by J. Nathan Matias

Wandering Free in the State Pen

The Eastern State Penitentiary, once a model for the world in prison design, is a now a museum worth imitating. Other museums try primarily to pass on information or tell a story. But Eastern State encourages active participants to find the story or create their own.

The penitentiary was designed in the early 19th century to reform inmates by removing bad influences and distractions from their surroundings. Visitors from all over the world, including Charles Dickens, came to analyze the prison design and see the new, "humane" philosophy at work. Over 300 prisons worldwide were modeled after its hub-and-spoke structure, since it allowed a single guard to keep an eye on all the cellblocks.

Today, visitors enter the prison walls to see a ruin, a massive artifact of the 19th century that operated for one hundred forty-two years.

"We expect you to explore. But it is in a state of ruin, you know," the museum employees say and point visitors to a stack of forms. Before they let visitors in, visitors must to sign a liability release.

Clearly, Eastern State is not your average museum. Next, employees hand visitors a map of the facility, give them an audio player with headphones, and point out the door into the prison courtyard.

It's time to explore.