Haunted Prison in Eastern State Penitentiary

It is actually a" haunted prison" in Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia. Well, this is a luxury and more realistic looking "haunted house" for first timer adults like me.

Architectural Notes: the prison is designed by John Haviland. The penitentiary has a special radical plan with gathering place/watch spot in the center and wings spread out. Each wings has its individual open field for prisoners activities. This plan has a revolutionary system of incarceration, which was copied all over the world, many of which are still in use today.

We were asked to make choices whether or not wearing a necklace - by wearing a necklace you will be touched or even separated from the group to be scared by those actors/actresses.

There are 6 attractions. I sort of mixed them in my memory...

Lock Down:

There were lots of cages, flashy lights. smoke, scary music, dressed up actors running, jumping and flying around. They might push you or use some weapon to " hit you" if you wear a necklace. From the dark light, I could see a little bit of the installation, which was pretty good and I appreciate it because I can see the effort behind it.

We were walking in a line, the guy before me was wearing a hoodie...When I try to remember I always remember his grey hoodie...

Detritus:

Don't remember.

Machine shop:

Lots of gun shots, smoke, some elevators jumping up and down. Others are too dark to remember.

Infirmary:

This one stands out because it has a very different character. It was much brighter, It makes me feel " the walking dead", dead bodies in the room, flashy fluorescent lights. I was caught by a " doctor" and he pressed me down to the medical bed, and he " injected" something using a needle on my neck. Well...

Quarantine:

Oh I remember this one, I needed to wear 3D glasses. Super bright, odd color like toxic fungus, some clowns jumping around. They are all wearing some specially treated costume with dots and strips and they can reflects some wired lights. The walls and floor are painted with dots and strips as well. In your 3D glasses they together created a kind of illusion that those dots and strips are floating above the surface, which is very cool, makes me feel lost direction. It makes feel dizzy as well.

Break Out:

Super flashy lights, I really cannot see well. I saw a guy in front of me got grabbed away by " monsters" within a flash. He was there one flash ago....and dark, and light flash back and he is gone...

In general it was an interesting experience since I have never been to a haunted house before. I really appreciate the actors/actresses' hard work and the nice installations. But I guess teenagers may have more fun than I do. Next time I will do a daytime tour....so...maybe I could learn some history....