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Museum of Colorado Prisons

The Museum of Colorado Springs, situated in the west end of Canon City, Colorado, brings to life a period when justice was quick and certain. The nearest landmark is the Colorado Territorial Correctional Facility, popularly known as the “Old Max”. The main exhibits at the Museum include confiscated inmate weapons and contraband, displays of disciplinary paraphernalia used since 1871, and historic photographs illustrating life behind the bars.  The Museum also features an authentic gas chamber that sits on the lawn, right in front of the Museum. This scale model of a gas chamber is weather-worn but is still very impressive. Also, there are two vintage cells nearby. These cells are used to store gardening tools.

The major attraction in the Museum is the cell of Alferd Packer, who was the most notorious guest of the prison. Visitors can read about this original “Hannibal the Cannibal” and can even step into his cell. Another point of interest is the cell of the 11-year old Anton Wood, the youngest prisoner convicted of murder. The large main hall of the Museum leads to a side room that features the actual hangman’s noose of the last man to have his neck stretched in this prison.
As many as 32 cells feature exhibits dedicated to all aspects of prison life such as rioting, isolation, and substance abuse. One such impressive exhibit features a feebly animated “Sheriff Sam” robot, which creaks and clunks as it narrates the career of Warden, Roy best. He was reprimanded for misusing the public funded prison lumber. Other exhibits include the Federal Bureau of Prisons display and Inmate Arts and Crafts.

A gag photo opportunity is also offered to the visitors. Visitors can wear striped prison overall and hats and pose while standing behind fake bars. They can also chose to stand behind a plywood cutout caricature of a convict and pretend like one of the prisoners. The Museum also offers ample parking space for RVs, buses, and other large vehicles. The Cell House of yesteryear permits a glance through the looking glass to perceive what incarceration was like at the turn of the century. The Museum is a regional resource center that aims at preserving and presenting the evolution and history of the Colorado prison system.  

• Mailing Address: 201 North 1st Street, PO Box 1229, Canon City, CO 81212
• Telephone: (719) 269-3015
• Hours: Summer (Memorial Day to Labor Day), 8:30 AM - 6 PM daily; Winter (Mid-October to April 30), Weds - Sun, 10 AM - 5 PM
• Website: www.prisonmuseum.org

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