacts relative to all aspects of correctional history in Canada. Contraband weapons and escape paraphernalia reflect inmate ingenuity and resourcefulness. Early punishment and restraint equipment show the methods that have been used to keep order and discipline in Canada’s institutions. Inmate hobby crafts show the lighter side of life in prison.
Submitted 08/22/2007.
Ashburn, GA
The Crime and Punishment Museum traces the history of Georgia’s penal system from the opening of the first state prison in 1811 to Georgia’s current penal system which has grown to become the eighth largest prison system in the country with 32 prisons.
Submitted 08/22/2007.
Cromarty, Ross & Cromarty
Scotland
Interpretation includes a reconstructed trial in the18th century courtroom, children's costumes, prison cells, a video presentation of 800 years of Cromarty's history, artifacts, high quality display panels, an audio tape tour of the older part of the town and leaflets for walks in and around Cromarty.
Submitted 08/22/2007.
Dachau, Germany
Soon after the Nazis took power in 1933, Dachau Concentration Camp was built to handle the overflow from the jails. It evolved into a slave labor camp for Nazi industries. The entrance to Dachau had the Nazi slogan "Arbeit mach frei," or "Work will make you free." Although it was never an extermination camp like those set up in Poland, tens of thousands died in Dachau. Executions were more often for disciplinary measures. The camp had largely fallen into disrepair and was eventually turned into a memorial. There now stands several memorials honoring the thousands of people who suffered there during the Nazi regime.
Submitted 08/22/2007.
Philadelphia, PA
USA
Opened in 1829, this was the world’s first true “Penitentiary,” a prison designed to inspire penitence in the hearts of convicts. Eastern State’s massive, medieval façade stands in stark contrast to it’s church-like interior. The original seven cell blocks spread like spokes on a wheel, and had running water and central heat before the White House. An estimated 250 prisons worldwide have been modeled after Eastern State. This former home of Al Capone and Willie Sutton was closed in 1971. In 1994, this National Historic Landmark was opened for tours.
Submitted 08/22/2007, edited 08/22/2007.
Newark, NJ
Completed in 1837, the Old Essex County jail complex is that county’s oldest public building. The jail was designed by architect John Haviland, who also designed the revolutionary radial plan at Eastern State Penitentiary. While the jail was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1991, no efforts have been made to preserve it and it is currently abandoned.
Submitted 08/22/2007.
Sacramento, CA
Opened in 1880, The Folsom State Prison, 23 miles outside of Sacramento, is California’s second oldest prison. Retired Folsom State guards opened the museum in the late 1980’s. The museum offers a look at torturous prison conditions in decades after the California Gold Rush populated the Sierra Nevada foothills and contains artifacts and records dating back to the 1800s.
Submitted 08/22/2007.
Delaware City, DE
Fort Delaware is one of Delaware’s first state parks, created in 1951. On the National Register of Historic Places, the Union fortress dates back to 1859, and once served as a prison for Confederate prisoners of war. It was originally built to protect the ports of Wilmington and Philadelphia. The State of Delaware acquired the Fort from the Federal Government in 1947.
Submitted 08/22/2007.
Fremantle
Prison Museum - Australlia
Fremantle, Australia
The Fremantle Prison is one of Western Australia's premier heritage sites,
centrally located in the heart of the port city of Fremantle. The Prison was
built by convicts in the 1850’s. After 136 years of continuous use, the
prison was closed in 1991. The following year it was opened to the public as
a tourist site.
Perm, Russia
The Gulag Museum is the only preserved labor camp in Russia. Between 1946 and 1987 “several thousand men, many charged only with the ‘crime’ of free speech, were transported under the cover of night to this maximum security prison to serve sentences as long as 25 years.” Today, the museum staff is focusing on preserving and reconstructing the camp, which contains historical research, artifacts, documents, and oral history. Hale Paahoa Museum - Hawaii
Lahaina, Maui, HI
Hale Paahao, "the stuck-in-irons house," was so named because of its standard wall shackles and ball-and-chain restraints. The prison house was built of planks in 1852. There were separate quarters for men and women and a catwalk which allowed a guard to patrol the grounds. Most prisoners were incarcerated for deserting ship, drunkenness, working on the Sabbath or reckless horse Hameenlinna Provincial Prison Museum - Finland
Hämeenlinna, Finland
The Prison Museun operates within the old Provincial Prison in Hämeenlinna. On its completion in 1871, the building was Finland's first cell prison and it was used as a prison right up to 1993. The Museum was opened to the public in June 1997. Hong Kong Correctional Services Museum
Stanley, Hong Kong
The penal system in Hong Kong has a history of over 160 years. In this long stream of time, numerous reforms and developments took place in response to the economic, political, judicial and social changes of Hong Kong at different points of time. Inside the museum, visitors will find nine galleries, one mock gallows and two mock cells. A mock guard tower constructed on the top of the premises highlights the theme of the museum. Huron Historic Gaol - Canada
Goderich, Ontario
Canada
Opened in 1842, the Huron County Jail, designed by architect Thomas Young, was considered as a model of humanitarian prison design at the time. The building originally housed the County Courts and Council Chambers, as well as serving as Gaol and House of Refuge. This unique and imposing octagonal building served as the Huron County Jail until 1972. Inveraray Jail - Scotland
Inveraray, Argyll
Scotland
Since opening in 1989, Inveraray Jail has established itself as one of Scotland's most exciting heritage attractions. Visit the magnificently restored 1820 Courtroom where you can sit and listen to excerpts from trials of the past. Then pass on to the prisons below, and meet with our Warders, Matron and Prisoners in period costumes. See the airing yards, furnished cells and experience prison sounds and smells. Jackson County Jail - Missouri
Independence, MO
The two-story 1859 Jackson County Jail, with its barred windows and double iron doors, gives a chilling look at the rigors of frontier justice. The jail held prisoners until1933 when the building began being used for regional relief services during the Depression. It is thought to be the only such building standing in the Midwest today. Kilmainham Gaol - Ireland
Kilmainham, Dublin County
Ireland
Kilmainham Gaol is believed to be the largest unused prisons in Europe. It was here that the rebels of the last 150 years of British rule were held and it was here that the leaders of the 1916 Rising were executed. No other single event propelled Ireland to independence. The Gaol was much neglected since Eamon De Valera left it as the last prisoner in 1924 and although it has undergone much renovation since the terrible character of the place is undiminished. Lincoln Castle - England
Lincoln, England
Lincoln Castle was one of the first great castles to be built by William the Conqueror. Begun in 1068 he used the hill top site that the Romans had occupied with their first fort. The prison was built on the castle green enclosure in 1787 and enlarged by the Victorians. Many prisoners here were deported to Australia and many more were executed on the ramparts. Louisiana State Penitentiary Museum/Index
Angola, LA
The Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola is located in West Feliciana Parish, approximately fifty-nine miles northwest of Baton Rouge. Prior to 1835, inmates were housed in a vermin infested jail in New Orleans. In that year the first Louisiana State Penitentiary was built using a plan similar to a prison in Wethersfield, Connecticut. Långholmen Prison Museum - Stockholm
Långholmen is Stockholm’s seventh-largest island, and perhaps the one about which most myths and stories are told, because of the old prison. Now you can discover for yourself that it is not only an exciting place, but a piece of unspoilt countryside. Manzanar War Relocation Center - California
Independence, CA
Manzanar War Relocation Center was one of ten camps at which Japanese American citizens and resident Japanese aliens were interned during World War II. Located at the foot of the imposing Sierra Nevada in eastern California's Owens Valley, Manzanar has been identified as the best preserved of these camps. Museum of Colorado Prisons
Cañon City, in southern Colorado, is the home of the Museum of Colorado Prisons, a showcase of the atmosphere and exhibits of days, staff and inmates gone by.
A visit to the the Royal Gorge Region isn't complete without stopping and "doing" time in this historical cell house that was the original Women's Correctional Facility constructed in 1935. New York Correction History Society
Albany, NY
The New York State prison system had its beginnings in 1797 with a single prison (called Newgate after the infamous London jail) located in what is now Greenwich Village. The corrections museum chronicles the fascinating history of New York prisons through a collection of striped prison uniforms, restraint devices and other archives. Ohio State Reformatory - Mansfield, Ohio - Shawshank
(1 vote)Mansfield, OH
The Ohio State Reformatory in Mansfield, Ohio first opened to inmates in 1896, when the first 150 moved into from the Ohio Pen. Construction lasted until 1910. The prison was opperational until December 31, 1990 when all remaining staff and inmates were transfered to the new MANCI built across the railroad tracks.
Shawshank Redemption, AirForce One and others were filmed here.
Submitted 08/22/2007, edited 09/11/2007.
68 hits outgoing, 0 incoming.
Details
Rate
Report
Reviews (1)
Boise, ID
Idaho Territory was less than ten years old when the territorial prison was built east of Boise in 1870. The penitentiary grew from a single cellhouse into a complex of several distinctive buildings surrounded by a high sandstone wall. Convicts quarried the stone from the nearby ridges and completed all the later construction. Old Jail Museum - Florida
St. Augustine, FL
USA
You will see where the sheriff, Joe Perry and his wife Lou, lived and worked for $2.00 a day at St. Augustine's Old Jail. You will hear of actual crimes and punishments that were a part of life for prisoners who lived in these tiny cells.
Old Jail Museum
167 San Marco Ave.
Saint Augustine Beach, FL 32084 Old Jail Museum - Indiana
Montgomery County, IN
USA
Completed in 1882, the Rotary Jail of Montgomery County was designed by William H. Brown and Benjamin F. Haugh of Indianapolis, and was the first rotary jail built in the United States. The rotary cellblock consists of a two-tiered turntable housed within a stationary steel cage with one opening per story. The jailer would simply rotate the mechanism to bring a particular cell to the opening, and in this way prisoners were put into and taken out of the cells. The turntable remained in operation until 1939 when it was immobilized, and the jail was finally closed in 1973.
Submitted 08/22/2007, edited 09/04/2007.
41 hits outgoing, 0 incoming.
Details
Rate
Report
Reviews (0)
Jim Thorpe, PA
USA
Built in 1871, The Old Jail Museum was the county jail until 1995 and is currently listed on the National Register of Historic Buildings. Visitors can tour the 28 cells, view the gallows on which four men hanged at one time and see the infamous hand print of Cell 17.
Old Lincoln
County Jail and Museum
Wiscasset, ME
USA
The first Lincoln County jail was authorized by the Court of General
Sessions of the Peace as the first item of business at its first meeting on
May 12, 1761. The jail was completed in September in that year. A plan for a
second Lincoln County Jail was approved and built in 1795. Escapes and
overcrowding led to the abandonment of this facility after only 16 years of
use. The cornerstone for a new jail was laid on August 1, 1809. Prisoners
were transferred by mid-1811. The new Lincoln County Jail would serve the
County for 102 years when overcrowding conditions necessitated until its
final abandonment in 1953.
Old Monterey Jail - California
Monterey, CA
USA
The Old Jail, located next to Colton Hall, was constructed in 1854 and served as the City Jail until 1956. The jail was an impenetrable fortress for its inmates; no one ever escaped from the thick granite walls during its history. Old NewGate Prison - Connecticut
East Granby, CT
USA
Mining operations began at the Old New-Gate location in 1707. However, mining was not profitable, and in 1773 the Colony of Connecticut purchased the caverns and made them into a prison. It was used to house prisoners during the American Revolution, and in 1790 became the state prison. Old New-Gate was closed in 1827.
Submitted 08/22/2007, edited 09/11/2007.
60 hits outgoing, 0 incoming.
Details
Rate
Report
Reviews (0)
Deer Lodge, MT
USA
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Old Montana Prison was built by inmate labor, this turn-of-the-century fortress was home to at least one member of Butch Cassidy's "Wild Bunch". Guided and self-guided tours lead you through the intimidating Cell House and into the chilling slide bar cells and black box of Maximum Security. Old West Virginia Penitentiary
Moundsville, WV
USA
The prison at Joliet provided the prototype for the West Virginia Penitentiary. It was an imposing stone structure fashioned in the castellated Gothic architectural style. Only the dimensions of West Virginia's facility would differ; it would be approximately one-half the size of Joliet. The first phase of the West Virginia Penitentiary was completed in 1876 at a total cost of $363,061. After 110 years of use, the West Virginia Supreme Court handed down the decision that the penitentiary was to be closed by July, 1992. The prison was closed in 1995 in favor of a modern facility, the Mt. Olive Correctional Center in Fayette County. Parkhurst Prison Museum - United Kingdom
UK
In the later part of the 1700's, there was a growing concern for the safety of juvenile prisoners, some of whom were only six years old, many of which were incarcerated in the old, rotten and disease ridden sailing ships commonly referred to as hulks. The prison opened its doors on the 26th December 1838, taking in 102 boys and changed considerably over the course of its operation. It was known as one of England’s toughest jails. Peter & Paul Fortress - Russia
St. Petersburg, Russia
Founded on May 27, 1703 to defend St. Petersburg against enemy raids, the Peter & Paul Fortress contained Russian political prisoners from the middle of the 18th century. In the 19th century the Peter and Paul Fortress scored the reputation of the main political prison of Russia. The complex included Peter and Paul cathedral, designed by D.Trezzini, which is the city's tallest building, the house of the "grandfather of the Russian navy", where exact copy of Peter I's little boat is kept and the Mint. Robben Island - Pison Museum - South Africa
Imagine a place, where one could see the reflection of triumph of the human spirit . As quoted by Ahmed Kathrada (sentenced to Robben Island in June 1964)," While we will not forget the brutality of apartheid, we will not want Robben Island to be a monument to our hardship and suffering. We would want Robben Island to be a monument...reflecting the triumph of the human spirit against the forces of evil." Robben Island is a place, where people can learn from and acknowledge the history of our world. One could pay respect to people of our time that fought for freedom, in this case for human rights. Life for a prisoner on Robben Island was not easy, but life in the old South Africa was not so pleasant either. People of color were treated inhumanly, not permitted on the beaches, in pools, in movies or to practice their own traditions by order of law. The beautiful country of South Africa was segregated by classifications of skin and cultural background. Ruthin Gaol - United Kingdom
Ruthin's first gaol is thought to have been located in the Old Court House of the Lordship of Ruthin. This half-timbered building, now the National Westminster Bank, was built about 1404 following Owain Glyndwr's attack on the town which left very few, if any, houses standing.
Baronial, manorial and other courts were held; prisoners being detained in cells below the magnificent beamed court room. Richard Gwyn, a Welsh Catholic martyr, spent the last four years of his life imprisoned in the building before his execution at Wrexham in 1584. San Juan Historical Museum - Washington
Friday Harbor, WA
USA
The purpose of the San Juan Historical Society and its museum is to share and interpret the story of the people of San Juan Island. The jail was brought to the museum grounds in the 1980's. San Quentin Prison Museum - California
San Quentin, CA
USA
California established a State Prison system in 1851 in response to increased criminal activity brought on by the sudden influx of men seeking their fortune in the gold fields. Originally a private enterprise, a temporary prison was set up on the Waban, a 268 ton bark (ship). As it quickly became overcrowded and escapes common, building began for a permanent facility on Pt. San Quentin in 1852. The museum was founded in 1985. Squirrel Cage Jail - Iowa
Council Bluffs, IA
USA
One of three remaining examples of the "Lazy Susan" jails, this three-story brick structure was completed in 1885 and featured a "cage" that rotated to allow jailers a view of all cells from a single vantage point. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Stirling Old Town Jail - Scotland
Stirling, Scotland
For 400 years, Stirling's prisoners were kept in the old Tollbooth Jail. It was a stinking, overcrowded, place. There came pressure for improvement and prison reform so the new purpose built Stirling Old Town Jail was opened in 1847. Designed by Thomas Brown and opened as a County Jail, the building was used as the only military prison in Scotland from 1888 until 1935. Restoration to it's current use began in the early 1990's. Texas Prison Museum
(1 vote)Huntsville, TX
USA
The Texas Prison Museum offers an intriguing glimpse into the lives of the state's least-loved citizens. The museum features numerous exhibits detailing the history of the Texas prison system, both from the point of view of the inmates as well as the men and women who worked within the prison walls. The Barbados Museum & Historical Society
The Barbados Museum, located at the Garrison, is housed in the former British Military Prison. The prison, whose upper section was built in 1817 and lower section in 1853, became the headquarters of the Barbados Museum and Historical Society in 1930. The Changi Museum - Singapore
Changi, Singapore
The Changi Museum was re-established on its current site on February 15, 2001. The Museum focuses on the trials and tribulations of Singaporeans, the Prisoners-of-War (POWs) and civilian internees who were incarcerated by the Japanese during the occupation years of 1942 to 1945. The Clink Prison Museum - London, UK
South Bank, London
For centuries, the London borough of Southwark was in the Diocese of Winchester. As such, it fell outside the jurisdiction of London and became a safe haven for all sorts of "illicit" activities. The Clink Prison was owned by the Winchester Bishops and was used for the incarceration of religious offenders, debtors and other malefactors. The Old Jail Art Center - Texas
Albany, TX
USA
Opened in 1878, the jail, which was designed and built by the civil architect John Thomas of Thomas and Woerner, Builders, Fort Worth. The jail cost more than $9000, outraging the local taxpayers. Considered very modern at the time of its construction, the jail was used for more than half a century until it was abandoned in 1929. Westgate Towers Museum - United Kingdom
Caterbury, Kent
UK
Explore Canterbury's mediaeval fortified gatehouse - one of England's finest. See the Guard Chamber, Murder Holes, Civil War Armoury and City Walls Display. Visit the prisoner in the Tower Cells, and climb to the roof for panoramic views.
Wyoming
Frontier Prison Museum Information
The Museum is housed in the Wyoming Frontier Prison which operated from 1901
to 1981.
The "Old Pen" was the site chosen for filming of the 1987 movie "PRISON" and
has been selected as the permanent location of the Wyoming Peace Officers
Association Museum.
Laramie, WY
USA
The cornerstone of the Wyoming Territorial Park is the restored Wyoming Territorial Prison. Built in 1872, it was used as a federal and state penal facility, until 1903. The Prison housed the likes of Butch Cassidy and other notorious outlaws of Wyoming territory's wild days. York Castle Museum - United Kingdom
The Eye of York, York
UK
The Castle Museum brings over 400 years of history back to life in its award winning exhibitions and displays. The buildings that house these fabulous displays have their own history. They were originally prisons. All sorts, from debtors to murderers, were jailed here. Some were even hanged here. Yuma Territorial Prison State Historic Park - AZ.
Yuma, AZ
USA
Yuma Territorial Prison is a living museum of the Old West. More than 3,000 desperadoes, convicted of crimes ranging from polygamy to murder, were imprisoned in rock and adobe cells here during the prison's 33-year existence between 1876 and 1909. The cells, main gate and guard tower are still standing, providing visitors with a glimpse of convict life in the Southwest a century ago.