Shrewsbury Prison

Visit Shrewsbury Prison and discover the secrets of this historic jail. Since it opened to the public in 2013, there’s no danger of your visit becoming a lengthy sentence - or is there?

Shrewsbury, the county town of Shropshire, is a pleasant old market town with half-timbered buildings, an abbey and a distinctive red sandstone castle. But there’s a gloomier side to the town as well, on display at the prison which has been converted into a museum, interactive experience venue and dark tourism hotspot.

The building we see today is a classic, imposing Vicotrian one, but the history of the site goes back further. Below ground level, there are remains of a Georgian lockup and there was a mediaeval dungeon in the vicinity before that. It was known as the Dana, a name which is still occasionally used for the current building.

So what’s the prison used for nowadays? It’s an interactive museum which you can visit as part of a guided tour. But the most immersive experience you can have here is true innovation - the whole 4-acre site hosts an escape room game. You take on the role of a prisoner, even wearing an orange jumpsuit and have to interact with the environment and costumed actors to pull off a prison break. Being a real prison, the level of authenticity is perhaps a little too high!

There are also special events held here throughout the year. Halloween is, of course, one of the busiest times of year, but we host some unexpected groups and functions as well, as anyone who comes to the tattoo conventions will tell you. Finally, varios TV and film crews have visited us to use the facility for TV dramas, reality shows and live televised events, including a Most Haunted special.

You don’t need to come through the courts to gain access, just book a visit!