Halloween Nights At Eastern State Penitentiary Opens Friday

PHILADELPHIA — Eastern State Penitentiary's annual Halloween celebration is changing things up in 2021, offering a wide variety of experiences for visitors.

Halloween Nights at Eastern State Penitentiary will open Friday and run through Saturday, Nov. 13.

Tickets range from $34 to $49 depending on the day of the week.

See here for ticket information.

Halloween nights will feature 15 attractions, including two haunted houses, which can be bypassed by those wanting a less scary experience.

Also included is a 3D fun house, two immersive walkthrough experiences, three live performances, four themed bars and lounges, and special effects like laser shows and large-scale video projections.

See full descriptions of attractions below.

"Halloween Nights is brought to you by the team that created Terror Behind the Walls," said Brett Bertolino, Eastern State Penitentiary Vice President and Director of Operations, "so you can expect the same level of quality and creativity. We’re bringing back some fan-favorite elements of TBTW and The Masquerade, plus so much more. Terror Behind the Walls featured six attractions; Halloween Nights will have fifteen. And we’re utilizing the entire 10-acre property, including some areas of the penitentiary that have never been open to the public before."

While Halloween Nights is ongoing, the penitentiary will still be open for daytime tours 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday.

Below are descriptions of the 15 Halloween Nights attractions:

Delirium (3D fun house, disorienting, not scary)
Take a mind-altering trip into another dimension. A parallel, neon universe where nothing is quite as it seems. Fascinating creatures emerge from seemingly nowhere as the world you thought you knew shrinks away.

Machine Shop (haunted house, scary)
Hidden away from the world is a long-forgotten machine shop. Evil pervades this space – an evil with one mind but with many bodies. Will you survive or will you become just another cog in the machine?

The Speakeasy at Al Capone's Cell (Prohibition-themed cocktail lounge, entertaining, not scary) $13 online, $15 at the door. Included with VIP Admission. Unbundle your nerves at this cozy hideaway. Grab a drink and get serenaded by undead lounge singers. One complimentary drink included.

The Bloodline Lounge (Vampire-themed cocktail lounge, scary)
$15 at the door. Included with VIP Admission. Unlike the vampiric friends you'll meet inside, you don't need an invitation to enter. Come on in... we won't bite... One complimentary drink or treat included.

Tricks and Treats (Halloween candy-themed cocktail lounge, entertaining, not scary)
Enter a fantastical world of sugar-coated trickery. Sip on a candy-themed cocktail and mingle with the jesters and clowns of this twisted carnival for the senses.

Take 13 (Immersive walkthrough, eerie, not scary)
Lights, Camera, Apparition! Step back in time and into the golden age of Hollywood glamour. The cameras never stopped rolling on the souls that roam this hall. And now they want you to be part of the show.

The Crypt (Haunted house, scary)
The creatures of The Crypt request your presence. Wade through the mist and into the lair of an ancient clan of vampires. They've set the table, but watch your step. If you're not careful, you might end up on their next menu.

Gargoyle Gardens, featuring The Skeleton Crew (Live dance performance, entertaining, not scary)
Say hello to our gargoyle friends Frank and Carson and enjoy a performance by The Skeleton Crew. They light up the night with dancing sure to move you from your feet up to your skull.

Junkyard Jams (Live musical performance, entertaining, not scary)
Straight from the scrap heap and onto the stage. This band of misfits turns trash into tunes with live performances every night. Dance to some percussive jams while you're passing on through the junkyard.

After Dark CB3 Tour (Guide-led walking tour, educational, not scary)
$10. At the door only. A 20-minute, guide-led, flashlight tour of Cellblock 3, the Hospital Block. Learn more about Eastern State's medical history. Visit the Operating Room & other fascinating spaces.

The Fair Chance Beer Garden, featuring Triple Bottom Brewing Co. (Beer garden, interactive, not scary)
Soak in the crisp night air on Eastern State's historic baseball field. Enjoy a Triple Bottom Brewing Co. beer and some food or seasonal treats while you participate in hands-on activities.

The Big Graph & Prisons Today (Museum exhibits, educational, not scary)
Learn about criminal justice today with award-winning exhibits on mass incarceration, The Big Graph and Prisons Today.

"The Voices of Eastern State" Highlights Audio Tour (Self-guided audio tour, educational, not scary) A 20-minute version of our audio tour recorded especially for Halloween Nights with new narration from actor Steve Buscemi, featuring the voices of people who were incarcerated or worked at Eastern State.

Kaleidoscope Hall (Immersive walkthrough, psychedelic, not scary)
Journey into a realm of shifting shapes and dazzling light. Watch this rainbow world unfold before your eyes as vivid hues illuminate picturesque crumbling walls and vaulted ceilings.

S'mores and Lore (Storytelling projection show, suspenseful, not scary)
Gather around, roast some s'mores, and listen close. Flickering projections and apparitions share ghost stories that send shivers down your spine. And don’t worry, they’re only stories after all…