Eastern State Invites Visitors to Explore Finding Justice Month Through Art, Music, and History This February

If you’re looking for something meaningful (and honestly, pretty inspiring) to dive into this February, Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site has you covered. All month long, the historic site is celebrating Finding Justice Month, and the focus is on something powerful: how creativity—words, music, art—has always found a way to break through even the toughest walls.

As Dr. Kerry Sautner, President & CEO, puts it, February at Eastern State highlights how creative expression can shape conversations around justice and human dignity. And the lineup truly leans into that idea. Whether you're a history buff, an art lover, or someone who just appreciates a good story, there’s something here that will stay with you.

Throughout February 2026, visitors can explore special programs included with general admission. Start with the Finding Justice Self-Guided Tour, where you’ll discover how civil rights leaders and incarcerated individuals used their voices to push for equality—even from inside prison walls. Then swing by the Voices of Liberation Video Installation, located near the rotunda, to hear the words of prominent civil rights figures who wrote and spoke from confinement.

If you want something hands-on, the Chaplain’s Office Murals and Music Mini Tours dig into how visual art and sound offered both resistance and reflection for people living behind bars. These happen at select times daily.

February also includes standout special events, like the Justice 101 online program on February 18, where experts explore how Reconstruction-era decisions shaped modern incarceration. And on February 21, artist Mark Loughney joins visitors for a public tour, followed by live portrait sketching near his impactful mural Pyrrhic Defeat: A Visual Study of Mass Incarceration.

Eastern State hosts a month that blends history, creativity, and big conversations.