Seasonal Tour Guide
Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site

Seasonal Tour Guides

Tour Guides are responsible for explaining the history and relevance of the penitentiary for a broad audience. ESPHS’s guide-led programming includes hands-on experiences such as unlocking a cell door, leading public and school tours of the property, and staffing locations around the penitentiary to ensure a safe and educational environment for visitors.

Other responsibilities include site maintenance, which entails cleaning exhibits and taking out the trash. Please note that Eastern State Penitentiary is a ruin and working conditions are not always ideal. Tour Guides spend their workday in outdoor conditions.

You are a great fit for this job if you are:

• Passionate for learning and sharing knowledge with people from a wide range of ages, backgrounds, and interests.
• A clear, confident, thoughtful, and open public speaker.
• A natural at leading conversations and making people feel comfortable.
• Flexible and adapt quickly.
• Willing to discuss politically and culturally sensitive subject matter (ie: prison, crime, and race) in a way that fosters space for diverse opinions that may differ from your own.
• Exceptional in providing customer service.
• Work well on your own, but also enjoy teamwork and collaboration.
• Willing to work outdoors in all types of weather.
• Fluent in a language other than English (preferred).
• Have some knowledge about criminal justice and prisons (preferred).
• Experienced in working in an educational environment, such as a museum,classroom, tutoring, mentoring, etc. (preferred)

Equal Opportunity Employer Statement:

Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer that does not discriminate on the basis of actual or perceived race, creed, color, religion, alienage or national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, age, disability or handicap, sex, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, arrest record or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local laws. Our management team is dedicated to this policy with respect to recruitment, hiring, placement, promotion, transfer, training, compensation, benefits, employee activities and general treatment during employment.

About ESPHS:

When Eastern State opened more than 180 years ago, it changed the world. The first prison of its kind – a penitentiary – it was designed to inspire true regret in the hearts of criminals. The building itself was an architectural wonder; it had running water and central heat before the White House, and attracted visitors from around the globe. Although the prison now stands in ruin, its story remains relevant today.

When Eastern State Penitentiary opened as a historic site in 1994, it attracted just over 10,000 daytime visitors – in 2016 it was visited by more than 230,000. The site’s staff and programming continue to grow by inviting the public into new spaces, mounting original artist installations, and engaging visitors in conversations about the history and legacy of the building.

The penitentiary is open every day, year-round from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. For more information please visit easternstate.org

Hourly rate begins at $12.00/hr. After the completion of an evaluation process the pay raises to $13.00/hr. There is also an hour-based incentive for seasonal staff who complete the season in good standing.

About Seasonal Employment at ESPHS:

This position is seasonal, ending on November 30th. Applicants must be available for weekday and weekend shifts (approx. 9 am to 5:30 pm); occasional early mornings and evenings required.