Kingston Penitentiary

Closed since 2013, Kingston Penitentiary is a national historic site, whose construction predates Canadian Confederation. It's not nothing.

When it opened in 1835, it was called the “Penitentiary of the Province of Upper Canada”, and one of the particularities of this correctional center is that it was built by… prisoners!

The guided tour, which lasts 1h30, will allow you to discover some of the key parts of the prison, and to clearly visualize the conditions in which the former inmates lived, confined in particularly tiny cells.

Several prisoners, men and women, passed through here. In particular, Marie-Anne Houde, the stepmother of little Aurore Gagnon, the child martyr who became infamous in Quebec.

If you want an even more immersive experience, book the 2.5 hour tour instead. This will allow you to interact with retired prison officers and learn more about the historical and architectural aspects of the prison.