10 - Eastern State Penitentiary

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Eastern State Penitentiary Prison in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania was built in 1829 and is seen as the first prison to truly emphasise the role of penitence as opposed to punishment. Many prisoners were housed in isolation as opposed to the normal crowded cells of the time and the prison housed such famous criminals as Al Capone and Willie Sutton.

The prison is no longer functional but is open to visitors around the year as a museum showing prisoner life and displaying cells as they would have been laid out at the time. The building also has huge architectural significance as it was the first of its kind and acted as a model for over 300 further prisons built in America and across Europe.

'Terror behind the Walls' - the spooky experience currently available for visitors to Eastern State will be running until November 10 and prices vary depending on the type of ticket. For a full list of prices and to check availability, visit the website.

Tickets will allow you entry into the prison, where you will be followed and possibly attacked by all manner of scary creatures, including the ghosts of former inmates and guards. There are six different attractions to be explored: the Gauntlet, Lock Down, Detritus, Infirmary, the Experiment and the Prison Museum.

As there is no parking at the prison, your best bet is to park at Philadelphia Zoo - where a ghost shuttle bus will pick you up and transport you to the penitentiary, providing plenty of spooky entertainment on the way!

Photograph by Tom Bernard

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