Flashlight Tours return to Old Joliet Prison

This Halloween season, prepare to see the Old Joliet Prison in a whole new light. The historic prison, one of the most photographed sites along The First Hundred Miles of Route 66, welcomes guests to venture there with flashlights and cameras for a spooky, self-guided tour.

The Flashlight Tours will run Thursdays (5-8 p.m.), Fridays (5-10 p.m.) and Saturdays (5-11 p.m.), Oct. 3-31, with reservations available every half hour. The exciting seasonal tours grant guests the rare opportunity to roam the prison’s north segregation building, cafeteria and east cell house. Tickets cost $30 for adults, $10 for children ages 3-12 and museum members; children younger than 3 are admitted free of charge. Admission includes access to lighted stations throughout the prison that provide historical information and convenient photo-op spots.

Want to beat the crowds? The Old Joliet Prison will host a special sneak preview night at 7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 21. Tickets for the event cost $30 for adults, $10 for children ages 3-12 and museum members; children younger than 3 are admitted for free. Tickets for the October Flashlight Tours and for the preview event can be reserved in advance at JolietPrison.org/book-a-tour.

The truly haunting experience gives curious visitors an opportunity to wander through the dark corridors of a palatial former penitentiary that once housed notorious inmates such as Richard Speck, John Wayne Gacy, James Earl Ray and Baby Face Nelson. Originally constructed in 1858, the gigantic limestone prison remained in operation for nearly a century and a half, and features much of its original infrastructure – making for a unique tour that feels right out of your favorite horror film or game. After its closure, operation of the vacant facility was taken over by the Joliet Area Historical Museum, which now offers a selection of guided, self-guided and specialty tours, including this rare chance to explore the property yourself, at night.

MORE TOURS

Prison After Dark Guided Tours

General public: $40, museum members: $35

Looking to learn more about the prison’s past? Consider booking a guided Prison After Dark Tour, departing at 6:30 p.m. every Thursday, Friday and Saturday through Sept. 28. The 90-minute walking tour explores the darker side of the prison. The historical tour will cover some of the more macabre stories as you walk through the site at dusk. The tour takes you into the east and west cell houses, north segregation building, cafeteria, chapel and the honor dorm.

(This tour does not involve ghost hunting or paranormal activity, and is not recommended for small children.)

Self-Guided Tours

General public: $20, children ages 3-12: $10; free to children younger than 3 and museum members

Walk the site at your own pace. Informational signs are stationed throughout the grounds, providing historical information and photos. The north segregation building, cafeteria and east cell house are open to walk through. Are you a photographer looking to take photos up close of the famed historic site? Reservation windows are available from noon to 5 p.m. seven days a week. Visit jolietprison.org/know-before-you-go for additional details.

For more information on Flashlight Tours, Prison After Dark Guided Tours and other upcoming events, go to JolietPrison.org.