If you’ve ever wondered what prison life would be like, you’ll enjoy this photo tour of the world’s famous prison museums. Get a glimpse into the far, and not-so-distant, past lives of prisoners.
Disclaimer — All photos are from third parties and DirJournal.com makes no assertion that these photos are unedited. Some photos have been obviously Photoshopped / edited for effect, some may have been visually enhanced, and others showcase models (not real prisoners).
Robben Island Prison, located near Cape Town, was a place of imprisonment for over 400 years. It was a perfect place to lock up political troublemakers and social outcasts, and you can still feel the atmosphere of despair inside these prison walls.
Photo by mr_mayer
Photo by geoftheref
Photo by ewebber
Photo by tall bru
The Abashiri Prison was in use until 1984. Presently you can see models of prisoners throughout the prison museum showing the prisoners’ daily lives in Abashiri. The models kind of tone down real prison life though, giving us a definite feeling that this is not real.
Photo by peta_peta
Photo by hwkbk
Photo by peta_peta
Photo by JanneM
Adelaide Gaol was built in the mid-1800s and closed in 1988. During that time, over 300,000 prisoners were kept here. Nowadays the visitor center includes a museum with lots of interesting artifacts dating back to the Gaol’s early years.
Photo by grumpypop51
Photo by georgiegirlis
Photo by Mowling
Photo by Squirmelia
Maitland Gaol is the longest continuously operating correctional institution in Australia with a 150-year history. The first prisoners arrived here in 1848, and the Gaol was closed in 1998. On my personal opinion it never should have been opened as a museum. You’ll understand what I mean when you’ll take a look at the photos. They are much too outspoken to be exhibited.
Photo by yewenyi
Photo by OZinOH
Photo by OZinOH
Photo by OZinOH
Photo by AugustusGloop
Photo by AugustusGloop
The Old Melbourne Gaol has a long history. It was opened in 1839 and was closed in 1929. Throughout these years people lived their lives inside its walls. Though the prison still looks the way it used to be, the building itself has a certain romance. The prison was designed by British prison engineer Joshua Jebb, and the Old Melbourne Gaol closely reminds me of the Pentonville Model Prison in London.
Photo by Leong Soong
Photo by Leong Soong
Photo by Nick Hawke
Photo by jedidiplomat
The Model Prison Museum is not that famous in US, but it’s a Cuban national monument. It was built in 1931, and imprisoned the likes of Fidel Castro along with other revolutionaries.
Photo by alpine diver
Photo by alpine diver
The Clink Prison was owned by the Winchester Bishops, and thus mostly religious offenders and debtors were imprisoned here. The prison burned down in the Gordon Riots of 1780, but the Clink Museum
still paints a realistic picture of prison life in the middle ages for tourists. Interesting exhibitions and old weapons make you feel almost like you’re in a castle rather than an old prison.
Photo by jbparker
Photo by mehrnoosh kalashi
Photo by Wayne Huzzey
Much has been said and written about the Nazi concentration camps. Such places will never be alive again. Thousands of people were killed, and thousands of people died from depletion. It was the first Nazi concentration camp, and served as a model for later camps. Though Dachau was not an extermination camp the suffering of the prisoners will always live in its walls. In one of the photos you will see the crematory. Those who couldn’t work were no longer fed. They died from hunger and were then burnt in this room.
Photo by gio.moi
Photo by Jared reyes
Photo by Jared reyes
Photo by MikasPics
Photo by AngelaC2009***
Photo by MikasPics
Chances are good that you’ve heard about Alcatraz. Probably America’s most famous prison, Alcatraz operated as a federal prison from 1934 until 1963. That might not be long compared to most of the prisons on our list today, but its rich history definitely makes this prison-turned-museum worth the mention.
Photo by Dizzy Atmosphere
Photo by Albert & Debbie
Photo by CatDancing
Photo by haglundc
Photo by Donncha @ InPhotos.org
Photo by Amin Tabrizi
Eastern State Penitentiary was opened in 1892. It’s considered to be the world’s first true penitentiary — a prison designed to inspire penitence in the hearts of convicts. It was used as a model for about 300 other prisons around the world and was closed in 1971, opening its doors now as a museum (and a popular yearly Halloween attraction).
Photo by Synaesthesia
Photo by Synaesthesia
Photo by Synaesthesia
Photo by J Blough
Photo by J Blough
The Fremantle Prison was built by convicts in the 1850s and was closed as a place of incarceration in 1991 after 136 years of continuous use. It was opened to the public in 1992 as a tourist site. I don’t feel like visiting it on my own though — the photos are enough give me the full picture of that sorrowful place.
Photo by Madfish WA
Photo by telex
Photo by mstephens7
Photo by garry.pettet
Photo by garry.pettet
Photo by le_sloth
The Huron County Jail was opened in 1872 and serverd as the jail till 1972. The building originally housed the County Courts and Council Chambers, as well as serving as Gaol and House of Refuge.
Photo by Jack1962
Photo by Jack1962
Photo by Jack1962
Photo by Jack1962
View Comments
Fremantle Prison is in Western Australia not the US.
Also, you can now rent cells in Fremantle jail's "new division" to use as an office. I worked out of cell 17 for about a year. Theyre a little cramped but if you're not bothered by having an office over death row and if you dont get claustrophobic theyre pretty good offices. As a bonus if you shut the cell door the individual cells are virtually sound proof.
What could occur in those cells while the prison was operating with maximum security inmates being locked in small sound proof boxes with 1-4 other prisoners for stretches of 12-18 hours at a time doesn't bear thinking about :
You are absolutely right! Thanks for your correction and great info!
Very interesting collection. In AngelaC2009 photo, it looks like a common toilet, but where are the water connections?
I think that not all the elements were saved, but there are just a few people who know exactly how it looked. It's cheaper to remove the old water connections than have them a part of the museum.
this is a very moving collection of photographs. once i got to the australia photos i suddenly imagined people hoarded together in those antechambers and felt the pain and fear contained in those places. what a horrible thing. love your kids and be a good person everyone.
iv been to fremantle gaol it actualy a quite intristing place to visit and has alot of history like only 3 people have ever escaped
I visited Dachau in the spring of 1977 while stationed in kirchgoens, Germany, And it still looks just as forbidding as it did then. You can almost hear the prisoners cries as you walk around.
I remember, as a 17 year old, walking through Dachau in the early morning mist, finding myself with hands behind back, head bent down and was terrified of the place.
Another interesting Australian Prison is the Port Arthur Convict Prison in Tasmania. It has a pretty grisly history with some pretty extreme conditions for the British convicts who were kept there during the years of early colonization. The site also has a grisly modern history too, as it was the site of a massacre some years ago. Its an interesting place but it gave me the absolute chills hearing some of the stories about it.
Compare to some of the world's prison, criminals in Canada are spoiled and to comfortable
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Fidel Castro may not be a hero for western countries but he did a good job in providing subsidized medical care in Cuba-*;