Old Joliet Prison
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Really cool. I recently did the evening tour which ends when the sun is almost gone for the day. The guided tour itself is really informative, you get 90 minutes of history and walk a total of about a mile inside the old prison grounds. You get to walk inside the West cellblock and a few other buildings. Sadly, several of them were burned by morons during the period between 2003-2017 when this was totally vacant and unused. But funding comes in little by little to make repairs. The old portion of the prison was designed by the same architect who designed the famous Chicago water tower. There are some newer elements as renovations were done in the 1950s and 1990s. The docents are very knowledgeable and have good stories to tell about the infamous former inhabitants of the prison. If you want to save a little money you can do a self guided tour as well.
Wow! This place is so great! Joliet has a rich history with this jail. What makes this place unique is it was a functioning prison until around 2002-ish. Meaning this is a newer facility for tours. Now the buildings are still rich with history and it's fantastic! Pros: So much history and you do get to enjoy a lot of unique areas. This place is massive! For being built in the 1800s, this place will show its age and history. Cons: Since there is a lot of renovations happening, there are also a lot of places that are off limits. Eventually more places will be open. However if you're wanting to see specific places, you won't know if they are open until you arrive. Overall this is a phenomenal experience. It will show you the history of the jail and even talk about the movies that were filmed here while it was still a jail. When we came here, we had to park in the main lot and then walk to the east gate. Keep in mind there is a lot of construction going on. So that entrance will probably change at some point. However after you enter the main entrance to check in for your tour, they will be able to help you find your way around. Overall this place is incredible and I'm excited to revisit again when all the renovations are done.
Calling all Prison Break fans! If you're in the area, this place is a must-visit. We did the self-guided tour, which was perfect because it gave us the freedom to wander around at our own pace and find all the specific spots from the show that we wanted to see. We found the hole in the guard room and even got to stand in the yard where Michael first spots Lincoln--talk about a surreal experience! There's also a guided tour available, and I'd definitely be interested in coming back for that to dive deeper into the history behind the old prison. Whether you're a fan of the show or just into cool historic sites, this place is worth checking out!
This was on our bucket list so we took the General History Tour, we are so glad we did! There are signs everywhere for the self guided tour but you get into some of the other areas through the tour so I highly recommend it! From start to finish, our tour guide was amazing! He was so full of information and was genuinely interested in the history of the prison and all the operations of it. It didn't seem like just a job to him, he was very knowledgeable about every aspect. We toured the grounds, several of the cell blocks, two different solitary confinements, the cafeteria and the chapel. Getting to go into the areas and really feel the history made a big difference rather than just walking around. You can see into everything though so if you don't have time for a guided tour, definitely do a self guided one. The gift shop has very minimal offerings, mostly Route 66 and Blue's Brothers items but we managed to find a giant brass key souvenir to add to our collection as we tour the country!
First time coming here. I'm a person that loves history and nostalgia. This place offers alot when it comes to tours from daytime tours, flashlight tours and I suppose a ghost tour. For only $28 we got the flashlight tour and you only have access to a few buildings because alot of them are too dangerous to enter.... It is an abandoned building after all and it definitely looks beaten up.... I hope my money here and all the other local events featured here go toward fixing this place up. Please wear some heavy shoes because you might step into broken glass or a Puddle of water. Staff here doesn't bother you but there are plenty of things to read to get information. It's a shame that when this place got abandoned, it had plenty of graffiti.
What a cool experience! They offer a variety of tours from self guided, to haunted history, to paranormal investigations (upon special request!). This place has not been fancied up. A lot of it is in shambles still so the entry fee is going to help make more areas safe for visiting. They explained that when it closed down they just locked up and left. There are old artifacts everywhere here, definitely showing that! But unfortunately being abandoned for a while also led to a lot of theft and graffiti. We paid for the haunted history tour and got to check out a bunch of different spots in the jail. I would say the area that felt most unusual to me was the chapel- the air was so thick and still in there. Nothing crazy happened to me during the tour but some other people claimed to have heard voices. Our tour guide was funny but knowledgeable and is confident this place is extremely haunted. The prison now hosts events on the grounds as well to raise money. It's worth a stop to check out this historic and haunted location!
This Prison is very old and its worth the price for a self guided walk through. My wife and I came here because we enjoyed the TV Series "Prison Break: They filmed the first season here and this is the reason we came. Unfortunately, inside the walls of this Prison doesn't look anything like the Tv Series. If you watch the first season you will see the rooms and the court yard where the movie was filmed. You can't even access the Prison cell where the main actor was locked up, or the hospital office where the nurse treated him. The people who work here told us the film producers wont even respond to them about selling souvenirs to the fans of the TV Series. I am giving the Prison a 3 star because most of the prison you can't even tour which really sucks. If the producers read these comments. I am giving you a 1 star because you should get in touch with the Prison about selling souvenirs. You are losing a $h..t load of money by not doing it.
For us the top thing to do in Joliet is the Old Joliet Prison. It's worth the ticket price of $20 for a self-guided tour/roam around the entire prison. You can pretty much go in and explore all of the old buildings and jail cells. And they have some interesting signs posted with the history and information so you know what you're looking at. This prison held inmates from 1858 to 2002. It was also the filming location for the prison where Jake was released at the beginning of the The Blues Brothers!
Still beyond cool. You have total freedom to walk the entire outer areas, around all buildings and walls. Going inside depends on your tour and the time of that tour. A little damp inside the prison with standing water, so dress accordingly. Not accessible for those who need level ground. I took about 2 hours wandering the huge prison. Make sure to switch to B and W for some old school vibes. Free parking btw. Check in at the Visitor Center at the end of the parking lot (it has the only inside plumbing!)
$20 admission to this old prison We walk around Taking pictures & videos My only complain is they don't have sm or lrg sizes on the blues brothers shirts
I'm a big history buff, anything and everything about history I love to see. Illinois has a rich history and this place is a big part of it. This was the second prison opened in Illinois and has a rich history. The prison opened for tours in 2018 and it is a must see. This place is in motion picture history. The cult classic movie, The Blues Brothers was filmed here. Other movies like, White Heat, Let's Go to Prison and Derailed were filmed here as well. Many television shows such as Prison Break, Bones and Ghost Adventures. I attended the Guided History Tour which was excellent. The tour is an hour and a half so make sure you have your walking shoes on. Bring a bottle of water, (no food). You are allowed to take pictures but not to record the tour itself. They have many other tours such as a Haunted History Tour, The Guard Tour, Photography Tour and many more. I gave four stars instead of 5 because although, you're allowed to go inside some of the buildings, you can't go in all of them. Some were damage because of fire vandals and weather but I really wanted to go across the street and visit the women's prison.
Well this was a bucket list to visit since I discovered they turned this into a museum. I discovered they opened it last year since the other part of the prison which historically was the women's side for Joliet prison was now turned into a walk through haunted house venue for Halloween. I was invited or had gotten free admission from my elite privileges that October 31st that I attended and discovered when parking on the other side of the building that they also was giving regular historical tours. Moving a almost see your forward I decide to make this a bucket list. Although not as big as the other prisons that I've been to such as Alcatraz or Eastern State penitentiary it was worth learning about. Especially if you're into the paranormal stuff. Zack and Christine really facilitated explaining about the prison history. A lot of emphasis on the old movie with Dan aykroyd and Jim Belushi The blues Brothers which was filmed there back in the 80s and they actually use prisoners as extras. it was built prior before the civil war and it was interesting how they got a cistern or well water to provide clean water if not potable water for prisoners in the early times of the prison. Certain prison cells that they mentioned did give me the willies or heebie jeebies but then again it was getting close to darkness outside. Another TV or movie series which they use this building was called prison break so if you're a big prison break fan this is a bucket list to go through. Otherwise a good historical tour I wouldn't want to be the guides doing this but then again I wouldn't be doing this in any prison in general that's been abandoned or not being used
They were closed when we stopped by on our travel down Route 66. Even though we only got to see it from the outside and for a quick drive around, I'm good with giving 'em a 5. It's every bit like you'd expect from an 'old prison'. It was built in the 1800's and, of course, when checking out the gate where Elwood picked up Jake in the movie Blues Brothers it looked exactly as expected. Even from the outside there's some good photo ops. Probably won't ever be in the area again, but am sure glad we had the opportunity to see it. read more
Everything about the staff--helpfulness, knowledge, and professionalism--just shines! I chose the self-guided tour and enjoyed exploring the grounds and buildings all by myself. Parking was plentiful and the East Gate entrance (the ONLY entrance to the grounds) was fairly easy to find. The gift shop, on the other hand, is completely hidden and if not for a helpful staff member, I would have never seen it! Please, museum crew, improve the signage near the gift shop so you aren't losing money. This museum is a delight and I hope all Blues Brothers fans and others can enjoy it for years to come. read more
1 month ago
3 months ago
2 years ago
Really cool. I recently did the evening tour which ends when the sun is almost gone for the day. The guided tour itself is really informative, you get 90 minutes of history and walk a total of about a mile inside the old prison grounds. You get to walk inside the West cellblock and a few other buildings. Sadly, several of them were burned by morons during the period between 2003-2017 when this was totally vacant and unused. But funding comes in little by little to make repairs. The old portion of the prison was designed by the same architect who designed the famous Chicago water tower. There are some newer elements as renovations were done in the 1950s and 1990s. The docents are very knowledgeable and have good stories to tell about the infamous former inhabitants of the prison. If you want to save a little money you can do a self guided tour as well. read more
Wow! This place is so great! Joliet has a rich history with this jail. What makes this place unique is it was a functioning prison until around 2002-ish. Meaning this is a newer facility for tours. Now the buildings are still rich with history and it's fantastic! Pros: So much history and you do get to enjoy a lot of unique areas. This place is massive! For being built in the 1800s, this place will show its age and history. Cons: Since there is a lot of renovations happening, there are also a lot of places that are off limits. Eventually more places will be open. However if you're wanting to see specific places, you won't know if they are open until you arrive. Overall this is a phenomenal experience. It will show you the history of the jail and even talk about the movies that were filmed here while it was still a jail. When we came here, we had to park in the main lot and then walk to the east gate. Keep in mind there is a lot of construction going on. So that entrance will probably change at some point. However after you enter the main entrance to check in for your tour, they will be able to help you find your way around. Overall this place is incredible and I'm excited to revisit again when all the renovations are done. read more
9 months ago
2 years ago
Calling all Prison Break fans! If you're in the area, this place is a must-visit. We did the self-guided tour, which was perfect because it gave us the freedom to wander around at our own pace and find all the specific spots from the show that we wanted to see. We found the hole in the guard room and even got to stand in the yard where Michael first spots Lincoln--talk about a surreal experience! There's also a guided tour available, and I'd definitely be interested in coming back for that to dive deeper into the history behind the old prison. Whether you're a fan of the show or just into cool historic sites, this place is worth checking out! read more
This was on our bucket list so we took the General History Tour, we are so glad we did! There are signs everywhere for the self guided tour but you get into some of the other areas through the tour so I highly recommend it! From start to finish, our tour guide was amazing! He was so full of information and was genuinely interested in the history of the prison and all the operations of it. It didn't seem like just a job to him, he was very knowledgeable about every aspect. We toured the grounds, several of the cell blocks, two different solitary confinements, the cafeteria and the chapel. Getting to go into the areas and really feel the history made a big difference rather than just walking around. You can see into everything though so if you don't have time for a guided tour, definitely do a self guided one. The gift shop has very minimal offerings, mostly Route 66 and Blue's Brothers items but we managed to find a giant brass key souvenir to add to our collection as we tour the country! read more
First time coming here. I'm a person that loves history and nostalgia. This place offers alot when it comes to tours from daytime tours, flashlight tours and I suppose a ghost tour. For only $28 we got the flashlight tour and you only have access to a few buildings because alot of them are too dangerous to enter.... It is an abandoned building after all and it definitely looks beaten up.... I hope my money here and all the other local events featured here go toward fixing this place up. Please wear some heavy shoes because you might step into broken glass or a Puddle of water. Staff here doesn't bother you but there are plenty of things to read to get information. It's a shame that when this place got abandoned, it had plenty of graffiti. read more
4 years ago
What a cool experience! They offer a variety of tours from self guided, to haunted history, to paranormal investigations (upon special request!). This place has not been fancied up. A lot of it is in shambles still so the entry fee is going to help make more areas safe for visiting. They explained that when it closed down they just locked up and left. There are old artifacts everywhere here, definitely showing that! But unfortunately being abandoned for a while also led to a lot of theft and graffiti. We paid for the haunted history tour and got to check out a bunch of different spots in the jail. I would say the area that felt most unusual to me was the chapel- the air was so thick and still in there. Nothing crazy happened to me during the tour but some other people claimed to have heard voices. Our tour guide was funny but knowledgeable and is confident this place is extremely haunted. The prison now hosts events on the grounds as well to raise money. It's worth a stop to check out this historic and haunted location! read more
1 year ago
This Prison is very old and its worth the price for a self guided walk through. My wife and I came here because we enjoyed the TV Series "Prison Break: They filmed the first season here and this is the reason we came. Unfortunately, inside the walls of this Prison doesn't look anything like the Tv Series. If you watch the first season you will see the rooms and the court yard where the movie was filmed. You can't even access the Prison cell where the main actor was locked up, or the hospital office where the nurse treated him. The people who work here told us the film producers wont even respond to them about selling souvenirs to the fans of the TV Series. I am giving the Prison a 3 star because most of the prison you can't even tour which really sucks. If the producers read these comments. I am giving you a 1 star because you should get in touch with the Prison about selling souvenirs. You are losing a $h..t load of money by not doing it. read more
5 years ago
For us the top thing to do in Joliet is the Old Joliet Prison. It's worth the ticket price of $20 for a self-guided tour/roam around the entire prison. You can pretty much go in and explore all of the old buildings and jail cells. And they have some interesting signs posted with the history and information so you know what you're looking at. This prison held inmates from 1858 to 2002. It was also the filming location for the prison where Jake was released at the beginning of the The Blues Brothers! read more
2 years ago
3 years ago
Still beyond cool. You have total freedom to walk the entire outer areas, around all buildings and walls. Going inside depends on your tour and the time of that tour. A little damp inside the prison with standing water, so dress accordingly. Not accessible for those who need level ground. I took about 2 hours wandering the huge prison. Make sure to switch to B and W for some old school vibes. Free parking btw. Check in at the Visitor Center at the end of the parking lot (it has the only inside plumbing!) read more
4 years ago
$20 admission to this old prison We walk around Taking pictures & videos My only complain is they don't have sm or lrg sizes on the blues brothers shirts read more
I'm a big history buff, anything and everything about history I love to see. Illinois has a rich history and this place is a big part of it. This was the second prison opened in Illinois and has a rich history. The prison opened for tours in 2018 and it is a must see. This place is in motion picture history. The cult classic movie, The Blues Brothers was filmed here. Other movies like, White Heat, Let's Go to Prison and Derailed were filmed here as well. Many television shows such as Prison Break, Bones and Ghost Adventures. I attended the Guided History Tour which was excellent. The tour is an hour and a half so make sure you have your walking shoes on. Bring a bottle of water, (no food). You are allowed to take pictures but not to record the tour itself. They have many other tours such as a Haunted History Tour, The Guard Tour, Photography Tour and many more. I gave four stars instead of 5 because although, you're allowed to go inside some of the buildings, you can't go in all of them. Some were damage because of fire vandals and weather but I really wanted to go across the street and visit the women's prison. read more
2 years ago
2 years ago
Had the first tour of the season - staff was incredibly friendly and super informed. While the surrounding are certainly hard to see - definitely worth the time to spend understanding the history. read more
Well this was a bucket list to visit since I discovered they turned this into a museum. I discovered they opened it last year since the other part of the prison which historically was the women's side for Joliet prison was now turned into a walk through haunted house venue for Halloween. I was invited or had gotten free admission from my elite privileges that October 31st that I attended and discovered when parking on the other side of the building that they also was giving regular historical tours. Moving a almost see your forward I decide to make this a bucket list. Although not as big as the other prisons that I've been to such as Alcatraz or Eastern State penitentiary it was worth learning about. Especially if you're into the paranormal stuff. Zack and Christine really facilitated explaining about the prison history. A lot of emphasis on the old movie with Dan aykroyd and Jim Belushi The blues Brothers which was filmed there back in the 80s and they actually use prisoners as extras. it was built prior before the civil war and it was interesting how they got a cistern or well water to provide clean water if not potable water for prisoners in the early times of the prison. Certain prison cells that they mentioned did give me the willies or heebie jeebies but then again it was getting close to darkness outside. Another TV or movie series which they use this building was called prison break so if you're a big prison break fan this is a bucket list to go through. Otherwise a good historical tour I wouldn't want to be the guides doing this but then again I wouldn't be doing this in any prison in general that's been abandoned or not being used read more
4 years ago
A fundraiser and (one-year delayed) 40th anniversary of the Blues Brothers movie was held over the weekend at the Old Joliet Prison which was built in 1858. The facility gives tours and has been working to raise money to restore it as an historical place. The Blues Brothers was filmed there in 1980. Great to see Jim Belushi and the Sacred Heart Band along with Dan Ackroyd and two original band members - Steve Cropper and Tom "Bones" Malone. Around 6,000 people turned out. read more
4 years ago
I very much enjoyed this visit. We took the self-guided tour. I'm sure the guided tour was nice also, but we preferred walking around on our own. There are informational signs posted everywhere. The staff were so nice and informative about everything also. I Would for sure recommend stopping by here. You don't have to have a reservation. You can buy tickets at the gate. read more
5 years ago
5 years ago
Really creepy and eerie i loved it. Highly recommended if you like ghost hunting/abandoned places:) read more
4 years ago
A MUST in Joliet! Would highly recommend taking the guided tour, if you can coordinate it with your schedule. The self guided tour relies on the use of signs around the property, but the tour guides are SO knowledgeable and give more information and stories than a sign can. The city of Joliet has done a great job of getting this property cleaned up for exploration and has great plans for the years ahead. There is so much history here! read more
7 years ago
4 years ago
Gotta be quick like a jailbreak. Locked up tight but if I come away with a cool fact or two, I'm happy. We all know "Blues Brothers" filmed here. Signage indicates the other movies/tv that were. Cool fact: (and it was good that it was laid out there for me because I was thinking it HAD to be!) same architect as The Water Tower building downtown on Michigan Ave. Boyington is the name and he used the same material here too: limestone. It's worth a detour if you're in the area. What do you want for "free" anyway. Hopefully they create a new life for it. Property: "State of Illinois." read more
4 years ago
The Old Joliet Prison is an awesome historical building with Gothic architecture. It was built in 1858 and closed in 2002. It is located on Route 66. Just before you reach it, you will see a sign 'Get Locked Up... At the Old Joliet Prison'. Then you enter the parking lot under a 'Huge, Steel and Barbed Wire' sign. You can't go inside the prison, but you can read the 8 informational signs or walk all the way around the outside of the prison. The Prison was featured in 'The Blues Brothers' movie and in the first season of TV's 'Prison Break'. I now live in California, but visit family every year near Chicago. I love driving the Archer route through the forest preserve, and I always seem to end up at the Old Joliet Prison. It's such a cool building to experience in person! read more
After surfing Yelp for some things to do in the area we saw this interesting prison and decided to pay it a visit. When we showed up we were expecting the prison to be a bit more accessible, but it was nice to take a few minutes to read the information on the outer fence. While we were there we had the chance to watch a "sale" in the parking lot which added a layer of fun to the mix but overall we expected more. This prison would have received a 4 or 5 star rating if they had a tour or something along those lines. read more
10 years ago
3 years ago
5 years ago
5 years ago
Recommend - you are given a lot of access during this 1.5hr tour! Guide was knowledgeable and took us through every building that was still "safe" to enter. Saw the cellblock, hospital, chapel, classrooms, and industrial/work buildings. Offered up anecdotes about the former inmates and administration as well. There is a lot of walking and some uneven surfaces - just look where you're going. read more
5 years ago
4 years ago
5 years ago
8 years ago
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More info about Old Joliet Prison
1125 N Collins St
Joliet, IL 60432
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(312) 978-1282
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