Old Jail Museum: Explore St. Augustine's Historic Prison

Step back in time and experience the Old Jail Museum in St. Augustine. Discover the history of America’s oldest prison and get a glimpse into the lives of its prisoners. Book a guided tour today!

Duration: 30 minutes
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Old Jail Museum - For nearly 60 years – until 1953 – the Old Jail served as the St. Johns County facility for petty thieves and hardened criminals. There were even eight recorded executions, two of which were accused murderers. Sim Jackson, who was hanged in 1908 after murdering his wife with a straight razor, is among the group.
    Today, visitors…
What's Included
  • Admission to Old Jail
What's Not Included
  • Transportation to/from attraction
  • Food and drinks
  • St. Augustine Old Jail closed on Christmas Day.
Additional Information

Situated on San Marco Avenue, in the Uptown District of St. Augustine, the Old Jail Museum provides an educational and fascinating insight into the living conditions of prisoners in the Nation’s Oldest City. Experience an intriguing guided tour conducted by the ‘jailers,’ revealing a captivating view of the cells where convicted men and women were…

Location
Old Jail Museum
San Marco Avenue
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.8
(653 Ratings)
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I1224wxemilyp
Aug 2, 2024
henry slays - henry was super fun! he was super knowledgeable and funny. he made the tour a fuller experience and got into the role which made it soooo fun. he deserves a raise.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Davett27
Jul 29, 2024
Excellent time in jail...just visiting. - This is our third time visiting the old jail with our children and we still love it. The history, the location, it's all very interesting, a little scary and fun. Cecil was our host this time and he did a great job. We really hope you let set him free someday for good behavior.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Laura
Jul 26, 2024
One jail I’d encourage people to visit 😄 - Fun addition to include in your visit to St Augustine. Although I’d recommend this attraction more for adults and older teens due to the serious subject matter, there were several families with young children who appeared to enjoy the tour. I think this was in large part due to the actors doing a great job in presenting the grim details of what past inmates faced with dark humor and wit. Definitely recommend.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Stacye676
Jul 5, 2024
Interesting Tour - Learning the facts of the old jail and seeing artifacts was very interesting. Glad we decided to do this tour while on site.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Skipsternc
Jun 23, 2024
A Truly Arresting Adventure! - An interesting and informative look at the shocking reality of early 20th Century confinement and punishment. The site is beautifully restored, historically accurate, and very well maintained. Our guide, Henry, was witty, charming, and engaging as he moved us safely through the corridors of this dreary place. The incredibly lifelike wax figures scattered throughout the cells and offices really set the scene. The tour makes us incredibly grateful to be living in a much more enlightened era under humane southern sheriffs. Excellent experience and well worth the money.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Gina_d
Jun 16, 2024
Your tour guide - Patrick the tour guide was the best he deserves a raise. He was so great at his job and very knowledgeable.
Review provided by Viator
Mary
Jun 8, 2024
Engaging Visit to Old Jail museum - Our visit to the Old Jail Museum in St. Augustine was fantastic, thanks to our great guide, Benny. His storytelling brought the history of the jail to life, mixing intriguing facts with a touch of humor. The museum itself is well-preserved, offering a fascinating glimpse into the past. Benny’s passion and knowledge made the tour both educational and entertaining. Highly recommend this experience to history buffs and families alike!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ackerjarrell
Jun 1, 2024
Belle is the best belle in the south - We had the pleasure to take a tour with Belle. She was so very warm and welcoming!! She also showed us the dark side of the jail's past and made it creepy, funny and interesting. If you get the chance to take her tour... you will be entertained beyond imagine!! The most beautiful inmate you will ever meet! Consider yourself lucky if you have her as your guide!! 1000/10 for experience.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Z2022cdjenniferb
Jul 12, 2024
Cool to see with the right guide. - The old jail itself is cool to see. The building is interesting and there’s lots of good stories that go with it…. Just do yourself a favor and do NOT go on the tour with “Auggie”. He uses a fake accent and it’s hard to follow what the heck he is saying. It was very distracting, as he is trying way too hard. We listened to some of the other tour guides and they were just telling the stories normally- so much better. Tours are every 15 mins. Just wait for a different guide. It’s bad.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sharoncn2661qc
Jun 24, 2024
Painfully boring - This tour was painfully boring. Our tour guide was Benny and his attempts at humor really fell flat. He was also often difficult to hear. We bought tickets for the trolly and two tours, the jail and the Oldest Store Museum. The trolly was a good experience and we learned a lot of history. After the jail, we left; didn't even bother with the Oldest Store Museum tour after our bad experience with the jail tour. The trolly is worth the time and money but the jail tour absolutely is not.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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up to 9 guests
1 Adult
October 2024
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