Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site Inc

EASTERN STATE PENITENTIARY HISTORIC SITE INTERPRETS THE LEGACY OF AMERICAN CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM, FROM THE NATION'S FOUNDING THROUGH TO THE PRESENT DAY, WITHIN THE LONG-ABANDONED CELLBLOCKS OF THE NATION'S MOST HISTORIC PRISON.

DAYTIME TOUR PROGRAM:ESPHS OFFERS A VARIETY OF DAYTIME HISTORIC TOURS AND EXHIBITS TO THE PUBLIC INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO: AUDIO TOURS, GUIDED TOURS, HISTORY AND HISTORICAL EXHIBITS AND ARTIST INSTALLATIONS. THE ORGANIZATION WAS DRAMATICALLY IMPACTED BY COVID-19, WHICH CAUSED THE SITE TO BE CLOSED FOR MUCH OF 2020 WITH A GRADUATED RE-OPENING IN 2021. COVID-19 CONTINUES TO IMPACT VISITATION DUE TO A LACK OF RETURN TO PRE-PANDEMIC VISITATION AT MOST OF THE CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS IN PHILADELPHIA. ATTENDANCE FOR ALL THE VARIOUS DAYTIME TOURS IN 2023 WAS 186,911 COMPARED TO 190,153 IN 2022.

MERCHANDISE SALES AND GENEALOGY FEES

HISTORIC PRESERVATION:THE STABILIZATION AND PRESERVATION OF THE HISTORIC SITE AND ALL OF ITS STRUCTURES IS OF VITAL IMPORTANCE FOR ESPHS TO CONTINUE ITS MISSION. ESPHS'S RESTORATION ACTIVITIES PROVIDE VISITORS WITH A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF THE PRISON'S HISTORY, ITS DESIGN AND USE, AND HOW THE SITE CHANGED AND EVOLVED OVER TIME. IN 2023, SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS WAS MADE IN RESTORING THE ROOFING OF CELLBLOCKS 13 AND 14 AND IMPROVING DRAINAGE IN THE GREENHOUSE COURTYARD. NEW ROOFS WERE INSTALLED ON THREE SMALL STRUCTURES: PAN STORAGE ROOM, THE BOILER ROOM OF CELLBLOCK 5 AND THE DYE SHOP OF CELLBLOCK 6. ESPHS ALSO COMPLETED A STUDY OF TWO FUTURE CAPITAL PROJECTS: A NEW VISITORS CENTER WITH BATHROOMS AND AN EDUCATION CENTER. THE STUDY INCLUDED CONCEPTUAL DESIGN, RENDERINGS AND PRICING TO HELP ESPHS PLAN AND FUNDRAISE FOR THESE PROJECTS MOVING FORWARD. LEASEHOLD IMPROVEMENTS TOTALED $22,920,448 AT THE END OF 2023, COMPARED TO $22,166,358 IN 2022. CONSTRUCTION IN PROGRESS AT THE END OF 2023 TOTALED $1,396,499 COMPARED TO $631,827 IN 2022.

EXHIBITS: ESPHS PRESENTS A MIX OF HISTORY AND CONTEMPORARY EXHIBITS FOCUSING ON U.S. PRISON POLICY. INSTALLATIONS INCLUDE "THE VOICES OF EASTERN STATE AUDIO TOUR," FEATURING THE VOICES OF 35 PEOPLE WHO LIVED AND WORKED IN THE PRISON. SMALLER EXHIBITS INCLUDE AL CAPONE'S CELL, WHICH PORTRAYS CAPONE'S UNUSUAL TREATMENT DURING HIS INCARCERATION HERE, AND A RESTORED CELL FROM THE 1830S. AN EXHIBIT ON JEWISH LIFE ADJOINS THE PENITENTIARY SYNAGOGUE, AND 23 INMATE PAINTED MURALS ARE INTERPRETED IN THE CATHOLIC CHAPLAIN'S OFFICE. "PRISONS TODAY: QUESTIONS IN THE AGE OF MASS INCARCERATION, AND "THE BIG GRAPH" INVITE REFLECTION ON CONTEMPORARY US PRISON POLICY, AND CONNECTIONS BETWEEN THE PAST, THE PRESENT, AND VISITORS' HOPES FOR THE FUTURE. IN 2022, A NEW AMBITIOUS ARTIST INSTALLATION, "DLP MIRROR" (MARK MENJIVAR) WAS ADDED TO THE DEATH ROW CELLBLOCK. OTHER ART INSTALLATIONS INCLUDE " "DEADLY WEAPONS" (LINDA BOND) AND TRANSIENT ROOM (ANN REICHLIN), "PHOTO REQUESTS FROM SOLITARY" (SOLITARY WATCH'S JEAN CASELLA, JEANNE OLESON AND LAURIE JO REYNOLDS) "DORIS JEAN" (RACHEL LIVEDALEN); "APOKALUPTEIN:16389067 II" (JESSE KRIMES'), "CHORUS" (JESS PERLITZ); "SPECIMEN" (GREG COWPER); "BEWARE THE LILY LAW"( MICHELLE HANDELMAN); "GTMO" (WILLIAM CROMAR); "IDENTITY CONTROL" (TYLER HELD); "A CLIMBER'S GUIDE TO EASTERN STATE PENITENTIARY" (ALEXANDER ROSENBERG); AND "#BLACKGIRLHOOD" (DEHANZA ROGERS).