Historic Tours at Old Joliet Prison in Illinois

Set just outside Chicago in Joliet, Illinois, Old Joliet Prison offers a raw and revealing window into America’s penal past. This iconic brick fortress, established in 1858, stands as a rugged hallmark of 19th and 20th-century incarceration, drawing visitors into its weathered walls through an array of self-guided and expert-led tours. More than a relic, the prison hums with the echoes of its former inmates and guards—a living history site where every corridor tells a story.

The Old Joliet Prison experience is anchored by carefully curated tours suited for a range of interests and comfort levels. Choose from self-guided walks that allow you to move at your own pace through yard areas and cell blocks, or sign up for illuminated flashlight tours that plunge you into the prison’s darker moments after dusk. Architecture buffs can opt for the Behind the Scenes guided Architecture Tour through the administration building, gaining unique access to the structure’s substantial craftsmanship not usually open to the public.

Throughout the visit, history reveals itself in layers—from tales of notorious inmates like John Wayne Gacy, briefly held here, to the prison’s role as a backdrop for popular media including The Blues Brothers and Prison Break. Visitors can spot filming locations like payphones in the exercise yard or the tunnel-like hole in the concrete floor of the North Seg building.

The tours are accessible in both English and Spanish, widening the cultural reach of this historic landmark. A small onsite gift shop offers memorabilia, including photo opportunities with figures from film history, weaving the prison’s cultural presence into the visit. With its vivid history, atmospheric setting, and well-informed staff, Old Joliet Prison is a compelling destination for those seeking a tangible connection to Illinois’s complex past.