Philadelphia – Eastern State Penitentiary (State of Ruin)

The decision to leave the Eastern State Penitentiary in a state of ruin was deliberate, as it was left for two decades and some of its copper and valuables were stolen over the years. When a decision was made to turn it into a museum the site was cleared down, primarily of trees which had started to take over the buildings, but it was felt that repairing the damage wouldn’t be authentic.

This has left the prison in a state of ruin in parts, although efforts are made to try to minimise the decay and some sections have been secured to ensure their preservation.