Shrewsbury Prison

The Dana Prison Entrance Kellee Kovalsky (Atlas Obscura User)

The Dana Prison closed in 2013 and is now called the Shrewsbury Prison. It provides visitors a unique glimpse into what life was like for inmates over the prison’s 200-year history. Walking through the cold stone corridors, seeing netting and cages between floors, and hearing the loud echoing of metal doors closing gives a chilling experience of the stark life inside.

As visitors go through the prison, either on their own or with a tour guide, through the cells and various rooms, they will get to view the history of the prison and startling facts such as the lack of running water in the cells.

There are various buildings and signs describing the areas. It is a fairly barren building with some mannequins posed in certain locations. There is even an option to spend the evening in the prison.

Know Before You Go

Shrewsbury Prison is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day of the week. Tickets can either be purchased in advance or at the entrance, but it might be better to book tours and special activities in advance.

While work has been done to try to make the museum as accessible as possible, some sections may only be accessible by stairs.

The prison is located on the hill just northeast of the train station, which means that it's easily accessible by public transport. Paid parking is available across the street from the entrance.