Old Jail Museum Tour in St. Augustine
Description
Located on San Marco Avenue in St. Augustine’s Uptown District, the Old Jail Museum offers an educational and intriguing look into what it would have been like to be a prisoner in the Nation’s Oldest City. Take a guided tour led by the “jailers” for a compelling look at the cells where imprisoned men and women once lived, the maximum security area reserved for the most nefarious criminals and a collection of weapons.
Tour Options
Itinerary
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 learn about the infamous Sheriff Perry, who served from 1889 until 1897 and again from 1901 until 1919. His stature as a “big, bold man” at 6’6” and weighing 300 pounds was intimidating even for the most hardcore of inmates. Though popular in the community, Perry was feared amongst cell inhabitants – both male and female – for his reputation of renting out prisoners to local farmers through a leasing system. Visitors can also take a look at the cell blocks, gallows and sheriff’s quarters. See where the sheriff, his wife and children lived, right upstairs from the prisoners, and how they used their own kitchen to prepare meals for the inmates. A tour through this attraction will show visitors what life was like as an inmate and how the Old Jail helped shape St. Augustine’s history.
Experience is offered by Historic Tours of America
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Children 5 yrs. and younger are free
- Free parking available
- Reservations are not accepted; tours operate on a first come, first serve basis on the day of
- Museum is wheelchair accessible on lower floor only.
Reviews(729)
Benny is hilarious. Very educational and loved his song.
This was GREAT! Our guide Lizzie was fun and informative, and she made the experience inter-active. One of the best tour guides I’ve ever had It is an appropriate tour for all ages and I highly recommend it!
Benny the “inmate” tour guide was very entertaining while also knowledgeable of history. He interacted with us, the audience, with jokes and song! (And he can sing!!) He made this tour the highlight of our St Augustine trip! Five stars for Benny!
Thank you for taking the time to write about your experience with our CAST. They enjoy knowing they made your trip memorable. We hope you'll come back and visit us again.
Florence was our guide and she was excellent. She was very informative and made the experience fun too. It was really interesting to hear all the stories about the criminal system back in 1906. Highly recommend a visit if your in the area.
We’re so glad you had a great time with us! We love seeing our guests' pictures, it really brings the experience to life.
Our guide Benny was amazing. Stayed in character and was a great and entertaining storyteller. Old Jail was fascinating to learn about, and top floor has some exhibits to browse after the tour ends. My 4th grader son enjoyed it too, although some of the stories are a bit scary and probably not suitable for younger kids.
A great tour. Louie our tour guide did an excellent job of presenting the information in character as an inmate. Presented information in a fun way.
Thank you for this kind review. We're glad you enjoyed the artifacts, displays, and the opportunity to learn something new. We hope you’ll visit us again!
Interesting to learn about all the things in the jail and what went on. Felt bad for the people thrown in that were innocent
Incredible and Super Fun Informational Tour. The tour guide exceptional!! Definitely a MUST!!
We’re thrilled you stumbled upon our museum. Thank you for sharing your experience with us and we hope to see you again soon!
This is a fun and unique way to learn history! However, the tickets are a little bit expensive. The tour is about 30 minutes long, and once the tour is over you can still look around, but not in the areas where tours are going on. Our tour guide, Viola, was very fun. She included some demonstrations that included the people taking the tour to interact with the displays. She also was very friendly to kids and she did include them in activities too. In the tour, there are quite a few people. They have you stand in a line, and they count out thirty people to come on the tour. All others not picked in the line are chosen on the next tour. Outside of the jail, there are some shops, restaurants, and a ticket booth for other tours. The building may not be what you expect it to look like. It is a reddish, pinkish building. It looks like a small hotel with bars on the windows. Overall, this was a great experience, and a fun way to learn a little bit about St. Augustine and the jail's history, for the whole family!!
Thank you for visiting our museum! We hope you enjoyed your time with us. It was a pleasure having you share in the rich history and culture showcased within our walls. Come and see us again soon!
Fun guide and very interesting history. Didn't realize how primitive the conditions were in those days.
