west virginia penitentiary tours

West Virginia Penitentiary Tours

Whether you plan on attending a historic tour or testing your courage against the paranormal, the former West Virginia Penitentiary is the tourist attraction you will want to visit.

Users All Ages
Hour Glass 90 mins

Guided Day Tours

This guided 90-minute tour walks you through this gothic-style structure and focuses on the main level of our facility.

Roam at your own pace
Users 18+ y/o
Hour Glass 4 hours

Photography Tour

Introducing West Virginia Penitentiary’s Photography Tour! This is not a guided tour; you can roam at your own pace and leisure.

Users 12+ y/o
Hour Glass 1 hour

Escape the Pen

Escape games are a type of adventure game in which you are locked in a themed room with other participants trying to find your way out.

Hour Glass 6 hours

Private Paranormal Investigations

If things aren’t spooky enough during the day, you can visit the prison overnight. If you are searching for paranormal activities or just want to experience the penitentiary at midnight, here is a great chance.

Most Popular Tour

Public Ghost Hunt

Want to see what it is really like to spend the night in prison — but with no living residents? Tour the facility with a guide for a 90-minute guided tour, and then roam the halls on your own.

Users 15+ y/o
Hour Glass 3 hours

Thriller Thursday

Why wait for the weekend to have fun? Get started early with Thriller Thursdays! Spend three thrilling hours with us that you won’t soon forget!

Users 13+ y/o

Twilight Tour

Enjoy an evening at the prison during the twilight hours on select Fridays and Saturdays!

West Virginia Penitentiary Tours

Review Highlights

“ Thank you Garrett for being our guide, it was a great experience to see the prison and to learn the history behind it. ” in 26 reviews

“ The tour guide Jason was fantastic, he really took his time and answered everyone's questions. ” in 2 reviews

“ There is a small museum and gift shop in the lobby also old sparky the electric chair they used back then. ” in 6 reviews

Location & Hours

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818 Jefferson Ave

Moundsville, WV 26041

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About the Business

The former West Virginia State Penitentiary, where "History meets Mystery". Day Tours, Paranormal Investigations, Twilight Tours, Escape Room, the Dungeon of Horrors, Zombie Paintball and much more! Schedule your group or just bring a friend and feel the chill behind the bars! …

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How much does it cost for the tour?

We took the 90-minute daytime tour ($14 for adults, $11 for seniors, $8 for children). We felt it was well worth the ticket price! They also have nighttime tours. I believe those cost a bit more.

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11am Wednesday tour. $33.90 for 2 adults. About 18 people on our tour. Tina was great! Knowledgeable and funny! Worth the stop.

Awesome tour! I hope you get Lee as a guide. He did a great job making the tour fun and educational. You get to the explore the north and south wings, cafeteria, rec yards, and the main entrance interior. He was great narrating about each area and also being open to answering any questions the group had. You even get a chance to be locked in a cell.

Such a fun tour and a pretty amazing sight. I love the 90 minute dog and kid friendly tour.

Date of visit: 11/26/21 You should have seen the looks people gave me when I told them that I was touring a penitentiary in West Virginia! A friend found this interesting gem for our overnight visit to the Mountain State, only 20 minutes from our hotel. Staff was friendly and our tour guide, Lee, was very informative about the history of the area and the property. We spent a little too much time out in the elements or in the cafeteria on a cold November day as most of the property isn't heated, but we were warned ahead of time that it would be cold. I also appreciated the references to the various productions that have shot at the West Virginia Penitentiary and I will have to make sure to check them out in the near future. The price was fair for what you get, though I do wish the museum area was stepped up a little bit in terms of presentation of the pictures and artifacts.

It's definitely a must-see. I went on a work trip in early August, and let me tell you, I had a blast! No pun intended Ol' Sparky! Went with a coworker, and we had fun. I hope I get a chance to utilize their overnight stay!

Ol' Sparky

Our guide Garrett was so knowledgeable about the history of the Penitentiary. Garrett was very kind, answered all our questions and a pleasure to have him as our tour guide. Thank you Garrett for being our guide, it was a great experience to see the prison and to learn the history behind it. Terry & Debbie Casto Dean & Linda Bonnett

I've done the North Walk Tour the last three years during Halloween season. I love going there and taking the tour. Our tour guide, Tina, has done an amazing job doing the research and learning everything she can about the history of the prison. You can gather from these tours that she is passionate about the history, the people and her job and how she passes that history and stories along to the public. I highly recommend this tour to anyone interested in local historical landmarks. I would also like to recommend the overnight paranormal investigation tours. I've done two of them and have had different and fantastic experiences both times.

This was a rad place to visit. My boyfriend and I were the only ones there so we had our own private tour. Our guide was kooky and mysteriously fun and all of the things you'd want in someone showing you around an abandoned prison where so many terrible things happened. It was creepy and mesmerizing to walk the grounds and the cells, common areas, etc.

See all photos from Karla D. for West Virginia Penitentiary Tours

This tour was awesome! Adults $14 each and tours every hour on the hour and they last about 90 min or longer. GREAT gift shop area and very reasonably priced. Our tour guide was Jason. He was terrific, thorough and very informative. We were able to see "Old Sparky" the electric chair made on site by inmate and used 9 times. The prior executions were done by hanging in the gallows of the "Death House" which has long been torn down and replaced by 2 outside exercise yards. We were able to go inside some of the cells and Tony and Noel braver than me...they let the doors slam shut and luck them inside...Me??? Not that brave...lol Definitely recommend this tour. Would definitely go again.

See all photos from Melissa B. for West Virginia Penitentiary Tours

Please see phantommemorandum.com for my full review on the WV penitentiary. Hands-down one of the coolest places I've ever been, and I am longing to return to do an overnight. Chuck made the experience worthwhile and I really enjoyed hearing his stories as a former guard. One of the best places I've ever visited. I hope you visit my website to read all the details of my visit here.

See all photos from Laurie V. for West Virginia Penitentiary Tours

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Dungeon of horrors: october is showtime at old west virginia penitentiary.

MOUNDSVILLE – As the leaves change colors and the air turns colder, the former West Virginia Penitentiary in Moundsville has kicked off its classic “spooky season”-centered tours, as well as new Halloween-themed activities.

The penitentiary offers two main tours for those seeking frights before and after Halloween. Each weekend during October, the facility is split into its south side haunted house and the north side flashlight tour.

The south side of the prison is home to “The Dungeon” haunted house. The $25-per-person admission provides customers with a 45-minute haunted house experience that incorporates 40 actors spread out across more than 20 unique “scare rooms” located in the basement of the building.

This year’s theme for “The Dungeon” is a corrupt warden leading customers, who play the role of a new batch of inmates, through the penitentiary. Guests will begin the haunt in the main lobby’s gift shop area and then head to the penitentiary cells. The main portion of the haunted house will take place in the facility’s basement.

“The corrupt warden comes and gets the group, and he explains they’re now part of the inmate system, which includes experiments and torture,” West Virginia Penitentiary General Manager Amanda Wolverton said. “We want to keep it fresh for everybody, and this year, the feedback we’ve gotten so far has been very, very good.”

The recommended minimum age to participate in the haunted house is 13. Children younger than 13 can go through the haunted house, but Wolverton stressed that no refunds are provided for any child or adult who cannot make it through the whole haunted house.

Haunted house tours are held on Fridays and Saturdays in October, with an additional night of tours opening on Halloween night, Oct. 31. The last round of tours through the haunted house will be on Nov. 2.

Haunted house groups begin at 7 p.m. and run every 15 minutes until the final tour at 10 p.m.

On the other side of the prison, visitors can immerse themselves in the paranormal history of the penitentiary during the “North Walk” flashlight tour. The “North Walk” forgoes costumes and props as penitentiary tour guides lead visitors through a 45-minute-long tour of the oldest section of the former West Virginia Penitentiary.

The tour stops at penitentiary rooms known to have the most paranormal activity, including the North Hall cell block, the Boiler Room, the Psych Ward and the Infirmary.

North Walk tours begin at 6 p.m. and run every 20 minutes until the final tour at 9 p.m.

“The guided tour is really fun, especially with a group of 20 people with only the tour guide’s flashlight and no other lights on,” Wolverton said.

Visitors can reserve time slots for the Halloween tours at the penitentiary at wvpentours.com. The haunted house and “North Walk” flashlight tours are $25 per person.

Wolverton estimated that on a single night in October, about 550 guests walk through the haunted house, and 300 to 550 guests take part in the “North Walk” tour.

Wolverton noted that the facility sees a lot of activity beyond the night tours. October is also a popular month for daytime tours, particularly amongst local schools.

“We see lots and lots of people in October, and it’s phenomenal,” Wolverton said. “It’s nice that people come out and enjoy all the fun activities and stuff we host here. It makes it all worth it for me.”

The penitentiary will also offer less thrilling and more child-centered activities to celebrate the “season of the witch.”

The annual Kid’s Night Trick-or-Treat at the penitentiary, hosted by the Moundsville Economic Development Council, will be held inside the Moundsville Event Center on Oct. 23, from 6 to 8 p.m.

Admission to the event is free, with the MEDC asking for donations of a new toy or hygienic item that will go towards local charitable organizations.

During the event, the center will house 40 treat stations set up by local businesses, in addition to fire trucks and other first responder vehicles parked at the center for kids to tour.

Guests do not even have to step foot into the penitentiary to participate in one of its new Halloween offerings: the Pumpkin-themed sing-a-long light show. The show is displayed on the front of the penitentiary. Viewers can pull into the Main Tour parking lot, tune their radio to 94.1 FM and enjoy the show.

The light show takes place Sunday through Thursday each week from 7 to 10 p.m., with the whole show sequence lasting 20 minutes.

Wolverton noted the various Halloween activities offered at the penitentiary bring a wide array of visitors from inside and outside the state. The penitentiary may draw even more visitors this year as it has been added as a stop on West Virginia Tourism’s Paranormal Trail.

Residents can register to receive their West Virginia Paranormal Trail Passport on their phones and mark off each location on the trail they visit.

A check-in at three locations earns an official paranormal trail sticker, a check-in at 10 locations receives a paranormal trail beanie and someone who braves all stops along the trail receives a limited-edition Paranormal Trail print featuring famous Mountain State cryptids.

“Being a stop on the tour has been a really positive experience for us so far,” Wolverton said. “I think the passport and the little prizes are really neat. It’s especially fun because West Virginia has so many different paranormal spots, and you don’t realize it until they are all combined into one passport.”

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Behind Bars: Touring the West Virginia Penitentiary

The West Virginia State Penitentiary is an imposing, gothic style prison located in Moundsville, WV. It operated from 1876 to 1995. Now open for tours, it stands as a monument to a bygone era, and provides ongoing testimony to man’s inhumanity to man.

The town of Moundsville is interesting in its own right, having derived its name from several Adena Indian burial mounds constructed more than 2000 years ago that are located in the area — including the largest conical burial mound in North America, Grave Creek Burial Mound, right across the street from the penitentiary. Ironically, Moundsville is a land of sacred pasts.

In 1863, West Virginia seceded from Virginia at the height of the Civil War. Unfortunately, as a new state, it lacked public institutions, including prisons; After nine inmates escaped in 1865 from county and temporary facilities, the local press took up the cause, and the state legislature took action. On February 7, 1866, the state legislature approved the purchase of land in Moundsville for construction of a new prison.

The prison inmates themselves built the facility, taking a full 10 years to complete, in 1876. When completed, the total cost was of just over $363,000. In addition to the North Wagon Gate, there was now north and south cell blocks. South Hall had 224 tiny cells (7 ft. by 4 ft.), and North Hall had a kitchen, dining area, hospital, and chapel. A four-story tower connecting the two was the administration building, and provided space for female inmates and personal living quarters for the warden and his family.

Conditions at the prison during the turn of the 20th century were good, but deteriorated by the second half of the century as the inmate population surged to more than 2000. Inmates were housed three to a cell. The North Hall cell block was particularly horrific and was where the worst of the worst were housed. Correctional officers wore riot gear to go about their daily jobs, and were pummeled by urine, feces, and miscellaneous other objects hurled at them.

For a great aerial tour of the facility, click here .

Getting there: 818 Jefferson Ave, Moundsville, WV 26041

Dogs: Actually, surprisingly, yes!!

Hours: Open April 1st – November 30th, Closed on Federal holidays and Easter. Hours vary monthly, so please check the website.

Website: http://www.wvpentours.com For other day trip destinations, go to the Blog’s Find a Great Place to Day Trip! If you enjoy this blog, please tell your friends about it!

Check out the blog’s FB page for updates on places we’ve visited and blogged about: facebook.com/midatlanticdaytrips ! And follow us @midatlanticdaytrips on Instagram to find up what we’re up to between blog posts!

Have you daytripped somewhere interesting? I’d love to hear what you’re doing! Email [email protected] if you’re interested in being a guest-blogger!

One Reply to “Behind Bars: Touring the West Virginia Penitentiary”

Hi Jody–I just found your blog. The West Virginia Pen trip looks great. Thanks for doing this. Susan P-F

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Dungeon of horrors: october is showtime at old west virginia penitentiary in moundsville.

Photo Provided

As the leaves change colors and the air turns colder, the former West Virginia Penitentiary in Moundsville has kicked off its classic “spooky season”-centered tours, as well as new Halloween-themed activities.

Haunted house tours are held on Fridays and Saturdays in October, with an additional night of tours opening on Halloween night, Thursday, Oct. 31. The last round of tours through the haunted house will be on Nov. 2.