For two months in the fall, Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia becomes a haunted attraction at night. Six nights a week, Creative director Amy Hollaman and her team transform the defunct prison into a massive haunt that contains six separate individual themed attractions called “Terror Behind the Walls”. With its haunting setting, interactive theatrical performances and sophisticated animatronic installations, “Terror Behind the Walls” has become one of the most acclaimed Halloween attractions in the east coast. It started as a weekend fundraiser in 1991, and grew into a massive two months extravaganza containing six separate attractions.



The historic prison opened in 1829, closed in 1971 due to disrepair. It was on the World Monuments Fund’s endangered monuments watch list in 1996 and 2000. The Annual event provides a substantial source of the funding for the preservation of the historic site.



