With museums known for medical artifacts and jails that housed Al Capone, Philly has some unusual hidden gems. As long as you can handle some peculiar sights and sounds, you should visit these attractions during your free time in the city!
Eastern State Penitentiary
2027 Fairmount Avenue
The Penitentiary is definitely less frightening when Terror Behind the Walls is not in action. That being said, people still claim to have seen ghosts in the halls of the Penitentiary. Al Capone was an inmate the Penitentiary and you will have a chance to see his cell on your visit. Tickets are $10 for students.
Mütter Museum
19 South 22nd Street
The Mütter houses an array of medical artifacts. The museum hopes to educate on “the mysteries and beauty of the human body and appreciate the history of diagnoses and treatment of disease.” Explore exhibits on the human history of anatomy and medical oddities through real-life models ranging from 7 BCE to 2014. Tickets are $11 for students.
Edgar Allan Poe House
532 North 7th Street
Take a free (!) tour of Edgar Allan Poe’s home! The historic site will allow you to take a self-guided tour or a National Park Service ranger-led tour of the poet’s home. You will have a first-hand look at his basement, which is believed to have inspired the story of “The Black Cat.” Your English teachers will be proud.
