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I came across an article on Patch.com about how the Old Joliet Prison is reopening on June 1. Sort of. Not all the way. Visitors will only be allowed on the grounds, not inside the prison, and social distancing guidelines must be followed, but there will be tours of all kinds, including ghost.
This isn’t the first time the prison reopened. It sat dormant for years before first welcoming visitors in 2018.
If you haven’t been there yourself, you may have seen the prison on Ghost Adventures: Serial Killer Spirits when Zak and crew went looking for the spirit of the serial killer clown, John Wayne Gacy.
When it again reopens in June after coronavirus lockdown, it will offer tours seven days week, something it’s never done before. It will also debut almost two dozen interpretive signs and historical photos of the prison.
Even though people can’t go inside the buildings right now, they can tour inside some of the buildings virtually using QR codes.
And then there are the tours. All tours are by reservation only. They’ll have several options, including:
- Self-Guided Prison Tours: These tours will be limited to 90 minutes and a max of 10 guests per appointment window. (Windows will be available every fifteen minutes.) They cost $15 for adults, $10 for children ages 3-12, children under 3 are free
- Guided History Tours: These tours are led by a certified museum guide, are limited to nine people and are offered Monday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Tickets cost $30.
- Guard Tours: These tours are led by former prison employees. They will take place on alternating Saturdays and Sundays and will be limited to eight people and will cost $40 per person.
- Haunted History Tours: These tours are also limited to eight and will take place Fridays at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. The price is $35 per person.
- Photography Tours: Amateur and professional photographers are welcome to bring tripods and wander the grounds on alternating Sundays. There’s a three-hour time window for these slots. Tickets cost $50 per person.
For more info and to reserve tickets, visit: https://www.jolietmuseum.org/
Courtney Mroch is a globe-trotting restless spirit who’s both possessed by wanderlust and the spirit of adventure, and obsessed with true crime, horror, the paranormal, and weird days. Perhaps it has something to do with her genes? She is related to occult royalty, after all. Marie Laveau, the famous Voodoo practitioner of New Orleans, is one of her ancestors. (Yes, really! As explained here.) That could also explain her infatuation with skeletons.
Speaking of mystical, to learn how Courtney channeled her battle with cancer to conjure up this site, check out HJ’s Origin Story.
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