Top Prison Museums in the World

Would you ever think a prison would turn into a museum for anybody to view? That is what happened to several old and outdated prisons around the world. The top five prison museums in the world are: Alcatraz, Port Arthur Penitentiary, Cork Gaol, Inveraray Jail, and Kilmainham Jail.

Alcatraz is on an island all by itself in the ocean across from San Francisco, California, U.S.A. This is the prison where Al “Scarface” Capone and “Birdman” Robert Stroud both did time. When people visit this prison, they can actually hear the voices of correctional guards and prisoners who have died at it.  If you wanted to see Alcatraz in person, experience the bird man and Al Capone’s cell, there are a lot of different San Francisco vacation rentals to choose from.

Port Arthur Penitentiary is located in Tasmania, Australia. This prison was made of sandstone. A short distance away from this prison is a cemetery where the prisoners were buried. There is also a boy’s prison not too far from the main prison which housed male convicts.

Cork Goal is in Ireland. It was operational from 1823 to 1923, only 100 years. When it was being used, the prisoners weren’t treated very well at all. Even though the prisoners were treated awful, during the famine, 1846 to 1849, people would commit a crime just so they could go to jail and eat.

Inveraray Jail is located in Argyll, United Kingdom. This jail only had eight cells. It housed both prisoners and those people considered to be insane. Inveraray Jail was used during the 1820′s, and then it closed down.

Kilmainham Jail is in Dublin, Ireland. In Europe, this jail is one of the few largest and unoccupied ones. It was used between 1796 to 1924. Visitors here can get a tour of the building and see what went on. When traveling to Kilmainham in Ireland be sure to shop around for airline tickets as you can find great last minute deals at cheapoair.com

It is hard to believe that old, unoccupied jails and prisons are now being used as museums. In a way, it would be neat to see the inside of a jail or prison. In other ways, it would be frightening to hear the voices of anybody who had died there. If some younger people visited these jails and prison museums, maybe it would deter them from committing crimes and ending up in a place like it. All in all, prison museums around the world are in place for a reason and always will be.